2022 Diversity and Entrepreneurship Research Symposium

109 Moses Hall,Berkeley CA 94720

30 September, 2022

Description

In Spring of 2021, the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded a grant of more than $333,000 from the Wells Fargo Foundation to launch a two-year Diversity and Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program. The new initiative expands Berkeley undergraduate research, advocacy and internship experiences that focus on how small businesses, especially those that are POC (People of Color)- and women-owned, are faring across California and what can be done to strengthen them. IGS’s Diversity and Entrepreneurship initiative brings resources and attention to the political and economic challenges faced by diverse entrepreneurs and the need to ensure an equitable recovery in the post-COVID-19 commercial landscape. The Diversity and Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program includes hands-on research and summer internship experiences for Cal undergraduates focused on diverse entrepreneurship and small businesses, along with academic instruction in diversity, entrepreneurship, and California policy. Students receive training and mentorship from Berkeley graduate students and other experts in the field, and an opportunity to present their findings at a research symposia in the fall. The goal of the program is to build a diverse cohort of future civic and political leaders who understand the challenges and opportunities facing women- and POC-owned small businesses and who are committed to promoting entrepreneurship in diverse communities through public policy, advocacy, and other forms of creative engagement. This year's Diversity and Entrepreneurship (D&E) Research Symposium continues that work, featuring four panels of presentations by our 2022 D&E Fellows around research on structural barriers to employment for immigrant and formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs, the impact of gentrification, rebuilding after COVID-19 shutdowns, and adapting to new technologies and platforms in a post-Covid world. EVENT SCHEDULE: 9:30am | Welcome and Introductions Cristina Mora, Associate Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the Institute of Governmental StudiesJenny Flores, Head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy, Wells FargoChristine Trost, Executive Director of IGS and Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service9:45am-10:45am | PANEL 1: Innovation, Perseverance and Other Strategies for Overcoming Structural Barriers Facing Indigenous, Immigrant and Formerly Incarcerated Entrepreneurs Moderator: Christine TrostPresenters: Sidney Carrigan, Yvette Hernandez, Jenifer Lopez Osorio, Allyson VelezRespondent: Esperanza Vielma, Executive Director and Co-founder, Cafe Coop11:00am-12:00pm | PANEL 2: “Everything’s Been Impacted”: Entrepreneurship in Rapidly Changing Urban Environments Moderator: David Ayon, Research Associate, IGS, and Lecturer, Cal-in-Sac, UC BerkeleyPresenters: Sam Greenberg, Lesly Castro, Jackson Smith, Cindy NguyenRespondent: Tim Thomas, Research Director, Urban Displacement Project, Center on Community Innovation, UC Berkeley1:00pm-2:00pm | PANEL 3: Resilience in the Face of Hardship: Immigrant Small Business Owners’ Efforts to Survive the Pandemic Moderator: Eduardo Bautista Duran, Ph.D. Candidate, Jurisprudence and Social Policy, UC BerkeleyPresenters: Jose Gonzalez Ramirez, Rebecca Tran, Michelle Yiu, Alexis AguilarRespondent: TBA 2:15pm - 3:15pm | PANEL 4: Adjusting to a (Post-)Pandemic World: Visibility, Access and New Forms of Assistance for Diverse Entrepreneurs Moderator: Eduardo Bautista Duran, Ph.D. Candidate, Jurisprudence and Social Policy, UC BerkeleyPresenters: Tristan Shaughnessy, Shaily Bajracharya, Jennifer Serrano, Ayline Ruelas Respondent: Xiomara Peña, Vice President, Engagement, Small Business Majority3:15 PM | Closing Remarks Christine Trost, Executive Director of IGS and Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service3:30 PM | Post-Event Reception