Events
Shared Interest hosts an array of events throughout the year, offering opportunities for you to learn more about our mission and the work our beneficiaries are doing to strengthen families and communities. Through our hybrid events, we bring powerful networks of businesses, individuals, and governments together to collaborate on advancing racial and economic justice.
Upcoming Events
Stay tuned for upcoming events.
Recent Events
HBCU Social Impact Leaders Forum and Nasdaq Closing Bell Ringing
On Friday, June 21st, Shared Interest hosted its HBCU Social Impact Leaders Forum and Nasdaq Bell Ringing Ceremony at Nasdaq headquarters in Times Square. The event highlighted the power and potential of Black emerging business professionals in increasing diversity within the fields of social impact investing, corporate sustainability, and entrepreneurship in the US and Southern Africa. We were thrilled to convene a cohort of over 20 HBCU students, as well as leaders from HBCUs, Nasdaq, Henry Schein, Inc., and other community partners. This event was part of our 30th Anniversary Voices of Change Campaign, where we commemorated Youth Day in South Africa and Juneteenth in the US by amplifying the voices of those who are investing in and empowering the next generation of Black social impact leaders and entrepreneurs in the US and Southern Africa.
Racial Justice Conversations
Driving Africa's Economic Transformation through Fintech Innovation
Dorcas Onyango (Global Programs Director, Shared Interest) moderated a discussion with leading experts to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for harnessing the potential of homegrown fintech solutions across Africa - unlocking a new era of economic prosperity for small and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs. Speakers included Juliana Rotich (Head of Fintech Solutions, Safaricom), Ivan Oboth (Founder & CEO,Craft Insights IO, Makers of Mikono), and Khanya Ndzulukeka (Founder & CEO, Setana Capital). This webinar will explain why it's so important to help small businesses in Africa succeed by solving the problems fintech faces in getting funding.
The Power and the Potential of Social Impact Investing
Moderated by Tim Smith (Senior Policy Advisor at Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility) and joined Dr. Grant Warner (Bank of America Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director at Center for Black Entrepreneurship), Pearl Wicks (Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Hope Credit Union), Justin Conway (Vice President, Investment Partnerships at Calvert Impact) and Ann McMikel (Executive Director, Shared Interest). The conversation discussed opportunities to promote racial justice through social impact investments by as he moderates a timely roundtable discussion with leading experts to discuss opportunities to promote racial justice through social impact investments and bolstering the next generation of Black entrepreneurs.
Assault On Human Rights: The Role That Constitutions Play
Moderated by Gay McDougall, Independent Expert on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) who was joined by Black America's Attorney General, Attorney Benjamin Crump, and Freedom Fighter, Writer, and Justice of the South African Constitutional Court, Justice Albie Sachs.
EmpowHERed: Rights, Respect & Resiliency
This conversation highlighted the critical importance of investing in and supporting Black women-owned businesses in Southern Africa. Panelists included:
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Ann McMikel - Shared Interest's Executive Director
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Donna Katzin - Founder and Former Executive Director of Shared Interest
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Marion Bergman - Retired Board-Certified Pulmonologist, Philanthropist, Mentor, Advocate for Women and Rural Health, and a seed funder and longtime supporter of Shared Interest
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Joyce Masi - Shared Interest's Program Consultant and Managing Director of Kweza Holdings Limited (KHL) in Malawi
The Unfinished Business of Achieving an Equitable COVID-19 Recovery in Africa
Dr. Joan Benson (Executive Director, Public Health Partnerships, Global Vaccines Public Policy at Merck)
moderated a conversation on advancing a racially Just Covid-19 development agenda through healthy and sustainable partnerships that empower Black-owned businesses, families and the communities they serve. Guest speakers included:
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Trevor Manuel (Chairman, Old Mutual Limited and Special Envoy to Mobilize International Economic Support for Continental Fight Against COVID-19, former Minister of Finance under four South African President’s)
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Faith Khanyile (Chairperson, WDB Growth Fund)
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Ann McMikel (Executive Director, Shared Interest)
Women's Economic Justice
In recognition of Leah Tutu’s birthday and Domestic Violence Awareness month, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (DLTLF) and Shared Interest co-hosted a webinar that explored women’s economic agency and how gender-based and institutional violence undermines societal prosperity. The webinar was moderated by Phumi Nhlapo, COO of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and included the following panelists:
• Dr. Cynthia Spence, Associate Professor of Sociology — Spelman College
• Lea Conrad, Managing Director — Conrad Advisory
• Sane Mdlalose, Chief Growth Officer – SmartStart South Africa
Past Events
Event Sponsors
