AAMU, KDM Partner on Economic Forum

A leading economic development unit at Alabama A&M University, and an innovative Washington, D.C.- based firm specializing in bridging Black and minority institutions to capital access within “Opportunity Zones” will hold a joint virtual forum on February 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EST), (10 a.m.-12 noon CST).  Register HERE.

AAMU’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development (CEIED) and KDM & Associates will team to present the first-ever “What Works for HBCUs in Opportunity Zones to Access Capital.” CEIED, a unit under the auspices of the College of Business and Public Affairs and led by Dr. Teresa M. Orok (r), is charged with ensuring that minority entities (e.g., Historically Black Colleges & Universities, minority businesses, small farmers, etc.) as well as government and industry, work together to leverage Opportunity Zone investment incentives to revitalize their communities.

KDM, a business development and governmental affairs firm led by Keith D. Moore (bottom left), was instrumental in the founding of the Innovation in Agriculture & Energy Opportunity Zone (IAEOZ) Summit, and it is credited with helping to change the face of farming and rural enterprise in America via smart investments in Opportunity Zones.

“AAMU is pleased to partner with KDM as we seek to build sustainable initiatives designed to engage HBCUs with Opportunity Zones and access to capital,” commented Orok, CEIED Executive Director.

Organizers say the February 25 launch of the series will tackle the long-standing issues of a lack of access to capital for HBCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions across the nation by assembling a consortium of stakeholders from government, the private sector, and investors, developers and the social impact community who are committed to improving What Works for HBCUs in Opportunity Zones.

Strategically hosted during Black History Month, the “What Works for HBCUs” session will engender the kind of brainstorming aimed at bringing HBCUs and other institutions to a level of commercialization necessary to generate sustainable revenue streams, which can finally accomplish a broad range much-needed modernization and infrastructure improvements. For additional information, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dr. Teresa M. Orok at teresa.orok@aamu.edu.

Full Registration Link (copy and paste):  https://bit.ly/3pI7usd

by Jerome Saintjones