Past Conversations

In this first of five Racial Justice Virtual Conversations, Gay McDougall, Independent Expert on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will be joined by globally recognized racial justice activists in a critical discussion on the major threats to democracy in the US and South Africa that are impeding the progress that could be made in advancing the human and economic rights of black entrepreneurs and the disenfranchised communities they serve.

Now more than ever before, we must commit to prioritizing a development agenda that protects the rights, respect and resiliency of Black women leaders who are critical to alleviating the human and economic toll of Covid-19 in Southern Africa. This event highlights the critical importance of investing in and supporting Black women-owned businesses in Southern Africa and our long-standing work with partners to prioritize women's economic empowerment. The event will also announce the second phase of the Donna Katzin Imbokodo Legacy Fund that will transition into a donor circle. The Donna Katzin Imbokodo Donor Circle will mobilize a diverse group of women leaders and allies to support, champion, and invest in Black women entrepreneurs and the circle of support they need to build healthy communities and drive sustainable impact in Southern Africa.

Join Dr. Joan Benson (Executive Director, Public Health Partnerships, Global Vaccines Public Policy at Merck) as she moderates a conversation on advancing a racially Just Covid-19 development agenda through healthy and sustainable partnerships that empower Black-owned businesses, families and the communities they serve. Trevor Manuel (Chairman, Old Mutual Limited and Special Envoy to Mobilize International Economic Support for Continental Fight Against COVID-19, former Minister of Finance under four South African President’s) will join the conversation and discuss the economic implications posed by the pandemic, the impact it has on Black-owned small businesses. Also joining the conversation are Faith Khanyile (Chairperson, WDB Growth Fund) and Ann McMikel (Executive Director, Shared Interest) to discuss opportunities to bolster economic recovery efforts in Southern Africa.

A Conversation on Equity in the Labour Force, Confronting Domestic Violence, and the Work of Women in building Flourishing Economies. The Covid-19 pandemic and government lockdowns have exacerbated what is now being called the “shadow pandemic” of women increasingly being abused—sexually, physically, emotionally, and economically. For many women around the world, the violence manifests in their own homes as well as spaces of work and enterprise. Now more than ever it is critical for women to gain financial freedom to break the vicious cycle of gender-based violence and workplace abuse. In recognition of Leah Tutu’s Birthday and Domestic Violence Awareness month, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and Shared Interest are excited to co-host a webinar about the economic and domestic threats to women’s empowerment. According to recent research by the International Monetary Fund, an increase in violence against women by 1 percentage point is associated with a 9 percent lower level of economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa. This webinar, facilitated by Chief Operating Officer of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Foundation Phumi Nhlapo, will bring together an intersectional conversation on women’s economic agency, and the impact of gender-based and institutional violence on women’s economic liberation