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Home > Press Release > Greater Boston Chamber & City Awake Announce 2021 Fierce Urgency of Now Festival
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          Read More
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  • Events
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          BIMA
          BIMA Summer Sizzler

          The BIMA Summer Sizzler is the must-attend networking event for marketing and media professionals.

          08/11/2022

          5:30pm - 8:30pm

          Museum of Science

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Events
          2022 Fierce Urgency of Now Festival

          The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival brings Boston’s diverse young professionals together with business leaders, organizations and their peers to build connection, advance careers and ignite positive change.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Members-only
          Maximize Your Membership September

          This is an opportunity to meet the Chamber staff as you learn how to leverage your Chamber benefits effectively to meet your goals through our offerings.

          09/29/2022

          2:00pm - 3:30pm

          Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce 

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Resources
        • Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Transformational DEI Certificate

          We are now recruiting for our 2022 fall DEI cohort! We hope you’ll join us in our mission to increase DEI fluency and change in the Boston business community – starting with you.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Economic Inclusion Committee
          • Fierce Urgency of Now Festival
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Economic Inclusion

          Our Economic Inclusion Committee provides strategic support around research, policies, and programs that are focused on building equal opportunity.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Events
          2022 Fierce Urgency of Now Festival

          The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival brings Boston’s diverse young professionals together with business leaders, organizations and their peers to build connection, advance careers and ignite positive change.

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Policy & Impact
        • Policy & Impact

          • Overview
          • Leadership Councils
          • Amicus Advisory Board
        • GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

          Business Climate
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          Read More
          Housing & Development
          Read More
          Talent
          Read More
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          Read More
  • Our Networks
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          • Overview
        • OUR NETWORKS

          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For more than 25 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          MITX

          Through MITX (the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange), we’re building valuable connections between the people and ideas behind technology and its impact on the future of customer experiences, all to create a community that’s finding tomorrow’s solutions together.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
          Small Business

          We support small business through public policy initiatives, events designed to connect small businesses in Greater Boston to their peers and established business leaders, professional development offerings, and free small business advising.

          Read More
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          • Membership Benefits
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          Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.

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Greater Boston Chamber & City Awake Announce 2021 Fierce Urgency of Now Festival

August 17, 2021

BOSTON, MA – The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (GBCC) and City Awake are pleased to announce the fourth annual Fierce Urgency of Now festival, a four day festival that convenes diverse young professionals together with their peers, business leaders, and organizations to build connection, advance careers, and ignite positive change. This year, the festival will feature more than 30 virtual and in-person events hosted by a variety of organizations and companies from September 15 through September 18.

In 2018, the GBCC and City Awake launched the first Fierce Urgency of Now festival to highlight the voices of the next generation and to inspire action. The title, “Fierce Urgency of Now,” is attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.”  

As the most recent national reckoning on systemic racism continues today, the Greater Boston region and the business community have a responsibility in transforming inequities into opportunity and abundance. The festival’s opening event on September 15 features Heather McGhee, prominent advocate and author of “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together.” On September 16, Kahlil Greene, renowned racial equity speaker and writer, will discuss the most recent racial reckoning and his experience as Yale University’s first Black student body president. In addition to our powerful keynote speakers, the festival also includes workshops, workouts, day parties, and panel discussions.  

James E. Rooney, the President and CEO of the GBCC, describes the significance and impact of The Fierce Urgency of Now festival. “The fourth year of the festival presents the opportunity to be even bolder in the pursuit of equity and successfully connecting communities – this year we have more events happening both virtually and in-person throughout many Boston neighborhoods. A festival of this magnitude drives the purpose of City Awake forward. Every day, we hear about the reputation and reality of living in Greater Boston, and the festival can help us build a new, vibrant region together.”

“The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival is a dynamic platform that connects young professionals and amplifies the voices of people of color throughout Boston. Gillette is proud to be a partner in this festival and City Awake’s mission to inspire the next generation in Boston,” said Gary Coombe, CEO, P&G Gillette.

“The Fierce Urgency of Now festival convenes and connects communities throughout Greater Boston to increase belonging, and I’m excited that the festival will return for a fourth year, building on the success of earlier gatherings. The Barr Foundation is proud to support this work to create the Boston of the future – a city that is more inclusive, allowing everyone to thrive,” said Kalila Barnett, Barr’s Program Officer for Climate Resilience.

“It is exciting to see The Fierce Urgency of Now festival grow in impact and scope, and I’m looking forward to another year of making game-changing connections with leaders of color throughout Greater Boston. On behalf of Accenture, I’m proud of the critical work that we are doing to make Boston more welcoming for young professionals of color,” said Rutba Shivani, Operations Lead at Accenture and City Awake Advisory Board Member.

The hybrid in-person and virtual 2021 Fierce Urgency of Now festival is supported by many, including Presenting Sponsors the Barr Foundation, John Hancock, and P&G Gillette; and Platinum sponsor T.D. Bank.

About City Awake  City Awake empowers the next generation of Greater Boston leaders through programming that builds community and engages young professionals in dialogue about the most pressing issues facing our region. Through this work, we hope to deepen their connections to the broader business and civic communities and recognize their important contributions to our thriving economy. Learn more at CityAwake.org.

About the Greater Boston Chamber  We are the convener, voice and advocate of our region’s business community, committed to making Greater Boston the best place for all businesses and all people to thrive. We help our members and Greater Boston succeed by convening and connecting the business community; researching, developing and advocating for public policies that contribute to our region’s economic success; and providing comprehensive leadership development programs designed to grow strong business and civic leaders. Learn more at BostonChamber.com.

Casey Baines

Director, Policy & Communications

media@bostonchamber.com
617-557-7320

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