Last Friday, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and the Black Economic Alliance Foundation — the nation’s leading organization harnessing the collective expertise and influence of business leaders to expand economic prosperity and generational wealth across the Black community — convened national and local leaders across business, government and philanthropy for the “Architects of Change” Salon.
“BEA Foundation is partnering with mayors across the country on local solutions to advance Black work, wages, and wealth — and, in so doing, grow the entire U.S. economy,” said BEA Chief Executive Officer Samantha Tweedy.
Hosted at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the convening centered on supporting and investing in solutions that will advance Black work, wages, and wealth in the City of Montgomery – thereby growing the city’s entire economy.
“Like BEA Foundation, Mayor Reed is in the solutions business,” Tweedy said. “By leveraging BEA Foundation’s data-driven solutions and unmatched network of business and philanthropic leaders, we are working together to drive investment in leading solutions to expand economic opportunity in Montgomery — and share with other cities around the country.”
This was the second event in BEA Foundation’s Architects of Change Salon Series, which kicked off in Cleveland in April.
“Montgomery’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and bold transformation — and today’s ‘Architects of Change’ Salon was another step in that journey,” said Mayor Reed.
The day’s discussions explored how leaders across sectors can support and invest in critical projects underway in Montgomery to create more affordable housing, promote entrepreneurship and revitalize neighborhoods.
“We are proud to partner with the Black Economic Alliance Foundation to bring together some of the nation’s foremost leaders to chart a path forward for Black prosperity that uplifts our entire city,” Reed said. “From affordable housing to entrepreneurship, we are investing in ideas and initiatives to ensure Montgomery is not only a hub of history, but a model for inclusive economic growth in the 21st century.”
Featured leaders at the event included:
- Mayor Steven L. Reed, Mayor of City of Montgomery
- Alex Bumpers, Senior Vice President and Market President, Truist Bank
- Dr. Nichole Thompson, President, Gaitway Solutions
- Don Graves, Jr., Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce
- John W. Rogers, Jr., BEA Advisory Board Member and Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO of Ariel Investments
- Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative
- Tia Breakley, BEA Board Member and Blue Meridian Partners Chief Strategic Development Officer and Chief Governance Officer
