On April 11, ACI hosted the 2024 Breakfast Forum: Harnessing the Power of Inclusion at the law offices of Saul Ewing in Chicago.
The first of its kind event for ACI brought together change agents from around the region to connect with one another to share key strategies for moving conversions forward about diversity, equity and inclusion on our campuses, in our communities and in our boardrooms.
Attendees heard from our rockstar event panelists and speakers: Marquis Miller, VP of Economic Development, Obama Foundation served as our keynote speaker, while Shannon Fuller – VP of Talent, Health Care Service Corporation, Tyronne Stoudemire – SVP of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Hyatt Corporation and Liz Gross – CEO, Campus Sonar served as Q&A panelists. Toby Eveland, Chicago Managing Partner, Saul Ewing served as the event moderator.
Post conversation, designated time was created for roundtable discussions and networking to continue the dialogue. Thanks to a great turnout of support from wonderful sponsors, the event raised nearly $65,000 in funding for future ACI programs and initiatives with added donations totaling $12,741. Major themes highlighted were:
- The increasing importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in various aspects of society, including education, the workplace, and economic development.
- An emphasis on active awareness of community needs and the potential economic benefits of those needs being met.
- How underrepresented groups face challenges in the workplace and creating a work environment that is not only psychologically safe, but also embraces the importance of changing attitudes towards work among younger generations.
To view photos of the event, please click here. To hear an audio version of the conversation, please click here.
The Forum has been funded through a First Opportunity Partners grant from the Council of Independent Colleges with support from the UPS Foundation.