Join us for an evening of conversation about diversity and inclusion in the local business community as we announce the call for applicants to COCO’s 2017 Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program.

Bring your questions for a panel of professionals working to advance diversity and inclusion in the Twin Cities who are ready to answer your inquiries about: navigating workspaces that lack diversity as a person of color, forming diverse partnerships that support your path to success, and promoting inclusion within the culture of your organization. Our panelists for the evening: Tasha Byers from the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, Jenna Pederson from Hack the Gap, Sharon Kennedy Vickers of Blacks in Technology, and Daniel Bonilla from the City of Minneapolis Department of Community Planning and Economic Development.

The 2016 EIR recipient, Alex Rodriguez, co-founder of WorkMand will formally announce the open call for applications to the 2017 EIR program. The EIR program is a partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs and CODE2040. The recipient of the 2017 EIR program will receive a cash stipend, a membership to COCO, a retreat to the Googleplex in Silicon Valley for training and networking, and ongoing support from CODE2040, Google for Entrepreneurs and COCO to grow their business and support the local Black and Latina/o technical/entrepreneurial community.

We will cap off the evening with a fireside chat about diversity and inclusion with Marcus Owens, President of the Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON).

About CODE2040: A San Francisco-based nonprofit working to create pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities with a specific focus on Blacks and Latino/as. CODE2040 aims to close the achievement, skills, and wealth gaps in the United States.

A big thank you to our event sponsor, Thrivent Financial!