Issa Rae is always rooting for everyone Black, especially in areas where they have been notoriously underrepresented. Her latest move is a testament to that.
According to a recent announcement, Rae will keynote Black Tech Week, an annual conference focused on equity in tech.
“We’re looking forward to hosting Issa Rae as our keynote speaker for Black Tech Week 2023,” said Candice Matthews Brackeen, CEO, Lightship Foundation in a statement. “Her dedication to promoting diversity in the tech industry along with her remarkable achievements in entertainment, truly embody the spirits of solidarity and success so central to the Black Tech Week experience. It’s going to be an inspiring and unforgettable event!”
Black Tech Week was founded by the Lightship Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Lightship Capital, a venture fund founded by Brian Brackeen that focuses on bolstering Black businesses.
The Lightship Foundation was founded in 2017, and has helped more than 200 minority-attain access to $150M in venture funding.
Rae has long been an advocate of equity in Black business ownership and this keynote will be the latest addition in a long list of DEI amplification.
In 2021, she partnered with American Express and the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) to expansed their ByBlack initiative with a national certification program exclusively for Black-owned businesses. According to the official press release, the program was first curated as a directory of Black-owned businesses and has now transformed into a “no-cost, digital platform” which will “now unlock more ways to reach new customers and secure contracts for Black-owned businesses across the country.”
For more information on Black Tech Week, visit Blacktechweek.com.