THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION’S CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
CREATORS OF COLOR IN THE ONLINE ECONOMY POWERED BY
APRIL 22, 2021
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation launched the “Policy for the People” Virtual Braintrust Series in 2020 to provide critical policy updates on the most pressing issues facing the Black community in the United States in the era of combatting COVID-19. Experts, prominent thought leaders and members of the Congressional Black Caucus provide insight and analysis in the areas of water rights and the workforce, education and youth, public health, economic mobility and the U.S. Census. Attendees are able to engage speakers and ask questions.
Welcome WELCOME! Thank you for joining us for the “Policy for the People” Virtual Braintrust Series to discuss Creators of Color in the Online Economy, proudly hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) and powered by Google. The Foundation seeks to increase equity and inclusion in issues issue affecting the lives and bottom line of Black Americans—the economy, education and health care among them. Black Americans’ online life during the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Indeed, the pandemic upended both our daily and work lives, especially for online creators of color. This virtual braintrust will explore the landscape for creators of color in today’s online economy. We will examine their unique challenges but most importantly, find and define opportunities for creators of color, now and in the future. Our dynamic panel and you—our audience members—will tackle those questions and more. It will take our total engagement to understand the issues before our communities and leaping over the boundaries that would hinder our impact on the online economy. Thank you for participating. I hope that today’s braintrust will capture your imagination and inspire you as we prioritize Black communities and creators in the online space. Sincerely, Tonya Veasey
Tonya Veasey President and CEO
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected how people conduct business online, creating an opportunity for entrepreneurs and creatives alike to develop, collaborate and expand their businesses and brands. This virtual braintrust will explore how creators of color use technology and their personal experiences to produce, teach and share with a global audience, discuss systemic challenges from the lack of representation online and examine the ways in which policy could influence creators of color and communities of color in the future.
FEATURED SPEAKERS PANELIST AYSHA HARUN Social Media Content Creator
INTRO REMARKS REP. HANK JOHNSON U.S. House of Representatives
PANELIST TAREK ALI Content Creator & Creative Director
MODERATOR DAVID JOHNS Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition
PANELIST KIM TIGNOR Executive Director, Institute For Intellectual Property & Social Justice
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you for joining us for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Center for Policy Analysis and Research Virtual Braintrust Series.
BOARD of DIRECTORS CHAIR Lori Billingsley The Coca-Cola Company PRESIDENT AND CEO Tonya Veasey Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. SECRETARY Earle Jones Comcast, NBC Universal
Markus Green Pfizer, Inc.
Rep. Terri Sewell U.S. House of Representatives
Fred Humphries Microsoft
Julia Simon Mary Kay Inc.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee U.S. House of Representatives
Sean Suggs Toyota Motor North America
Leonard James III J3 Advisory Group
Jesse Tyson The National Black MBA Association, Past President
Lonnie Johnson Exxon Mobil, Retired
Rondu Vincent Bristol Myers Squibb
Tammy Jones Basis Investment Group
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Rep. Robin Kelly U.S. House of Representatives
CBC CHAIRPERSON Rep. Joyce Beatty U.S. House of Representatives
Chloe Barzy Accenture
Rep. Brenda Lawrence U.S. House of Representatives
CAC CHAIRPERSON Chaka Burgess Empire Consulting Group
Aisha Bowe STEMBoard
Dr. Keith Magee University College London
CBC SPOUSES CHAIRPERSON Mrs. Dianne Cleaver
Kevin Brown Dell, Inc
Rep. A. Donald McEachin U.S. House of Representatives
DIRECTOR EMERITUS Hon. Kendrick B. Meek
TREASURER Janice Bryant Howroyd ACT-1 Group Pamela G. Alexander Ford Motor Company Fund Rep. Colin Allred U.S. House of Representatives
Natalie Brunson-Wheeler State Farm Insurance Companies Rep. Dwight Evans U.S. House of Representatives Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Harvard University
Dr. Troy L. Nash Newmark Knight Frank Steve Pemberton Work Human Lisa Osborne Ross Edelman
Former Member of Congress King & Spalding LLP
CORPORATE ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON Chaka T. Burgess Empire Consulting Group
Robert Harris Apple
Chris Randle Facebook
Alethia Jackson, Esq. Walgreens Co.
Nichole Francis Reynolds ServiceNow
Erica Johnson Diageo
Dontai Smalls UPS
Michone T. Johnson Verizon
Nigel Stephens Infor
Mervyn L. Jones II MLJ Strategies
Darrel Thompson theGROUP
Jeanine Liburd BET Networks
Kenny Thompson PepsiCo
Marie Long AT&T
Phillip Wallace Walmart
Ramon O. Looby Maryland Bankers Association
Shawna Watley Holland & Knight, LLP
Micaela Fernandez Allen Open Society Foundation
John Mason Altria
Brandon Webb Amazon
Isaac Fordjour Boston Scientific
Keith W. McCoy Exxon Mobil Corporation
Hilary West JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Karis T. Gutter Corteva Agriscience
Waldo McMillan Charter Communications, Inc.
Tiffani V. Williams, JD, MPH The Daschle Group
E. Monique Hall
Katelyn J. Nnake The Coca-Cola Company
Cherie Wilson General Motors Company
Chanelle Hardy Google
Jesse Price TikTok
LaKeitha Anderson Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Rontel Batie Crossroads Strategies Zafar Brooks Infoblox Engel Burns AveXis Karen S. Carter Dow Regina K. Dillard State Farm Insurance Companies
THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION’S CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
CREATORS OF COLOR IN THE ONLINE ECONOMY POWERED BY
APRIL 22, 2021
C B C F I N C . O R G