Black Business Leaders Educate Aspiring Entrepreneurs At ReSURGEnce Conference 2024

Business leaders, clergy, government officials, and aspiring entrepreneurs convened last month in New York for “A Thicker Slice of Economic Pie” at ReSURGEnce Conference 2024, a transformative event aimed to highlight Black business in America and across the globe.

For three days, attendees were equipped with resources to become successful entrepreneurs within their communities and delved into conversations focused on bridging the Black wealth gap and growing Black businesses. According to a press release, the November ReSURGEnce Conference featured panels, keynote addresses, and breakout sessions led by Black business pioneers from New York to Africa.

“The reSURGEnce conference will arm attendees with the tools they need to participate in a rapidly changing economy,” said Rev. Dennis Dillon, chief convener for the ReSURGEnce Conference. The event was designed to provide aspiring entrepreneurs networking opportunities and strategies to access funds to scale their businesses, conduct business with government agencies and corporations, build wealth through real estate and homeownership, and more. Additionally, guests were educated on conducting business in the renewable energy and green economy sectors.

Dillon, publisher of The New York Christian Times, said that as new technological advances arise and the world evolves into a new wave of economic globalization, the Black community is still behind the curve. Ahead of the conference, The New York Christian Times published the “2024 Economic State of the Black World Report,” revealing how far behind Black Americans lag in every area of economics compared to their white counterparts. The report, penned by Dillon, shows that although Blacks represent over 19% of the New York population, only 9% account for the buying power in the state. Dillon hopes conference attendees use the resources and education to grow their businesses and further educate their communities so Black people worldwide can “reap the benefits of economic globalization just like their counterparts do.”

The ReSURGEnce Conference 2024 also celebrated the Black church and discussed strategies for empowering communities worldwide. The initiative’s official website stated that the event provides an opportunity for leaders and entrepreneurs to discuss ways to strengthen the economic state of the Black community, create jobs, and permanently close racial wealth gaps.

This year’s conference, which hosted a Global Roundtable and Durban Investment Forum, returned to Queens, New York, from Nov. 22 – 24.

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