25th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit

by A Collier
wall street project

25th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit

The 25th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit was held on March 21st and 22nd, 2022.

wall street project

The 25th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit was held on March 21st and 22nd, 2022.

The 25th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit was held on March 21st and 22nd.

The Summit brings “entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and some of the nation’s leading policymakers together to increase business and employment opportunities for African Americans, women, and people of color.”

25th Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit

The theme this year was “The Wall Street Project 25 Years Later: Many Successes, but Our Work to Level the Playing Field Continues.” It was a two-day hybrid event with in-person sessions on Monday, March 21, and virtual sessions on Tuesday, March 22.

This year’s event started with a Labor & Ministers Breakfast, hosted by HarlemAmerica’s own founder, legendary TV and radio personality, G. Keith Alexander. And Mayor Eric Adams was also there to help celebrate. You can see him with G. Keith in the middle photo below  and read some quotes from his touching tribute to Rev. Jackson here.

Some of this year’s sessions included a panel discussing the Wall Street Project’s impact on the expansion and utilization of diverse broker-dealers and asset managers, a celebration of 25 years of Wall Street Journal Project work hosted by Rainbow PUSH Coalition Founder and President, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., and more.

At the end of the first day, Rev. Jesse Jackson rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange in celebration of his 25-year journey with the Wall Street Project.

Day Two was virtual, and you can watch the sessions in full on YouTube. It includes discussions about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a few sessions on the business of sports, and the impact of historical infrastructure on communities.

The speakers ranged from former NFL players who now lead successful businesses to the co-founder and CEO of Silicon Harlem and the nation’s only disabled- and women-owned broker-dealer business. You get to hear from diverse business perspectives about the changes the Wall Street Project and other strong Black entrepreneurs have enacted to help create more equal opportunities for all.

What is the Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project?

“It has been 25 years since the Wall Street Project first challenged Corporate America to end the multi-billion-dollar trade deficit with minority vendors and consumers,” said Michelle Baldwin, the emcee for the virtual summit.

“As its founder, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., so accurately noted, ‘Just as America did not realize how good professional sports could be until athletes of all colors could play, American businesses will not maximize its growth potential until all businesses have an equal opportunity to compete on an even playing field, where the rules are public and the goals are clear.”

The Wall Street Project was founded in 1996 and officially launched on January 15, 1997 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. For more than two decades, the organization’s mission has been to promote inclusion, opportunity, and economic growth by encouraging public and private industries to provide more business opportunities for minority and women-owned companies on Wall Street and throughout the financial services industry.”

They also have missions that aim to improve hiring practices and intra-trade relationships with minority businesses, increase financial literacy in underserved communities, and create more capital opportunities for minority businesses.

Be sure to check out the virtual summit sessions on YouTube – they are full of great history insights and visions for the future, all discussed and highlighted by some of the top minority entrepreneurs and professionals from all over the world.

One Goal: Amplify the Voices of Black Entrepreneurs

The Wall Street Project and the HarlemAmerica Digital Network are built from the same foundation. We want to keep creating space for success and bringing growth and opportunities to communities of color. Using economic means and entertainment media, we are helping black entrepreneurs like yourself amplify their voice and brand, to build a better and more inclusive tomorrow.

Whether you are a personal entertainment brand, lawyer, accountant, entertainer, entrepreneur, or other Black professionals, HarlemAmerica is here to help you create podcasts and TV shows that speak to your target audience. Check out our website to learn more about our small business membership packages.

Share This

Leave a Comment