Next week, Mastercard will be hosting a series of events and workshops in Atlanta to support the city in helping close the racial wealth and opportunity gap for Black communities. With activities spanning across two days, the sessions will bring together local community and industry leaders, government officials, small business owners, entrepreneurs, with the goal of advancing existing efforts and building new partnerships. ‘In Solidarity with Atlanta’ builds on Mastercard’s $500 million commitment to tackle these challenges across the U.S., starting in seven cities.

On April 20, there will be two events open to the public:

Mastercard: In Solidarity with Atlanta | Hosted By Blavity - Register here

Join Mastercard and Blavity in exploring ways to address a financial system that has systemically disadvantaged and excluded Black communities with view to advancing opportunity and equitable growth in Atlanta.

• Inclusive Recovery and the Racial Opportunity Gap in Atlanta: Michael Froman, Vice Chairman, Mastercard, in conversation with The Honorable Nikema Williams (D-GA) 

• Addressing Income Inequality: Panel featuring Nathaniel Smith, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Partnership with Southern Equity and David Tapscott, CMO, Greenwood

• Shaping an Inclusive Space for Economic Mobility: Panel featuring John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman & CEO, Operation HOPE, Lakeysha Hallmon, Founder and CEO, The Village Market ATL, Nancy Johnson, President and CEO, Urban League of Greater Atlanta and moderated by Morgan DeBaun, Founder & CEO, Blavity Inc.

The Strivers Initiative - Register here

With host Arian Simone of Fearless Fund, join Mastercard and Create and Cultivate for a virtual event featuring local small business experts and founders, that explores the challenges and opportunities for Black women-owned small businesses in Atlanta. This event will also feature an interactive shopping segment that highlights local small business owners and the ways we can shop, share, and support them.

Speakers include: Arian Simone, Co-founder, Fearless Fund; Bonika Williams, Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, Invest Atlanta; Martina Edwards, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs; Salah Goss, SVP of Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard; Cheryl Guerin, EVP Marketing, Mastercard; Jasmine Lewis, Founder of Vie Beauty; Yolanda Owens, Founder of Iwi Fresh; and Jacqulyn Orders, Founder of Greentop Gifts.