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          2022 Government Affairs Forum: Attorney General Maura Healey, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

          Attorney General Maura Healey, the People's Lawyer, joins us for her annual address to the Chamber membership.

          06/07/2022

          7:45am - 9:00am

          Seaport Hotel

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          MITX: Networking Event

          Join us for the fist in-person MITX event of the year! Come and network with people in the tech and innovation industry.

          06/08/2022

          5:00pm - 8:00pm

          Sam Adams Taproom

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          This four-part leadership development series, presented in partnership with Bentley University, equips participants with the essential skills and competencies to lead diverse teams in inclusive and equitable ways.

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          We are now recruiting for our 2022 Spring 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.

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          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).

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          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.

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          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.

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          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.

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          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
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          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.

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Bostonchamber
Bostonchamber
  • Events
        • Events

          • Overview
          • Events Calendar
          • Chamber Awards
        • ...
          Events
          Maximize Your Membership 2022

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

          06/02/2022

          2:00pm - 3:30pm

          Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Events
          2022 Government Affairs Forum: Attorney General Maura Healey, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

          Attorney General Maura Healey, the People's Lawyer, joins us for her annual address to the Chamber membership.

          06/07/2022

          7:45am - 9:00am

          Seaport Hotel

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Events
          MITX: Networking Event

          Join us for the fist in-person MITX event of the year! Come and network with people in the tech and innovation industry.

          06/08/2022

          5:00pm - 8:00pm

          Sam Adams Taproom

          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
          Inclusive Managers

          This four-part leadership development series, presented in partnership with Bentley University, equips participants with the essential skills and competencies to lead diverse teams in inclusive and equitable ways.

          Read More
          Transformational DEI Certificate

          We are now recruiting for our 2022 Spring 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
        • ...
          Page
          Economic Inclusion

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Network
          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

          Read More
          Climate & Energy

          Read More
          Health Care

          Read More
          Housing & Development

          Read More
          Talent

          Read More
          Transportation

          Read More
  • Our Networks
        • GBCC’s Networks

          • 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
  • Membership
        • Membership

          • Overview
          • Membership Benefits
          • Membership Levels
          • Member Stories
          • Request a Meeting
          • Join Today
        • Our Impact
        • About Us
          Our Impact

          Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.

        • Membership Directory
        • Membership Directory
          Not sure if you’re a member?

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

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Sheena Collier: Building the Fierce Urgency of Now Festival

August 7, 2019

After attending Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, I moved to the Boston area in 2004 to attend Harvard Graduate School of Education. Coming from an Historically Black College & University (HBCU), the first time I stepped foot on Harvard’s campus I did NOT want to attend. From what I could see, there were barely any black people or people of color there (or, from what I assumed, in the rest of Boston & Cambridge). My mother swiftly reminded me that I was privileged to be accepted into Harvard (and she had already told all of her friends) so there was no way that I wasn’t attending. 

Like many professionals of color I’ve met that moved here begrudgingly for a great job or educational opportunities, I spent my first few years in Boston complaining about how hard it is to live here. I didn’t know anyone or have a network, so I had to figure out how to build one. Over time, I started and joined organizations, became civically engaged, and hosted events that connected me to lots of different worlds, including education, politics, arts, community organizing, and the business community. 

It took work, and it wasn’t easy. And it’s not just hard for transplants like myself: I also hear from native Bostonians that they don’t have spaces to connect with others across neighborhoods, sectors, and backgrounds. They, too, are looking for community and experiences that help them enjoy Boston. It shouldn’t be this hard for people of color to see themselves and find community here in Boston.

So when I started in my role at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, I worked together with the team to help change that dynamic and lead in addressing the persistent perceptions and realities about what it’s like to be a person of color in Boston. 

That’s what the Fierce Urgency of Now Festival is all about! Through F.U.N., City Awake and the Chamber are bringing together individuals across all communities and backgrounds to highlight the moral, civic, and business reasons for why we should all be working together to make sure that young professionals of color experience Boston as somewhere where they belong, feel supported, and want to live, work, and play. 

This is how F.U.N. got its roots – it started as an idea for a few days with a handful of events hosted by Chamber members and advocacy groups with the hope of scaling up in years to come. But when we put out the RFP for event hosts, the response was unbelievable, and we ended up with 40+ events and 2,000 attendees in year one. Knowing that we have an engaged community of hosts, and that the demand for these events and conversations is high, the sky is the limit in year two and beyond.

This year, we have panels focused on the lack of diversity in the creative economy, a fireside chat with Tristan Walker of Bevel, a Red Sox game, brunches, parties on the Greenway, fitness classes, an LGBTQ Ball, and more. Come join us as we discuss, dance, eat, and learn how we all can play a role in creating a Boston that is welcoming for all.

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