The annual Mountain Region Black Economic Summit will have a new flavor this year after organizers shortened the name to “The Summit” and partnered with other chambers of commerce to attract more diverse participants.
Dubbed “The Summit: The New Color of Money,” the event organizers are pushing to add participants by partnering with the Hispanic, Asian, Indian and Gay/Lesbian chambers of commerce.
“This year we wanted to be more inclusive,” said Carla Ladd, president of the Mountain Region Black Economic Summit. “We don’t do business in a vacuum with just African-Americans; we do business with all cultures. What better time to get together than now?”
The one-day event June 6, priced at $99, includes workshops ranging in topic from networking and new-business models to government contracting and being green.
The event is the only multicultural-type business seminar in the area, which made it a great fit for the Denver Hispanic Chamber when it was approached by Ladd, said Ann Bayles, representative of the Hispanic Chamber.
“We like the idea of incorporating all of the diversity in Denver because so often the cultures are separate,” she said. “This brings everyone together, and diversity is necessary for a strong economy.”
The Black Economic Summit began in 2004 with 350 participants and has increased participation every year. Last year nearly 700 people attended the two-day seminar. Organizers hope that with the multicultural focus, the participant pool will grow again this year.
The event coincides with the 11th annual Summit of the Chambers, an unrelated event sponsored by American Family Insurance that brings together all the chambers every June for a night of networking.
That event is scheduled for June 5, the night before The Summit: The New Color of Money begins. Chamber members can contact their respective organizations to reserve a spot at the event.
The MRBES still plans to host events for the African-American community, Ladd said.
“We are not abandoning the black economic summit by any means,” Ladd said. “We just wanted to see if we could open it up to a multicultural audience.”
Elizabeth Aguilera: 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com
Summit of the Chambers, Cultural Fusions
Date: June 5
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Site: Beta Nightclub, 1909 Blake St.
Admission: Contact local chamber of commerce
The Summit: The New Color of Money
Speaker: Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, aboard the shuttle Endeavour in 1992
Date: June 6
Time: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Site: Colorado Convention Center
Admission: Registration $99,
