LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby brings thousands of people to Louisville every year, and that can bring a boom to local businesses.
This year, the Derby Diversity Business Summit will bring diverse-owned businesses from around Louisville - and across the country - together for networking opportunities. The summit, put on by the Global Economic Diversity Development Initiative (GEDDI), is scheduled for Tuesday, April 27 through Saturday, May 1, 2021.
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The summit features panel discussions, keynote speakers and one-on-one networking opportunities for businesses owned by minorities, women, people in the LGBTQ community and more. Topics for this year's discussions include diversity in the workforce, sports and marketing, and the supply chain.
Founder Tawana Bain said the summit uses the positive energy of Derby Week to have hard conversations.
"It really allows people to let their guard down and people walk changed," she said.
This year's conference will have both in-person and virtual attendance options. Tickets range from $50 to $795 depending on how many days of the conference you register for.
Outside of Louisville, this year's Derby Diversity Business Summit will include breakout sessions in eight other cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas.
You can learn more and buy tickets at derbydiversity.com.
In 2020, the summit went fully virtual and was held in the fall. The conversations focused on unity, and how businesses had to pivot their operations during the pandemic to create opportunities for the communities they served.
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