The following is an online extra from our June 2023 issue.
1 of 3
The BLCK Street Conference returns to Richmond Aug. 5-7 with expanded programming.
2 of 3
3 of 3
When the BLCK Street Conference debuted in 2022, attendees buzzed with excitement about the sold-out event. Conceived by the founders of The JWC (Jackson Ward Collective) Foundation — Melody Short, Kelli Lemon and Rasheeda Creighton — the purpose was to create a “for us by us” experience for African American entrepreneurs. Business owners from multiple sectors had the opportunity to network and learn from successful business leaders.
Many left the conference with only one question: Would there be another one?
The answer is yes. The conference returns Aug. 5-7 with expanded programming. Short says feedback from last year’s attendees helped shape the schedule for this year. “We designed a two-day experience, including a BLCK Street Conference Marketplace on the first day,” she says. “We are excited because attendees can sell their products on the first day, and they can get a full conference experience the day after.”
The experience begins with a preconference “settle in” session on Saturday, Aug. 5, then ramps up Sunday, when attendees can visit or sell at the vendors’ marketplace, which will include live music; tour historic Jackson Ward; or attend one-on-one workshops with established business leaders to glean advice on marketing, branding, accounting and other business topics.
The final day is packed with opportunities. It will kick off with a panel discussion on the historical significance of Jackson Ward’s business history and its legacy as a Black Wall Street community. The home of Maggie L. Walker, the first African American woman to charter a bank and serve as a bank president in the United States, Jackson Ward was nicknamed the “Harlem of the South” for its bustling African American community.
After the panel discussion, attendees can choose from a series of themed classes presented by industry experts, plus breakout sessions and networking. The event will close with a “fireside chat” from Angel Gregorio — owner of spice and style purveyor The Spice Suite in Washington, D.C., and a top 40 contender in season eight of the cooking competition reality show “MasterChef” — as well as a casual networking session.
According to Short, the goal in bringing entrepreneurs together is for them to learn alongside one another and then take the information back home to their communities to start, grow or scale their businesses.
In addition to hosting the BLCK Street Conference, Short says The JWC Foundation creates opportunities for Black entrepreneurs by providing one-on-one coaching for members and offering the Community Business Academy, a 12-week cohort that helps entrepreneurs set up their businesses for success.
The organization is also committed to making sure Jackson Ward is part of the narrative about Black Wall Street, the African American communities that thrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The success of those communities serves as a foundation for the flourishing businesses that exist now. “It’s important to see ourselves in these spaces — at a Black business conference, sponsored by Black folks,” Short says. “Very seldom do we have access to resources, whether it is social capital or just information. There just aren’t that many resources available to us on a grand scale.”
For more information or to register for the conference, visit blckstreetconference.com.
