The Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit Center Hosts “Unlocking Access and Capital to Advance Women of Color Entrepreneurs” Economic Symposium in LA

The Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit Center(BBOP) was thrilled to host the “Unlocking Access and Capital to Advance Women of Color Entrepreneurs” economic symposium at the Weingart Foundation in Los Angeles on October 25, 2023 at 10:00 AM. This event boasted a lineup of distinguished speakers and panelists, each recognized for their expertise in the fields of small business, technology,  venture capitalism, AI, investing and philanthropy. 

Leading this conversation was Vanessa Perez, CEO of the BBOP Center and Executive Director of Time for Change Foundation, as well as featured keynote speaker Kim Carter, President of the BBOP Center and Founder/Ambassador of Time for Change Foundation. Special guest speakers included Leila Lee, Director of Small Business and Policy at Office of Mayor Karen Bass as well as Dr. Roberto Cordero, Chief Operating Officer at the BBOP Center.

“We are so happy to have hosted our first ever economic symposium on unlocking access to capital for women of color entrepreneurs, “ says Vanessa Perez. “This is the first of many events that the BBOP Center will host in our efforts to ​​address the systemic issues contributing to the underrepresentation of women of color in entrepreneurship and access to capital. We had remarkable panelists that shared a wealth of information that left people feeling inspired and empowered!”

The first panel brought together a powerhouse team of experts including Hilda Kennedy, Founder and President at AmPac Business Capital, Luvina Beckley, Founder and CEO of M.H.M. & Associates,Max Vargas, VP of Economic Justice at the Latino Community Foundation and Nicole Anand, Deputy Executive Director for the Inclusive Action for the City. The second panel of the day brought Austin Clements, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Slauson & Co., Damon Richardson, CP Global Tax at Google, Mitch Gilbert, CEO of Oya Femtech Apparel, as well as Ruth Ruberwa, Venture Scout at The Female Founders Fund and Strategic Partner Manager at Google.

Together, the panelists brought insight and expertise on how women of color entrepreneurs can access various types of capital investments, what investors are looking for in a business or product, and how to experience entrepreneurial growth.

The goal of this event was to help move the needle from 2% to 100% for women of color to gain access to capital in order to start and grow their businesses. Admission to the event was free, and attendees consisted of inspiring small business owners, entrepreneurs, city officials and more.

For additional information on the BBOP Center, click here.