Word of Hope Ministries Inc., hosts ‘Cohort 8 Diverse Business Summit and Graduation’
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
On Saturday, October 19, 2024, Word of Hope Ministries Inc. hosted Diverse Business Summit and Graduation at the Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. The event was the culmination of the 8-week Cohort 8 for the Diverse Business Development Program, which is designed to offer technical assistance in the form of education, resources and access to black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), veteran and female owned businesses. The program pushes them past the idea, the service or the product to understanding the “business of business.”
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
Word of Home Ministires partnered with businesses to provide various speakers who shared resources and information to the graduating entrepreneurs in a discussion panel. The panelists included (upper right photo) Monica Ashery of Mchete’s African Treasures, LLC; Timothy Dammond of 9Five Custom Prints and Designs; Deniece Fields–Russell of DFR Consulting, LLC; Elzie Fienard of “The Mayor of Podcast Town“; Ruben Gaona of My Way Out; Michael Hetzel of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.; Davana Jones of Hand Up Resources Center, Inc.; Robert Kraft of First Pathway Partners, LLC; Michelle Luckett Pitts of Pitts New Pitts Mortuary; Kirshaud Lyons of the Milwaukee County Dept. of Administrative Services; Vincent Mack of US Bank; Michaela McGee of Eighty Forty-Eight; Seyoum Mengesha of Wisconsin Economic Development; Tim Ricketts of The Ricketts Group; and Erica Wright of Bell & Wright Financial Group-Business Insurance. The keynote speakers for this event were Darren Fisher of Spearity; and Jolanda Rogers of Talk Consulting.
