October 18 at 10:00 am PDT/1:00 pm EDT

Trillions of dollars were gained in personal wealth by Americans throughout the pandemic, though this was not the case for the tens of millions with the least wealth, who faced deteriorating economics. The racial wealth gap, which stood at eight times the year before the COVID-19, must be addressed now more than at any time in past decades. From the overexposure of minorities in the most vulnerable industries, to the disparity in infrastructure and public goods found in their communities, inclusive investments and policy are critical to altering the current trajectory of the racial wealth gap.

According to a McKinsey Global Institute Analysis, as much as 6 percent of the US GDP can be enhanced if the structural barriers affecting minority wealth creation are addressed. As demographics shift and the US economy evolves post-COVID, it is imperative that minorities be engaged to drive economic prosperity. In this session, panelists will discuss how public and private stakeholders can address challenges and enable solutions that benefit minority business enterprises to unlock the next trillion dollars of US economic productivity.

This session will be hosted in Citi Terrace | Elevating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Moderator

Blair Smith
Senior Director, Center for Financial Markets, Milken Institute

Speakers 

Steve Case
Chairman and CEO, Revolution

Emanuel Friedman
Co-CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer, EJF Capital LLC

Elizabeth Gore
Co-Founder and President, Hello Alice

Van Jones
CNN Host, Author, and Founder, Dream Corps

Maxine Waters
US Representative, California; Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services, US House of Representatives