Juneteenth Episode: People are hungry for change

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Business News, News, Investing, Business

4.2 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2020

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today we observe Juneteenth, the day commemorating when enslaved African Americans in the South learned of their freedom in 1865. Lisa Lewin, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Ethical Ventures, reminds executives that they can and should take action to address inequality. She shares action steps and details of her Business Racial Equity Pledge. 99 years ago this June, a successful pillar of early Black entrepreneurship was burned to the ground in Tulsa, Oklahoma in one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history. Local business owners Venita Cooper, Glory Wells, and Ricco Wright discuss the resilience of Black Wall Street and share a hopeful future. Melissa Bradley, founder of business accelerator 1863 Ventures, co-founder of Ureeka, and former Presidential Appointee under two administrations, discusses the role investors play in closing opportunity gaps for Black businesses. Plus, an exclusive interview with BLCK VC’s Frederik Groce about Black representation in venture capital.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Squawk Pod. I'm CMBC producer Cameron Costa. Today on our
0:06.2	podcast recognizing Juneteenth and celebrating black business. Lisa Lewin,
0:11.6	accomplished consultant for multinational corporations and co-author of the Business for Racial
0:16.2	Equity Pledge.
0:17.2	Driving for business performance doesn't mean checking your good judgment and your common sense and
0:22.2	your values at the door.
0:24.0	And 99 years after one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history,
0:29.0	what happened in Tulsa nearly a century ago,
0:32.0	the US legacy of racism, and how local entrepreneurs
0:35.2	on Black Wall Street are faring amid two deadly crises.
0:38.8	Gallery owner Rico Wright.
0:40.3	I was already consumed by COVID,'s enough on its own and then it was
0:44.3	quantified by you know the racial tensions the fight to stay afloat and the
0:49.2	resilience of Tulsa's black business community shop owner, Venita Cooper.
0:53.4	This is not just a place where black people lost all their businesses.
0:56.6	You can see that new businesses are emerging in the ashes of the old.
1:01.4	And an investor and entrepreneur working to dismantle the systemic barriers to
1:05.8	success for black and brown founders, Melissa Bradley.
1:09.0	I'm afraid because people are throwing money at the problem and not really understanding all the structural barriers.
1:15.4	Those stories plus a podcast exclusive interview with Black V.C.
1:19.4	Frederick Gross about black and brown representation in venture capital.
1:23.0	It's Friday, June 19, 2020.
	...

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