ChattanoogaChamber.com, News, Press Release

Chattanooga Chamber’s DIVERSIFY Summit Unites Diverse Businesses, Professionals & Allies June 19

By Eric Lisica
Jun. 11, 2020

Chattanooga, Tennessee (June 9, 2020) – The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce hosts DIVERSIFY 2020 June 19, a half-day virtual summit highlighting diversity, inclusion and the 21st century workplace. The unrest sweeping our country spotlights the high cost of racial and economic inequality and our intention is that our annual DIVERSIFY event provides a timely platform for diverse business owners and professionals as well as their allies during a difficult time.

“Between COVID-19 and systemic racism, we essentially face two pandemics in our country right now,” said Christy Gillenwater, Chamber President & CEO. “This isn’t easy. We present DIVERSIFY as a safe forum for drawing inspiration from one another as we unite to fight racism, intolerance and injustice.”

June 19 via Zoom, DIVERSIFY 2020 features breakout sessions led by industry professionals and a keynote by University of Southern California (USC) professor Manuel Pastor on “Inclusion, Growth, and Community: Reimagining Our Economy in the Wake of COVID-19.”

Manuel Pastor, Ph.D, is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at USC where he directs the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII). He is the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC, and holds an economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Pastor’s research has focused on economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income urban communities – and social movements seeking to change those realities.

In addition to Pastor’s keynote speech, DIVERSIFY 2020 offers two breakout sessions and a panel discussion with local leaders.

Full registration ($15) includes Q&A with presenters and access to recordings after the event.

As an organization, the Chattanooga Chamber has also committed to hosting a business forum on racial inequities. More information about this forum open to the public will be available as soon as details are finalized.

View the Chamber's statement of solidarity against racism here.

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