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4th Annual Conference | June 13-15, 2025
“Building Black Cooperatives: Roadmap To Economic Liberation”
Thank you for your continued support of the Network for Developing Conscious Communities and the Annual National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda.
Due to overwhelming excitement and response to this year’s conference assembly invitations, we are now at full capacity!
We appreciate your interest and energy, and we look forward to sharing post-conference highlights, outcomes, and opportunities to stay engaged—especially as we move toward activating our final strategy session plans.
Stay connected!
Sign up for our newsletter or reach out to us at [email protected] to learn more about upcoming initiatives, webinars, and movement-building opportunities.
Together, we’re building the future of the Black Solidarity Economy.
A Black Solidarity Economy Movement Assembly
With the intention to advance strategies for building Black cooperative ownership, economic self-determination, and sustainable community wealth building, the NDCC will host its 4th annual National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda to address our economic challenges and respond to the Trump Administration’s attack on Black economic success. Our intention is to unite our national community of Black cooperators to organize a strategy to help shape the future of cooperative action across the U.S. in the agriculture, housing, finance, tech, and services sectors of cooperatives for the next 4 years minimum.
By uniting to create and support Black cooperative enterprises, we plan to build a sustainable economic foundation that empowers our communities and mitigates the impact of adverse public policies.
What to Expect
Registration
Donation
GROUP RATE
We are delighted to offer complimentary registration to this trailblazing event. While attendance is free, we warmly encourage donations to support our ongoing initiatives.
15% discount
STUDENT/INTERN RATE
Your generous contributions will directly enhance this convening, enabling us to continue making a meaningful impact. Every donation, regardless of size, plays a vital role in sustaining our mission.
$125
Date and time
Fri, Jun 13, 2025 8:00 AM – Sun, Jun 15, 2025 4:30 PM ET
Location
Networking
Connect with more than 200 high-level cooperative professionals. Network for Developing Conscious Communities and Las Vegas Department of Neighborhood Services brings together decision makers, leaders, entrepreneurs, managers of the most important Black cooperatives in United States, all in the same place. Don’t miss the opportunity to grow your network of contacts and expand your business.
Organize and collaborate with the nation’s Black Cooperators
The Black cooperative movement is thriving, but to truly sustain and expand our impact we must be intentional about our collective growth, strategy, and long-term vision for supporting cooperative business structures.
The 4th Annual National Conference on the Black Cooperative Agenda is the place for cooperative leaders, organizers, business owners, and visionaries to convene to gain and share knowledge, strategize, network, and plan with the goal to transform the way we do business. Join us to listen, learn and strategize ways to grow your cooperative business, support other cooperative businesses, and empower our communities through collective economics.
Register today and help organize to transform the future of Black Cooperative action.
Not ready to register? Sign up for our email newsletter for more information about the National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda
Event Vision Statement
We envision a thriving, interconnected Black cooperative ecosystem strengthened by strategic collaboration, coordinated infrastructure, and effective regional and global resource sharing. This ecosystem will integrate diverse cooperative sectors, driving equitable economic transformation and collective prosperity.
Event Mission Statement
We aim to cultivate and sustain a robust Black cooperative ecosystem, across sectors, by facilitating strategic collaboration, building shared infrastructure and generating and sustaining shared assets.
About the National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda
Ron Hantz founded the National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda to revitalize and advance the Black cooperative movement in the United States. Drawing inspiration from the Poor People’s Development Foundation (PPDF), established in 1968 to educate and unite Black and poor communities through cooperative ecosystems, Hantz sought to continue this legacy by fostering economic empowerment and self-sufficiency within Black communities by bringing together a collective to network, strategize and collaborate on projects, funding, etc. In the long-term, the annual conference aims to build cooperative capacity by enhancing the skills and knowledge necessary for successful cooperative ventures; forge strategic alliances by strengthening relationships among Black cooperatives to create a robust support network; and celebrating successes in the community to include highlighting and learning from successful cooperative models to inspire and inform future initiatives.
By focusing on these objectives, the conference aims to create a sustainable ecosystem for Black-governed community development organizations, fostering economic empowerment and self-sufficiency within Black communities.
About the Network for Developing Conscious Communities
The Network for Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC), established by Ron Hantz, has emerged as a grassroots voice promoting cooperative principle-based practices to regenerate under-resourced Black communities. Hantz believes that developing sustainable communities requires a conscious effort to raise the awareness and connectivity of local stakeholders with the aim to elevate Black consciousness in community development.
Sessions
Scan QR code for PDF version
Wednesday, June 12
06:00 pm – 8:00 pm Welcome Reception Pimento Grille
The reception provides an opportunity for attendees to meet and mingle with each other, as well as with organizers, speakers, and other key figures.
Friday, June 13
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Registration / Continental Breakfast
Meditation
9:15 am – 9:40 am
Welcome
9:40 am – 9:55 am
Framing Our Time Together
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Grounding In Joy
10:30 am – 10:45 am
Break
10:45 am – 11:30 am
Sankofa
11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Collective Values
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch break
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Concurrent Breakout 1 Imagination
Building National Network of Black Solidarity Economy Practitioners
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Break
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Breakout 2
Collective Values Embody and Achieve Our Imaginations
4:00 p.m.
Meet and Greet Reception
Saturday, June 14
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Registration / Continental Breakfast
Meditation
9:00 am – 9:20 am
Grounding In Joy
9:20 am – 9:35 am
Welcome
9:35 am – 10:35 am
Dr. Taura Taylor, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Morehouse College
10:35 am – 10:55 pm
Disrupting Internalized Myths
11:15 am – 12:30 pm
Sankofa
11:30 pm – 12:00 pm
Concurrent Breakout 3
Intergenerational Power: Sustaining Movement Leadership Over Time
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Lunch Break
02:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Concurrent Breakout 4
Advancing Black Solidarity Economy
Communications and Narrative Strategy
Concurrent Breakout 4
Advancing Black Solidarity Economy
Concurrent Breakout 4
Movement Governance: Practicing Democratic and Liberatory Structures
03:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Break
03:45 pm – 4:15 pm
Closing
Sunday, June 15
8:30 am – 9:15 am
Continental Breakfast
Meditation
9:15 am – 9:45 am
Welcome and Framing
9:45 am – 10:25 am
Our Collective Vision
10:30 am – 12:05 am
Concurrent Breakout 5
Regional Relationship Building (East and South)
Concurrent Breakout 5
Regional Relationship Building (West and North)
12:10 pm – 12:40 pm
Report Out
12:40 pm – 1:00 pm
Closing
Afternoon Session
1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Session 19 Harnessing Technology for Success: Digital Solutions for Black Cooperatives
Gateway Conference Room
Participants are introduced to the concept of digital transformation and its significance in the context of cooperative enterprises. Emphasis is placed on how digital technologies, such as cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, are revolutionizing cooperative operations, service delivery, and member experiences.
Attendees learn about the role of e-commerce and online marketplaces in
expanding market reach, diversifying revenue streams, and connecting cooperative products and services with consumers. Participants learn about the opportunities and challenges of selling cooperatively produced goods and services online and strategies for optimizing online sales channels.
Session 20 Navigating Best Practices and Challenges: Sustainable Cooperative
Food Sourcing and Supply Chains
Veterans Room
This session provides a comprehensive exploration of strategies and best practices for promoting sustainability within cooperative food sourcing and supply chains.
This session recognizes the critical role that food cooperatives play in fostering environmental stewardship, supporting local economies, and promoting ethical
sourcing practices. Empowers participants to integrate sustainability principles into all aspects of food sourcing and supply chain management. It equips attendees with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to build resilient, responsible, and sustainable food systems that benefit producers, consumers, and the planet.
1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Tour George Floyd Square
Visiting George Floyd Square is a deeply moving and thought-provoking experience that leaves a lasting impact on all who pay their respects at this historic site. Situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, the plaza serves as a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
Approaching George Floyd Plaza, one immediately senses the solemn atmosphere permeating the space. The intersection, once an ordinary city block, has been transformed into a sacred ground, adorned with vibrant murals, colorful artwork, and poignant tributes honoring the life of George Floyd and countless others who have lost their lives to police brutality and racial violence.
Speakers
Dr. Taura Taylor
Taura Taylor is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Morehouse College. She holds a BBA in finance from Howard University and an MA and a PhD in sociology from Georgia State University. Her research interests include the sociology of education, the sociology of the Black family, social movements, and entrepreneurship—all of which converge into her expressed interest in intersectionality and micro-level resistance. Dr. Taylor’s entrepreneurship research is published in Ethnic and Racial Studies, and the Urban Institute publishes her research on Black women’s work-life balance and wealth building. Her most recent research examines Black employee and worker ownership in Atlanta, GA.
BlakQuity Facilitation Team
Itzy Delafuente
Itzy has built bridges between private and nonprofit cultures for over 20 years. Her deep love for humanity, global cultural experiences, and healing-centered approaches have positioned her as a thought leader in healing-centered racial and social justice, culture transformation, and peacebuilding. For the first half of her career, she led international teams at “Big 4” Accounting firms, advising executives of the world’s largest multinational corporations and financial services firms on best practices to assess and mitigate risk. A deep calling to serve the very communities from where she came led her to Washington, DC, to pursue a graduate degree in International Development. Itzbeth developed and deepened relationships across the Global South for over a decade to promote shared prosperity, equity, and justice. Itzbeth founded BridgePeople LLC in 2019, hoping to partner with leaders and organizations to uncover and address the root causes of systemic inequality, poverty, violence, and injustice and not simply deal with the symptoms. BridgePeople has become a robust community of competent and conscious independent consultants committed to healing and justice. It has supported organizations big and small in transforming their cultures and structures to align better with their values and increase the effectiveness and impact of their work. Initially from Panamá, Itzbeth identifies as a daughter, sister, wife, friend, a person of deep faith, and as a Queer Afro-Mayan Black woman. She promotes unity in our shared humanity, and as a passionate student of different wisdom and faith traditions, she proudly advocates for interfaith solidarity and supports unleashing the power of love in both secular and faith-based spaces. She speaks four languages and is an avid human.
Griffin Moore
Griffin grew up in a faith community where they learned that each of us has a role in creating the communities we want to live in. As an adult, I had a 10-year career in workforce development, supporting folks’ ability to care financially for themselves and their loved ones. Over time, I came to believe that work, like all aspects of life, is sacred and must center on our humanity and our potential to transform our world.
Griffin Moore is an organization development consultant and a leadership and career coach. Their clients are committed to working for social justice. Griffin uses facilitation, data, coaching, and training to guide clients in aligning their values and practices. They offer skills and insights from a decade of experience as an internal culture change agent in regional, national, and international nonprofit and for-profit entities. Griffin works in consulting teams with practitioners with complementary skill sets to attend to individual, interpersonal, group, organizational, industry, and movement dynamics. As a coach, Griffin has supported social justice leaders, teams, and more than 1,000 career changers to create value-aligned careers and working methods.
Griffin holds an M.S. in Organization Development from American University and a B.A. in African-American Studies with a concentration in history from Oberlin College. Griffin is a Black, queer, nonbinary trans, nature nerd who lives on Piscataway-Conoy lands, currently known as Washington, D.C.
Aja Taylor
Black organizer, trained coach, and seasoned organizational strategist with over a decade of experience supporting mission-driven organizations aligning their values with their practices. Her work is grounded in Black radical tradition, collective care, and a deep commitment to dismantling systems of oppression through transformative leadership, political education, and solidarity economics. As Co-Founder and Principal of Two Brown Girls Consulting LLC, she has supported over 1,000 people across 47 organizations and coalitions through facilitation, coaching, and strategic support. Her praxis centers on Black liberation and builds organizations’ internal muscle to move beyond performative equity toward structural change. She brings particular expertise in helping organizations confront how intersectional oppression shows up in workplace culture and how to organize toward healing, power-building, and alignment. A long-time activist and movement strategist, Aja draws from years of frontline organizing and political struggle to design unapologetically Black spaces that are justice-rooted and liberation-forward. She is especially committed to building the infrastructure for Black solidarity economies and collective sovereignty. Aja received her bachelor’s degree from Hampton University.
Imane Soubiane
Imane is a dynamic and results-driven professional with a proven track record in project management and business development. With over six years of experience in international and community development, Imane excels in leading cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions and drive organizational growth. She has worked in public diplomacy with Americorps, the US Department of State, and, most recently, with blakQuity. Throughout her career, Imane has demonstrated expertise in strategic project planning and execution. She is known for her strong analytical skills, strategic mindset, and ability to translate complex concepts into actionable plans. Currently serving as project manager with blakQuity LLC since 2021, Imane plays a pivotal role in the company’s strategic development and operational functions. She is passionate about community development in the district and actively contributes to the local community professionally and personally. Imane holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and has received training in project management and community facilitation. She is committed to lifelong learning and stays updated on industry trends.
Jamila White
Jamila White comes from a robust, trailblazing woman who instilled in her a deeply rooted commitment to community, solidarity, and social justice. At 19, Jamila experienced Africa for the first time; she witnessed absolute beauty and poverty, and both looked like her. She learned about pre-colonial history and culture and felt one with the land and people. She started her career in Africa, learning from and with African women’s cooperatives. For a decade, she advocated against global anti-black racism, which led her back to D.C. and in 2020 to launch blakQuity, a liberation and social justice cooperative. With more than 15 years of experience managing, designing, and implementing more than $100 million in economic and social development initiatives, Jamila has emerged as one of this generation’s bold leaders, recognized as the 2023 Washington Business Journal top Washington Area 40 under 40 leaders and Hampton University 2020 top 40 under 40 Alumnae.
Jamila serves her community in various ways, including volunteering with local Mutual Aid networks, mentoring students through College Bound, East of the River Mutual Aid Network, Union Temple Baptist Church Community Development Cooperative, and active racial equity, justice, and Black liberationist. She co-founded the Geraldine N. Coleman “A Seat at the Kitchen Table” College Scholarship fund to honor her late grandmother and provides scholarships to first-generation college-bound seniors from Washington, D.C.
Jamila is a local political leader. She was elected to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission for Ward 8A in November 2020 for a two-year term and chairs the 2022 Commission. She is also a trusted advisor in various leadership positions and programs, such as the Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Harriets Wildest Dreams Board Member, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Term Member, Senior Advisor at the Africa Center, and more. Jamila teaches Black Feminism at Morgan State University.
Jamila holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Hampton University and a master’s in public administration with a concentration in Economic Development and International Affairs from Indiana University.
Benjamin Tsai,
Director, Shared Ownership Center, Nexus Community Partners
Benjamin Tsai is the Director of the Shared Ownership Center at Nexus (SOC@N). He has been a cooperative co-founder and developer since 2002, and has a depth of experience in co-op governance and business planning. Over the span of his career, he has helped numerous co-ops incorporate, launch and grow.
Cary Junior,
Founder & General Manager, SEMPA
Cary M. Junior, Founder and General Manager of SEMPA has championed issues promoting nutrition and entrepreneurship to empower the most vulnerable populations through economic development and food systems. He founded the former Royal Town Farmer’s Market and is a former Food Hub Development Specialist with the Michigan State University (MSU) Center for Regional Food Systems.
He served on the organizing committee of the Michigan Good Fund. He has also served on several Boards, including the Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), the Detroit Community Wealth Fund (a cooperative startup fund), and more recently the USDA Minority Farmer and Ranchers Advisory Committee. As an engineer and economic development consultant, his education background includes degrees from Morehouse College (BS), The University of Michigan (MSE), and Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business (Exec.Ed).
Christina Nicholson,
Cooperative Finance Developer, Nexus Community Partners
I have been working in cooperatives in Minnesota for 25 years in a wide range of roles, from front of house retail to construction to
cooperative consulting. In all of my endeavors, the thread has been working to connect communities to each other through common
cause. This has been framed for me as a shared economy that questions the normative culture of the unequal exploitation of labor.
In my role at Nexus, I serve as the Cooperative Finance Developer for the Worker Owner Initiative (WOI), which is part of Nexus’ Community Wealth Building Strategy. I support both start-ups and existing
businesses and understand the role that Worker Ownership can play in successful owner retirement strategies as well as improved workplace cultures for teams. With solid technical assistance and organizational support, Worker Owner Cooperatives can grow and perpetuate community wealth by expanding opportunities for local business ownership.
Damon Etawlyah,
Founder, Small Axe Coop
Damon, a descendant of stolen people, has lived on the stolen land of Teejop for his entire life. He attended Falk elementary school and graduated without distinction. He is deeply passionate about empowering the community he loves. He enjoys helping people to chase their dreams and live their lives free of state sponsored violence.
He approaches the world with curiosity and humor, his work with care and intention, and his people with love and support. He helped start Small Axe Coop with the intention of forging a healthier, more respectful workplace that would support a fully ethical and engaged practice of the law in alignment with his values.
Dayon Love,
Director – Public Policy, Leaders Beautiful Struggle
Dayvon Love is a Baltimore-based political organizer and the Director of Public Policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), a grassroots think-tank that advances the public policy interests of Black people. In 2010, Love co-founded Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), one of many organizations that successfully pressured the state of Maryland to disband its plans to build a juvenile jail downtown.
LBS has also led legislative efforts and advocacy efforts regarding criminal justice reform, youth and community empowerment. Dayvon is also the author of “Worse than Trump: The American Plantation”, a book that offers an important critique of the American political left and a political alternative to the exploitative relationship that Black people have to white institutions. Dayvon is also the author of “When Baltimore Awakes” which is a comprehensive critique of the way the white supremacy is embedded in the Human/Social Service Sector in Baltimore.
Denise Butler,
Associate Director, Economics and Community Development (ACER)
Denise Butler is the Associate Director and Director of Economic & Community Development at African Career, Education and Resource, Inc. (ACER). With more than 10 years of experience in the private and nonprofit sectors, she leads and oversees projects to meet the economic and community development needs for people of African heritage and BIPOC communities in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities.
Denise holds a Master of Science in organizational leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, and joined ACER in 2011 after six years in the private sector as a financial advisor and retail manager. In 2014, Denise ventured into entrepreneurship by establishing DHS Health Care, a consultancy focused on BIPOC women’s enterprises, entertainment, and real estate. She is also the co-owner of a used car business and a staffing agency helping to close the employment gap for people of color in Minnesota. In 2022, she received the Top Women in Finance award, in recognition of her hard work in business and community.
Ebony Woodruff,
Director, Southern University Law Center
Ebony Woodruff is the Director of the Southern University Law Center Agricultural Law Institute for Underserved and Underrepresented Communities. She is a first-generation attorney, legal entrepreneur, and a former Louisiana state representative. Ebony earned a Master of Laws in Agricultural and Food Law from the University of Arkansas School of Law, a Juris Doctor from the Southern University Law Center, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Louisiana State University. She is a 2023 Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellow and serves on the Board of Directors for the New Orleans Food Policy Action Council.
Elaine Rasmussen,
Founder and CEO, Connect Up Institute
Rasmussen is a powerhouse in the world of social finance, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. An unyielding advocate for economic justice, she is a beacon of inspiration for those who want to align their money with their values.
As an award-winning speaker, Elaine captivates
audiences worldwide, sharing her visionary insights on how to Do.Different. Better to transform communities and industries for the present and future.
Rasmussen’s personal mission is to move $50B to
Communities of Color. Her dedication to align profit and purpose has earned her accolades and respect in the
fields of social finance and impact investing.
Electra Skrzydlewski,
Director of Shared Ownership, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers
Electra Skrzydlewski is the Director of Shared Ownership at the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) where she leads community wealth-building programs and lending initiatives. In this role, she works with BIPOC and low-wealth communities to achieve collective self-determination, advance racial justice and economic democracy, and foster sustainable development through owning and controlling the places where they live and labor.
Prior to joining MCCD, Electra was the Program Manager for the Cooperative Development Foundation supporting a portfolio of programs to empower the next generation of cooperators, improve social and economic conditions in historically underserved areas, and secure lasting change through shared ownership. With a career spanning over two decades across community organizing, financial services, government, non-profits, foundations, and economic development, Electra is a seasoned strategist adept at translating complex concepts into actionable plans. Her expertise lies in building consensus and implementing innovative strategies that address multifaceted challenges across diverse organizational contexts and mission areas.
Elizabeth Carter,
Founder & Managing Attorney, Elizabeth L. Carter, LLC
Elizabeth is an investment crowdfunding attorney who represents investment companies, small businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, and other social enterprises with the legal strategy and compliance of raising capital from their community and other investors. Her most recent work includes assisting a driver-owned ride-share cooperative with the legal compliance of its $2.5 million debt crowdfunding offer through Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF). Similarly, she assisted a number of cooperatives with their governing documents (by-laws, operating agreements, articles of incorporation) in order to prepare them for an upcoming capital raise from non-member investors. She also assisted a number of investment funds with the securities legal strategy and compliance of a SEC Rule 506(c) crowdfunding offer, including a cooperatively owned investment fund that offered $2 million in equity to accredited investors, as well as a community development financial institution that offered $1 million in slow equity to mission-aligned accredited investors. Elizabeth is passionate about the political economy, solidarity economy, restorative economics, and community development.
Gary W. Hampton,
Business Growth Development Consultant
Gary W. Hampton is a Business Growth Development Consultant who helps businesses and organizations to reach operational and capacity goals. Hampton previously served as Deputy Director of Small Business Development for the State of West Virginia and worked for 17 years as an Information Technology professional. After a successful career in IT and strategic development across different industry sectors (Technology, Financial, Government, Private, Non-profit, Retail, Education), Hampton now advises, trains and coaches businesses on strategic development and growth strategies to reach their organizational goals. He is also active in community-based cooperative economic development and a member owner of the Ajani Group Cooperative. Hampton is a passionate community supporter who enjoys coaching up the youth in his community through basketball and technology activities. Hampton received his B.A. from Marshall University in Management Information Systems. Mr. Hampton currently sits on the boards of Create WV, Compensation Committee and Association of Cooperative Educators, Vice Chair.
Ini Augustine,
Network Engineer, Social Innovator & Serial Entrepreneur
Ini Augustine is a network engineer, social innovator, and serial entrepreneur. Her social enterprise Technologist Computers, sells computers, IOT, and technical support to help fund their three community outreach programs, Project Nandi, Way of the Root Farm, & Joy on Film.
As a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, she continues to advocate for the internet for all Minnesotans. Ini is the founder of the Black Broadband summit, which aims to discuss shared experiences around lack of access, teach how the internet works, and create community led solutions to closing the digital divide.
Jacqueline Stevenson,
President, Counselors In The Community Association
Jacqueline Stevenson is an esteemed entrepreneur and strategic innovator with a rich history of driving impactful change in both for and not-for-profit business sectors, particularly in supporting small businesses and community development. With a background in Behavioral Science and Business Development, Jacqueline has honed her expertise over years of hands-on experience and academic study.
Jacqueline holds degrees from Purdue Global University and National University, where she acquired a deep understanding of business development and organizational psychology. She is also a proud member of esteemed organizations such as the National Society of Leadership Success, the Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology, and several Department of Commerce initiatives.
As the President of Counselors in the Community Association (CITCA) and the driving force behind CITCA Community Partners, she tirelessly works to uplift underserved communities and foster sustainable growth.
Jeniffer Bryant,
Program Manager, Project Equity
Jennifer has worked for several years to grow the employee ownership ecosystem in the Washington, DC area. She led the development of the Greater Washington Center for Employee Ownership and has provided technical assistance and support to employee-owned businesses at all stages of development.
As the Program Manager for the Black Employee Ownership Initiative at Project Equity she’s committed to working alongside local ecosystem partners to advance employee ownership as a wealth-building strategy for Black business owners and Black workers.
Jennifer is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader as well as a 2019 fellow of the Democracy at Work Institute and National League of Cities Shared Equity in Economic Development (SEED) Fellowship. She holds a BA from Howard University and a MA from St. John’s University.
Jessica James,
Asst. Vice President, Associated Bank
Jessica James is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in finance, homeownership, affordable housing, community and economic development. She is driven by a passion for dismantling systemic barriers, advancing racial equity, and economic justice using a collective lens.
Currently serving as AVP, Community Reinvestment Loan Advisor at Associated Bank, Jessica thrives on cultivating partnerships and addressing strategic financing needs. Additionally, she holds leadership positions in various organizations, including board roles at Network for Developing Conscious Communities (NDCC), NAREB TC, City of Lakes Community Land Trust and Rondo Community Land Trust, where she champions affordable homeownership and economic development initiatives.
Johan Matthews,
Community Engagement Facililator, Cooperative Fund Northeast
In this role, Johan cultivates regenerative relationships and co-designs strategies that facilitate the development of equitable co-op ecosystems across the northeast. He also provides culturally responsive technical assistance to ensure that communities traditionally excluded from economic investment can engage in cooperative enterprise.
Johan joined CFNE in 2021 after over a decade of collaborating with local leaders and institutions in emerging communities to design and implement equitable change strategies. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from SUNY at Buffalo, a Certificate of Graduate Study in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Rockefeller College, as well as an M.S. in Strategic Design and Management from The Parsons School of Design Strategies.
John Holdsclaw IV,
President & CEO, Rochdale Capital
John Holdsclaw IV serves as president and CEO of Rochdale Capital, an emerging national non-profit community development loan fund that promotes community ownership and cooperative principles. In a dual role, John also serves as executive vice president of strategic initiatives at the National Cooperative Bank (NCB), which is the founding and strategic partner of Rochdale Capital.
Mr. Holdsclaw currently serves on numerous boards and holds degrees from NC Agricultural and Technical State University and Southern New Hampshire University, a Stonier Graduate School of Banking Diploma, Wharton Leadership Certificate and Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. In 2019, John received NCB’s Stanley W. Dreyer Spirit of Cooperation Award. John was named one of ImpactAlpha’s Agents of Impact for 2022, one of twelve who are breaking new ground, forcing hard conversations, and doing the hard work of driving positive social and environmental impact. In addition, John is an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated.
LA Simons,
President, Digico Global Business Solutions
Ahzjah Simons is known for her work in organizational leadership, co-op management, communications/marketing, and multimedia, in the cooperative, wellness, and personal development industries.
She is currently, Founder of International Co-op Media Group and Women In Cooperation, a partnership between Co-op Nation Network and Digico Creative as a digital media co-op incubation project.
She is also President of Digico Global Business Solutions LLC, a member of Columinate and supports the organization as Digital Innovation and New Media Strategist. She is also currently serving as the Interim Co-Director/Board member for Georgia Cooperative Development Center working to support the economic development of marginalized communities in an effort to create more equitable ecosystems throughout the state of Georgia for multi-sector cooperatives, bipoc and women-owned small businesses, non-profits, creatives, and solopreneurs.
LaKeisha Wolf,
Executive Director, Ujamaa Collective
LaKeisha Wolf is co-founder and serves as executive director of non-profit Ujamaa Collective, a grassroots organization in Pittsburgh, PA that works to center Black/Africana people, particularly women, within a cooperative economics practice. Ujamaa provides a shared retail boutique for makers and artists based locally, nationally and globally to cooperatively market, sell and connect with conscientious consumers.
LaKeisha leads through the lens of creativity and community, working with Black artists and organizers to develop place-making strategies, models of equity for community resources, as well as local and global partnerships rooted in the values of fair trade entrepreneurship, mutual aid and wellness. Additionally, as a community cultural worker and teaching artist, LaKeisha provides support and workshop facilitation in the areas of culturally responsive arts and wellness practices and cooperative enterprise development. She serves on many advisory boards, including the board of directors for the Hill District Federal Credit Union, one of the remaining few Black-led and serving banking institutions. LaKeisha is also a co-founder of the emerging National Association of Black Cooperators.
Leanna Browne,
Program Manager, Nexus Community Partners
Leanna is the Program Manager for the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship (NSBCF) at Nexus Community Partners. She supports community wealth building initiatives that honor and reclaim the legacy of Black cooperative economics and invite alternate ways of being.
Leanna is excited to deepen her learning about cooperatives and support community wealth building in BIPOC communities, particularly those that are Black. Her background includes experience in a variety of settings such as the arts, direct service, youth work, and data collection in research and evaluation. Leanna is also a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist with a passion for using dance to build community and promote social change. In 2022, she became a Certified Professional Teacher in Umfundalai (muh-foon-duh-luh), a contemporary African dance technique, which means “essence” or “essential” in Kiswahili. Leanna holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Special Major in Dance & Black Studies from Swarthmore College.
Lulete Mola,
Co-Founder, President Black Collective Foundation
Lulete Mola, is a 2023 Mpls/St.Paul Business Journal Women in Business honoree, change strategist and a leader with a proven track record of initiating and nurturing impactful initiatives and organizations. Lulete is the Co-Founder and President of the Black Collective Foundation MN, Minnesota’s first Black community foundation advancing the genius of Black-led change. She leads the Collective as it is building infrastructure, practicing creative and innovative resource disbursement, growing $50M in assets, and expanding Black philanthropic power to advance a new model of philanthropy.
Lulete recently completed her service on the Minnesota Council of Foundations Board of Directors and has been newly appointed to the VoteRunLead National Board. Lulete is the recipient of the 2020 SOAR fellowship with the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls. In 2022, Lulete received The Facing Race Award for her work in challenging absent and harmful narratives on race, building solutions, and pushing for justice and equity. Lulete graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota where she recently received the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Emerging Alumni Award.
Mark Fick,
Senior Loan Officer, Shared Capital Cooperative
Mark Fick is the Senior Loan Officer with Shared Capital Cooperative where he works with the business development, loan underwriting and portfolio management functions of the organization. As a cooperatively owned loan fund, Shared Capital works to build economic democracy by providing financing to cooperative enterprises throughout the United States including consumer, worker, and producer owned cooperatives.
Prior to joining Shared Capital, Mark was the Director of Lending Operations with the Chicago Community Loan Fund where he was responsible for providing financing and technical assistance to affordable housing, social enterprises and community-based organizations in the Chicagoland area.
Over the past 30 years Mark has been an active leader with a variety of community-based and cooperative development organizations with a focus on building economic systems that are democratic and radically inclusive. This includes serving in volunteer, leadership and advisory roles with the Partnership in Property Commercial Land Trust, Black Lives Unitarian Universalism Housing Council, the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, the Chicago Mutual Housing Network, NASCO Development Services, Organization of the Northeast, and the Northside Community Federal Credit Union.
Maurissa Stone,
Founder and CEO, Iona Concepts
Maurissa Stone is the founder and Principle of Iona Concepts Inc. a boutique training and change-management consultancy; the Chief Equity Impact Analyst for Fight Blight Baltimore, an economic, environmental, and social justice platform; and the Director of Innovation for The Living Well (TLW) Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy. Stone celebrates 30 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations, government agencies (federal, state, and local), Universities and entities in the private sector.
As a social entrepreneur, Stone provides executive-level Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) coaching, training, action research, and thought leadership to social impact entities. She currently facilitates organizational culture assessments and executive coaching using a Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion lens for community development corporations and government agencies which includes NeighborWorks America, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Equity Brain Trust to name a few. She is a master level facilitator and keynote speaker. Her authentic style of communication and liberatory practices supports the creation of brave and healing spaces for those who are facilitating anti-racist discussions.
Rev Carl Johnson,
Lead Pastor Faith City Church
Rev. Carl Johnson moved to the Twin Cities in fall of 2016. Carl has a mission to abolish food insecurity in major cities starting with St. Paul believing that race and economic justice are tied to food. He is a pastor in the twin cities and formally appointed committee member in the City of St. Paul of Food and Nutrition. Carl’s extensive knowledge of black culture and structures of identities in the black community has propelled his work with racial injustice. Carl often engages in circles and individuals cross-culturally to see communities work in unity.
He built partnerships with the school and eventually Indigenous Roots Cultural Art Center. They began to partner when Rev. Johnson organization started their social good enterprise Storehouse Grocers. Storehouse Grocers is specific to Dayton’s Bluff and is placed on 7th Street East. If it is an affordable and accessible grocery store that has fair bargain prices under $5.00. The grocery store has become a neighborhood hub to feed and help families that are entrenched in food insecurity. They give out 1600 meals a month during covid.
Storehouse has been a work of collaboration and cooperation with the neighborhood. Storehouse houses a mural of the hope for black families to be food secure. They carry culturally specific products that make sense to the population of the neighborhood.
Mikeya Griffin,
Executive Director, Rondo Community Land Trust
Mikeya Griffin became Executive Director of the Rondo Community Land Trust in Fall 2021. In this role she oversees all facets of the organization, setting strategic direction to effectively meet mission, grow impact and realize a bold vision for the future.
Prior to joining Rondo Community Land Trust, Mikeya served as Executive Director of Minnesota’s largest homeowner association and only private city in the state of MN. During her five-year tenure, she successfully increased member participation, established strong governance, and streamlined operations.
Mikeya’s career spans the public, private and non-profit sectors, including in roles at HUD and Land Bank Twin Cities. Mikeya has more than 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, business development, affordable housing, and community development. In that time, she has created and championed many affordable housing and economic development initiatives centering BIPOC and low-wealth communities.
Mustafa Abdul-Salaam,
Founder & Facilitator, Ward 8 Community Economic Development
Mustafa Abdul-Salaam brings over 40 years of economic development and managerial experience to his consulting practice. His background before consultancy work was in both the not-for-profit and profit sectors as a hands-on administrator. His academic qualifications include a BA in Social Anthropology and an MS in Urban Management/Economic Development.
He is the founder and facilitator of the Ward 8 Community Economic Development planning process. The purpose of the process is to organize and mobilize the residents to create a community-driven strategic plan that will influence the short and long-term development of Ward 8.
Mustafa serves on the District of Columbia Advisory Neighborhood Commission, representing a Ward 8 neighborhood for the 2021-2022 term of office. Commissioners represent the interests of about 2,000 DC residents, offering recommendations to District government agencies on various issues.
Naima,
Program Director, Somali American Farmer Association
Naima is a first-generation farmer, activist and educator committed to look after mother earth and community building. She is the Program Director at Somali American Farmers Association, where she supports the next Somali American farmers and the owner of Naima’s Farm LLC. Naima is passionate about organic farming and inspiring young people to become future farmers, specifically people from immigrant communities in Minnesota.
As director, Naima’s vision comes from creating access to Farmers’ Market to disadvantaged communities. Among other factors, lack of access hinders their ability to buy fresh fruits and vegetables locally. By addressing this disparity in accessing green space, Naima is able to help those facing food insecurity while continuing to educate immigrant communities providing nutrition education workshops at public forums about sustainable agricultural practices, organic farming techniques, and spreading awareness on healthy eating habits as well as the environmental, health impact in the community across the state of Minnesota.
Nonkululeko Shongwe,
Director – Community Wealth Building, Nexus Community Partners
Nonkululeko Shongwe, or Nkuli, is a facilitator and cooperative enthusiast. She works at Nexus Community Partners as the Community Wealth Building Director. She directs the North Star Black Cooperative, bringing Black-led cooperators and collectives together, grounding them in the history of Black cooperative economics. North Star sets space for our Black communities to reclaim the history and legacy of Black cooperative practices and use that wisdom to build on organizing efforts centered on our liberation. She serves as the vice chair for Taproot Investment Cooperative. Nkuli also serves on the City of St. Paul’s Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission.
Omar Freilla,
Co-Founder, Steering Committee Member, Collective Diaspora
Omar Freilla is a cooperative development consultant and co-founder and steering committee member of Collective Diaspora, a support network for Black cooperatives and Black-led cooperative support organizations throughout the African diaspora. He is a serial trailblazer, social entrepreneur, and movement builder dedicated to community self-determination and regenerative economies. His work is grounded in his experience growing up in the South Bronx amid fights for community self-determination.
His years at the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance and Sustainable South Bronx led him to cooperatives as a tool for building economies that are just and regenerative. He founded Green Worker Cooperatives, created the first business accelerator for worker cooperatives in the US, and pioneered new approaches to cooperative development. He also co-founded local and national cooperative support organizations: US Federation of Worker Cooperatives; Democracy At Work Institute; and the NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives.
He also contributed to the establishment of the City of New York’s Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the City College of New York, serves on the City of NY’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board, NY State’s Just Transition Working Group, and enjoys family time with his two children and partner at home in the Bronx.
Pamela D James,
CEO, West Valley Farms and Camp Sites
Pamela James, is the CEO of West Valley Farms and Camp Sites, chair of the Good Food Buffalo Coalition leadership council, and on the advisory board of the Buffalo Food Equity Network. She is an active member of Black Farmers United New York State.
James is Life Source System (LSS) CEO and a native of Buffalo. LSS mission is to provide educational insight to individuals and inter-generational families in an effort to lead communities to healthy lifestyles.
She earned her bachelor’s degree at Buffalo State College in Criminal Justice. After graduating, James was awarded the prestigious HUD Scholarship from the University of Buffalo to attend the School of Architecture and Planning where she earned a master’s degree. She completed her PH.D course work all but the Doctoral Dissertation in American (Cultural) Studies.
She is a Veteran of the US Army. She is a Professor that teaches Social Sciences at Houghton University in Buffalo, New York.
Patty Viafara,
Director – Worker Ownership Initiative, Nexus Community Partners
Patty has been working with small businesses and non-profits for over 14 years in various roles, primarily focused on the people side of operational change. She’s worked with over 30 companies at various stages in their journey to employee ownership and truly takes pride and joy in helping groups envision and implement their future.
She was born in Colombia and has over 40 first cousins. Patty draws from my personal experience growing up in Miami, Florida, where 54% of the population is foreign-born, and has learned that she can find common ground with just about anyone. In her free time, she enjoy paddleboarding, hiking, hand-building pottery, singing, dancing and spending time with her family and dog Stella.
Phil Waller,
Entrepreneur and Social Innovator
Phil Waller is driven by the belief that entrepreneurship can serve as a catalyst for individual transformation and community empowerment. With over 13 years of experience, he has dedicated his career to leveraging design thinking and asset-based approaches to foster entrepreneurship and social innovation within communities.
During his tenure as an entrepreneur support program director at SecondMuse, Phil honed his expertise in participatory research and design, while also gaining valuable experience in ecosystem development and capital innovation. His leadership in community and program design extended to diverse regions, including Philadelphia and Battle Creek, MI. Additionally, he contributed to Futureworks NYC, the nation’s largest public incubator for hardware and advanced manufacturing startups.
Phil holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on entrepreneurship and economic growth. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Psychology from Kenyon College in Gambier, OH.
Robin Wonsley,
Minneapolis Ward 2 City Council Member
Robin grew up in the Southside of Chicago and attended Carleton College, then completed a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship where she researched effective reintegration and reentry programs and policies for recently released women. Robin moved to Minneapolis in 2014. She earned a Mini MBA in Nonprofit Management from St. Thomas University in 2015. In 2018, Robin began her PhD program in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Minnesota.
Robin has been involved in racial and economic justice organizing since the Minneapolis Police Department’s murder of Jamar Clark in 2015. She has been a leader in a broad array of grassroots campaigns including efforts to increase community oversight and accountability over MPD, to block anti-protest legislation, to distribute food and mutual aid during the 2020 Uprising, to block the relocation of the 3rd Precinct in the fall of 2020, and to pass the 2021 People’s Budget. Robin is certified in Restorative Justice practices, such as Circle Keeping and Community Conferencing, and served on the board of directors for the Restorative Justice Community Action Network (RJCA).
Sharon Mallory,
Executive Director, 2020 Farmers Cooperative
Sharon Mallory, an adept leader with a passion for agricultural sustainability, serves as the CEO of SDM Investments and as the Executive Director of the 2020 Farmers Cooperative. With a background in finance, investment and a keen understanding of the challenges facing farmers, Mallory spearheads initiatives to promote efficient resource utilization, foster community engagement, and enhance market access for cooperative members. Her strategic vision and collaborative approach is propelling the 2020 Farmers Cooperative to new heights, fostering growth and resilience within the agricultural community. Mallory’s commitment to empowering farmers and advocating for their interests is building her reputation as a dynamic and effective leader in the agricultural sector.
Shavon Prophet,
Shavon Prophet, MBA is a Filipino American bridge builder and social enterprise business professional based in Western Massachusetts. She is the Employee Ownership Advocate that supports and develops cooperatively-owned businesses with a special focus in systems change to address the racial wealth gap.
Shelley Miller,
Leader, ICA New Ownership Opportunity
With over twenty-five 25 years of diverse experience in business, law, nonprofit administration, and education, Shelley leads ICA’s New Ownership Opportunity team. She is a former small business owner who shares the benefits of employee ownership and cooperative ownership models with business owners and other community stakeholders.
She has been with The ICA Group since 2019 and her team’s work focuses on its New York City Council supported Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative work (WCBDI) and the delivery of services through the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership (MassCEO).
T’wina Nobles,
CEO, Black Future Coop
T’wina is the inaugural CEO of the Black Future Co-op Fund, and a founding architect. She leads the Fund in service of our mission to ignite Black generational wealth, health, and well-being across Washington. T’wina is also senator for the 28th Legislative District of Washington state.
Most recently, T’wina was the President and CEO of the Tacoma Urban League, where she led programs to strengthen and support the local African American community in social equality and economic independence. Previously, T’wina worked as an instructor for Metropolitan Development Council’s College Bound program at Stadium High School and Lincoln High School in Tacoma, as well as served as a PTA leader and a school board member. She also co-founded Ladies First, an in-school and after-school program dedicated to empowering young women and building positive self-esteem. She attended the University of Puget Sound, where she earned her undergraduate degree and a Master of Arts in Teaching.
Tamah Yisrael,
Director of Training & Development at Columinate
Tamah Yisrael serves as the Director of Training & Development at Columinate, where she engages directly with communities to bolster organization and empowerment, alongside offering financial management services. A passionate advocate for cultural awareness, social justice, and equitable access to nourishing foods, Tamah is deeply involved in the cooperative movement in New Orleans. In her role as the Education & Outreach Coordinator at Cooperation New Orleans, she focuses on highlighting cooperation as both a cultural expression and a strategic pathway toward black liberation.
Particularly noteworthy is her role in facilitating the merger of three community groups into a Worker Self Directed Nonprofit, paving the way for the establishment of community centers in New Orleans, Miami, and Orlando, FL. Additionally, Tamah and her family have made significant contributions to the cultural and spiritual landscape through their establishment of the Neo Jazz School of Music and their collective efforts in cultural and spiritual organizing. She and her family are currently building a cultural space in New Orleans as the Urban Dream Cooperative.
Tia Williams,
Community Organizer
Tia Williams has called Frogtown home her entire life. She was born and raised there, and so were her children. Recently, due to rising costs, she was forced to move to East St. Paul. Displacement from Frogtown is becoming a familiar story, and one Tia is deeply passionate about. Now, with 10 years of organizing experience (6 with FNA) and 2 years of directing experience, Tia’s dedicated to making sure the Frogtown community continues to be a place where historically under-resourced people can live and thrive for years to come.
Felicia Perry,
Economic Development Manager, Rondo Community Land Trust
Felicia Perry is a Change Agent and Economic Development Strategist who leads organizations and individuals to their next chapter of growth and long-term success. She works to transform communities leveraging a dynamic skill set of Innovative Thought Leadership, Stakeholder Engagement, and Coalition Building.
She has described herself as an ARTrepreneur specializing in movement, fashion design, performance art, and curating spaces. Felicia danced professionally as a member of the Ananya Dance Theatre from January 2017 to April 2019. Felicia is an on air host of “DesignHER Life” at 98.9 KRSM Community Radio station, where she interviews women and non-binary ARTreprenuers about creating their own life and career paths to support their artistic passions.
Felicia currently serves as Board Chair of Vivid Black Paint Circus Arts and is a Trustee of the Northside Awesome Fund. Felicia Perry is an experienced Leader, with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. Skilled in Non-profit Fund Development, Organizational Leadership, Management, and Community Organizing. Strong Arts and Media professional with a Marketing and Communications background from Metropolitan State University.
Kenya McKnight-Ahad,
Founder and CEO Black Women’s Wealth Alliance
Kenya McKnight Ahad is an influential economic leader known for her work as a philanthropist, economic strategist, investor, and real estate owner/developer. She is the founder and CEO of the Black Women’s Wealth Alliance (BWWA) and the owner of ZaRah, a North Minneapolis holistic wellness incubator hub focused on empowering African American women-owned businesses.
Under her guidance, BWWA has assisted over 5000 Black women business owners, professionals, and students in Minnesota, providing more than $200,500,000 in small capacity grants to support their wealth ambitions.
A respected figure in the region, McKnight-Ahad collaborates with private, public, and nonprofit sectors to further the cause of Black wealth. In 2022, she was recognized in the history of African American Minnesotans as a prominent Northern star. McKnight-Ahad’s impact includes over 5 billion dollars in economic investments across Minnesota during her 6-year tenure as the first African American to serve as a Met Council appointee to the Transportation Advisory Board. She has raised over $8,000,000 to support her wealth-building endeavors.
Alanna Morris,
Dancer-choreographer, Educator and Artist Organizer
Demetrius McClendon,
Professional Dancer, Teacher, and Choreographer
Za’Nia Coleman,
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Tangible Collective
Dr. Rose M. Brewer,
Professor
Dr. Rose M. Brewer is The Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor and past chairperson of the Department of African American & African Studies, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She holds affiliate appointments in Gender Women Sexuality Studies and Sociology. She received her MA and PHD degrees in sociology from Indiana University and did post doctoral studies at the University of Chicago. A social activist and scholar, Dr. Brewer publishes extensively on the Black radical tradition, Black feminism, political economy, social movements, race, class, gender and social change.
She is one of the authors of the award winning book, The Color of Wealth, a number of co- edited volumes including The U.S. Social Forum: Perspectives of a Movement; Bridges of Power: Women’s Multicultural Alliances and Is Academic Feminism Dead?: Theory in Practice. Her most recent co-edited book is Rod Bush: Lessons from a Radical Black Scholar on Liberation, Love, and Justice (2019). Her publications include more than 80 essays, articles, and refereed articles.
She has held the University of North Texas Multicultural Lectureship Award, Sociologist for Women in Society Feminist Lectureship in Social Change, Wiepking Distinguished Visiting Professorship, Miami University of Ohio, visiting scholar in the Social Justice Initiative, University of Illinois-Chicago and a visiting scholar at the Wright-Havens Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Medalist, member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers, recipient of the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Teaching award, and a Josie R. Johnson Social Justice Award recipient.
She is the 2024 President Elect of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, one of the leading Sociological Associations in the United States.
As an activist scholar, Dr. Brewer is fully committed to building solidarity for a new society for the world’s peoples and planet.
The National Conference on Black Cooperatives Agenda offers a unique three-day learning experience.
The program of content is designed to give cooperative business leaders an edge in today’s fast changing competitive landscape so as to sustain growth and achieve ongoing success.
For senior leaders from across all cooperative industries and across all cooperative sizes.
For leaders and executive teams looking for ideas and inspiration.
For all those who understand the value of knowledge and continuous learning.
What You Will Learn
The conference provides an opportunity to learn from a world class program of business thought leaders and practitioners.
The program has been carefully curated to provide a blend of perspectives on the most important issues facing Black cooperative leaders today.
It offers high level, strategic thinking on the most critical management topics such as leadership, talent, performance and transformation.
Attendees leave with new ideas to help their cooperative organizations grow, and the inspiration to put those ideas into practice.
Why Attend?
We know you need the partnership to continually invest in your ability and resources needed to tackle the complex issues that face our communities. At the National Conference of Black Cooperative Agenda, we’ve got the civic engagement secret sauce to get you re-energized. You’ll benefit from:
Education
Experience more than 20 workshops with actionable takeaways led by cooperative industry experts.
Inspiration
Engage in compelling leadership discussions highlighting best practices in the economic and social impact space.
Connection
Form relationships and engage in deep conversations or the sharing of ideas with fellow changemakers.
Co-Hosts
Ron Hantz,
Co-Host
Repa Mekha,
Co-Host
Speakers
Name Surname
Name Surname
Name Surname
Name Surname
Sponsors
Sponsorship Levels
Economic Equity Partner Sponsorship
$30,000
Cultural Partner Sponsorship
$20,000
Legacy Builder Sponsorship
$10,000
Inclusive Prosperity Sponsorship
$5,000
Harmony Advocate Sponsorship
$2,500
Miscellaneous Sponsor
$ 1000 – $1500
Drink Sponsor
$7.500
As a Drink Sponsor for this prestigious event, your organization will have the unique opportunity to engage with a diverse and influential audience in a relaxed and intimate setting. This sponsorship level is not
just about brand visibility, but also about creating meaningful connections and showcasing your commitment to empowering and uplifting Black communities.
Application for Sponsorship
Sponsorship Level/Base Price
Economic Equity $30,000
Cultural Partner $20,000
Legacy Builder $10,000
Inclusive Prospersity $5,000
Harmony Advocate $2,500
Miscellaneous $1,000 / $1,500
Drink Sponsor $7,500
Payment Information
C/O Network for Developing Conscious Communities,
28 46th Place NE WDC 20019 or on website electronically
Hotel
Hyatt Downtown Saint Paul
Marriott
Hampton Inn
2025 Conference Images
Moments from the 2025 National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda
These photos capture the energy, connection, and collective power of the 2025 National Conference on Black Cooperative Agenda. From powerful keynote sessions, each image reflects the spirit of cooperation, resilience, and vision that brought us together.
Contact
410-961-8697 (Direct)
202-379-3888 (Fax)
