Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) hosted two events to foster conversation around the topics of AI technology, access to capital, and economic empowerment in Black communities. In conjunction with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 53rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), Senator Butler hosted a panel on Thursday entitled “AI and Economic Empowerment in Black Communities.” Also on Thursday, Senator Butler served as an honorary cohost along with Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.-5), Congresswoman Nikema Williams (D-Ga.-5), and industry and non-profit partners for the ALC’s Braintrust, The Connective Capital Consortium.
The “AI and Economic Empowerment in Black Communities” panel brought together Black thought leaders and innovators from the technology and financial spaces to discuss how AI technology can be a powerful tool to create economic opportunities, address wealth disparities, and empower Black communities. The panel coincided with the introduction of the Workforce of the Future Act, which would authorize $250 million in grant funding to make sure that students, teachers, and workers – especially those from marginalized communities – are adequately prepared to enter the technology-enabled workforce of the future. Senator Butler opened the panel with remarks about the importance of thoughtfully leveraging AI to open doors to economic opportunity for the Black community.
The panel was moderated by ACLU President Deborah Archer and featured three panelists: Megan Holston-Alexander, Partner and Head of the Cultural Leadership Fund at Andreessen Horowitz, Tyrance Billingsley II, Founder and Executive Director of Black Tech Street, and DeVaris Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of Meroxa. John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE offered closing remarks.
As part of CBCF’s ALC, Senator Butler also served as an honorary co-host for The Connective Capital Consortium Braintrust. The Consortium’s programming consisted of three panels around the themes of capital access for Black entrepreneurs; diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in investment following the Fearless Fund court ruling; and the role of government and venture capital in supporting emerging companies. Prior to Thursday’s programming, Senator Butler shared remarks on Wednesday evening as part of The Connective Capital Consortium Braintrust Launch event, where she spoke about the structural barriers Black communities have historically faced in accessing the financial sector and the innovative actions that need to be taken to improve economic mobility for underserved communities.
See photos from Senator Butler’s “AI and Economic Empowerment Panel” HERE.
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