The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) raised a total of $73,000 from donors and pledges in Edgartown at its inaugural Giving Day fundraiser during their “Building Wealth Together: Owning the Next Decade” event on Saturday.
The event, hosted at the Dick Friedman estate, fundraised for the council’s 10-year-anniversary campaign, with a broader mission of advancing prosperity for the Massachusetts Black business community.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used to say, ‘when it’s darkest, that’s when you can see the stars’ and that’s who all the BECMA small businesses are, the stars, that give me hope for the next generation of entrepreneurs,” said U.S. Sen. Ed Markey in a press release from the council. “We have to continue to ensure that we stand up for them.”
Funds raised during Giving Day will contribute to scaling the Mass Black Expo, expanding capital for small business through Black Office Support Services (BOSS), the BECMA Community Investment (BCI) Fund, BECMA’s policy and advocacy efforts, Renovating BECMA’s new headquarters in Nubian Square, and BECMA’s organization infrastructure.
“As BECMA turns 10, we’re not just reflecting, we’re building,” Nicole Obi, President and CEO of BECMA, said in the release. “With our new headquarters and Sustainability Hub, expanded community investments, and next-gen business support programs in climate and AI, we are building the launchpad for the decade ahead. Together with members, donors, and allies, we are shaping the future of Black wealth in Massachusetts and beyond.”
The event included speakers and networking amongst BECMA members and leadership, state and federal elected officials, philanthropic leaders and foundations, and corporate and community partners.
