Passing the Torch
Center's annual fundraiser, Passing the Torch, and, as with all events
there, I was not disappointed. The concept is to honor minorities who
successfully build companies and then pass them on to the next
generation. And as several prominent speakers, including Democratic
mayoral nominee Michael Nutter, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown,
and Dr. Randal Pinkett (Season 4 winner of the Apprentice and the
event's MC), pointed out, it's all about wealth creation in the
minority community - if you think income disparities are bad, you
should hear some of the wealth disparity stats.
I was moved by some of the testimonies tonight. Parents spoke humbly
about the hard work they put in to build their business, and glowingly
about their children and their business acumen. Children spoke
equally humbly, realizing as adults how fortunate they were to have
parents who were so committed to building wealth and creating a
legacy. And everyone left feeling more hopeful that while minorities
continue to struggle towards a level playing field, there are genuine
success stories out there - meaning it can be done, has been done, and
should be done even more in the future.
Kudos to the staff of The Enterprise Center, whose hard work paid off
in the form of yet another top-notch event. I'll be looking forward
to what press coverage emerges, and hoping the good feeling lasts long
enough to keep people motivated to light the fire and pass the torch.
Comments