Salesforce to Host Black Business Month Block Party Featuring Yvonne Orji, Wale and More

In celebration of National Black Business Month, Salesforce will host the National Black Business Month Block Party, sponsored by Black Enterprise and Deloitte Digital, on Wednesday, August 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. The event is free and open to the public with registration.

The summit seeks to inspire, amplify, and elevate Black entrepreneurs, creatives, and business leaders everywhere — while having important conversations about building Black wealth and investing in the future. The featured programming will also share product resources for business owners and reveal insights from business leaders and influencers.

In addition to the panel discussions, the National Black Business Month Block Party welcomes luminary speakers, an event host, a live DJ, prize giveaways, plus, a spoken word and special musical performance.

“By creating space for these important conversations and providing access to knowledge and technology, we hope to elevate Black business owners and encourage the next generation of Black entrepreneurs,” says Shalaya Shipman, Senior Director of Strategic Business Development for Small Business, Salesforce.

A sneak peek into our summit speakers:

Block Party Summit speakers from left to right: Yvonne Orji, Emmy nominated Actress on the HBO Series, “Insecure”, Author, Comedian and Entrepreneur, Wale, GRAMMY® nominated rapper, actor and poet, Lynae Vanee, poet, content creator and actress and Baron Davis, athlete, entrepreneur, filmmaker and investor

Click here to register.

Here’s a preview of our panel discussions:

The Businesses of Black Tech

This interactive conversation will explore the many ways Black professionals are utilizing technology to establish, launch, scale, and expand their businesses. From tech platforms to the creative ways to use them — the panel will bridge the gap between tech and Black entrepreneurs.

From Crisis to Creation: Pandemic-driven Business Innovations

This past year has presented entrepreneurs and business owners with especially difficult challenges. However, with those challenging circumstances came opportunities for reinvention and innovation. This panel will explore the various ways in which entrepreneurs can turn unique and unprecedented setbacks into unique and unprecedented successes.

The Business of Black Culture

While Black culture has been a driving force behind many of society’s wealthiest businesses, Black people have been intentionally excluded from this wealth. This conversation will highlight the ways in which technology can be leveraged to support Black people in reclaiming and capitalizing on what is ours — culture, communities, and creativity.

Salesforce is committed to driving systemic change in Black communities across people, policy, philanthropy, and purchasing. With the purchasing goal of investing $100 million to Black-owned businesses and $100 million to underrepresented minority founders through Salesforce Ventures over the next three years — this year’s National Black Business Month Block Party is just one of the ways to advance those efforts. It follows last month’s first cohort of Salesforce’s Black-Owned Business Mentor/Sponsor Program, which is a 12-month program that will support the competitive success of 25 Black-owned businesses through mentorship, sponsorship, education, and other corporate network connections. Prior to that, Salesforce kicked off its support of a National Minority Supplier Development Council CRM License Initiative, a one-year program that 68 minority and small businesses have taken advantage of to date.

The National Black Business Month Block Party is free and open to the public. Click here to register.

For more details on Salesforce solutions for small businesses, visit: Salesforce.com/SMB.