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Emancipation Conversations is a series of fireside chats with distinguished guests focused on relevant topics surrounding the Black Experience. The transformative conversations that take place in our interactive forum are a catalyst for progress and enlightenment. Join Emancipation Park Conservancy for an insightful discussion presented by Shell with Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, a $14 billion international social justice philanthropy, and Ramon Manning, board chairman for Emancipation Park Conservancy. Tune in as Melanie Lawson, ABC 13 news anchor, moderates the conversation surrounding corporate responsibility and giving back to minority nonprofits.
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Quick Details
When?
Friday, June 11, 2021
1:00 PM CDT - 2:00 PM CDT
Where?
Emancipation Park Virtual Experience
Emancipation Park
Houston, TX 77004
Speakers
Guest Speaker
Darren Walker, President
Ford Foundation
Darren Walker is president of the Ford Foundation, a $14 billion international social justice philanthropy. He is a member of Governor Cuomo’s Reimagining New York Commission and co-chair of NYC Census 2020. He chaired the philanthropy committee that brought a resolution to the city of Detroit’s historic bankruptcy. Under his leadership, the Ford Foundation became the first non-profit in US history to issue a $1 billion designated social bond in US capital markets for proceeds to strengthen and stabilize non-profit organizations in the wake of COVID-19.
Featured Speaker
Ramon Manning, Board Chair
Emancipation Park Conservancy
Ramon Manning is the founder and CEO of Partners Energy North America (PENA), a leading power and natural gas supplier. Partners Energy supplies commercial and industrial customers and assists in formulating plans and customizing solutions to manage energy costs and risk in today’s deregulated marketplace. He currently serves as Board Chairman of Emancipation Park Conservancy.
Moderator
Melanie Lawson, Anchor
ABC 13 Eyewitness News
Award-winning journalist Melanie Lawson is a proud Houstonian and a product of Houston schools. She started first as a full-time general assignments reporter at Channel 13, then went on to become the co-anchor of Live at 5 and Channel 13's midday show, Eyewitness News at 11am. Melanie also hosts a weekly Community Affairs program called "Crossroads", focusing on issues and events around our city. Melanie has had a varied and exhilarating stint at Channel 13. She has covered virtually every city, state and national election during her career. She's won numerous awards for her reporting, including an Emmy for her coverage of President Clinton's visit to South Africa, the only local reporter in the nation to make that trip.
About Emancipation Park Conservancy
Emancipation Park Conservancy (EPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on the preservation and protection of the heritage, cultural and historical integrity of Emancipation Park through culturally competent programming and events. Nestled in the center of the Historic Third Ward community of Houston Texas, Emancipation Park was founded in 1872 by four former slaves. In an early act of cooperative economics among Blacks, the four men pooled $800 together with the help of various community members to purchase the ten acres of land the park still sits on today.
Through the Emancipation Conversations Lecture Series, EPC will establish a forum that fosters invigorating, inviting and transformative conversations through interactive lectures. The discussions will feature innovative an iconic community leaders, influencers and humanitarians across various disciplines including the arts, literature, business, science, philanthropy and politics.
For any questions pertaining to Emancipation Conversations, please contact programs@epconservancy.org.
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