Nearly 200 community leaders, scholars, and day-to-day practitioners from across the United States and globally will discuss strategies and solutions for economic inclusion during the inaugural Guilford Dialogues conference June 7-10 on the Guilford College campus.
“I’ve lived in different parts of the country and spent a lot of time in different parts of the world,” said Kyle Farmbry, President of the College since January and a leading organizer of the conference. “There are wealth gaps, gaps in ownership, and gaps in opportunity and housing access. You can see the literal or metaphoric tracks that often divide communities.
“The power of Guilford College is that this is a place for reflection where people are about social action and social change,” he adds. “As I took on this leadership role for the College I really wanted to figure out a way that we can actively work on a pressing issue. And for a number of reasons economic inclusion seemed like a core issue for us to dive into.”
Guilford has invited more than 50 leaders from a wide range of occupations, specialties, and life experiences to participate as speakers and panelists. Joining them are conferees who will take part in discussions and return to their communities with strategies for creating more economic equality.
Several College faculty are participating in the conference, including Bob Williams, who has taught Economics at Guilford for 35 years. Outcomes will include a project on economic inclusion hosted on the Guilford campus and involving student research and additional faculty participation.
Greensboro leaders expected to take part in the conference include Taiwo Jaiyeoba, Greensboro City Manager, Mac Sims, President of East Greensboro Now, Marvin J. Price, Executive Vice President of Economic Development for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, and Lisa Hazlett, Vice President of the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship.
On a national and global level, conference participants include Graham Macmillan, President of the Visa Foundation, Byron Loflin, Global Head of Board Advisory at Nasdaq, Lamar A. Thorpe, Mayor of Antioch, Calif., Regina Malveaux, Executive Director of the Washington State Women’s Commission, and Simon Gifford, Chief Executive Officer of Mashauri Limited.
A delegation from South Africa will participate in a pre-forum session on comparative urbanization as well as other parts of the conference.
While registration for the conference is closed, a session featuring Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson is open to the public at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, at Guilford’s Dana Auditorium. The program is free of charge and wearing of masks is required. Robinson will be in conversation with Carla Banks, Communications and Marketing Director for the City of Greensboro.
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