The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
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First Gen to Obama's Administration to Nasdaq Launch: Meet Barrier Breaker Eric Kelly
Eric Kelly founded Bridge 2 Technologies, an online platform with the potential to shrink the divide between corporate America and the talent pool of Black people, other people of color, and minority-owned businesses. In addition, Kelly was appointed by President Obama to the Executive Office of the President of the United States Counsel of Advisors on Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee.
What is your personal story, and how does it inform your personal and professional purpose?
I grew up in Oakland, California, a vibrant and diverse community with friends from all social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Oakland is a microcosm of the world; it is one of the most diverse cities in the United States and has a strong history of leading the nation on social justice and equality. This backdrop instilled in me a more open and inclusive worldview. I was open to new ideas, different ways of socializing, and finding creative ways of solving problems. Furthermore, Oakland's history was a constant reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion. "Global Intellect and Inclusiveness" is my personal and professional purpose, and I instill this idea in every business I am a part of.
My parents owned and operated an automotive business for over four decades, and I saw firsthand how to build a successful enterprise and overcome the challenges business owners face. Their experiences helped shape my entrepreneurial journey as well as my ethos. As a leader, creating a culture that fosters diversity of thought is a cornerstone for success. Understanding what is most important to all business partners, customers, and employees allowed my parents to build one of the most successful enterprises in northern California. Each interaction provided the ability to learn new ideas, overcome old thought processes, and provide a blueprint for building partnerships. The insights they gained and passed on to me reinforced my ethos of "Global Intellect and Inclusiveness."
As I continuously fueled my personal and professional ethos, I realized there was a need for a solution to further the movement of "Global Intellect and Inclusiveness." This was the genesis for Bridge 2 Technologies (B2T), a global solution to profoundly improve economic inequalities. B2T brings together diverse companies, diverse professionals, and critical resources and connects them with multi-national corporations for strategic partnerships, business opportunities, and capital investment with benefits for all involved.
What do you most want to address to open doors of opportunity for diverse talent in tech, given that you have risen the First Gen success story at San Jose State to MBA at San Francisco State to roles as Vice President, General Manager, Chairman, CEO, and Founder?
I have come to understand that diverse companies and individuals have talent. However, they have limited visibility of the opportunities and support systems. My mission is to leverage technology as a vehicle to close the opportunity gap and build an ecosystem with mentors and sponsors. I make a clear distinction between a mentor and a sponsor. The mentor gets you prepared, and the sponsor is the person that stands up and opens the doors to opportunities. Among the many challenges that diverse talent faces are finding those who look like them in leadership roles. It is essential to see successful leaders with similar backgrounds and experiences, individuals who can provide a vision for success. I encourage leaders and professionals to provide best practice guidelines to diverse companies and individuals looking to get into the technology field or any other chosen field. The homogenous world of technology is slowly changing, and a great deal of work must be done. We can't only rely on large organizations to lead the way for change; we have a responsibility to provide opportunities and mentorship to those who are starting or are early in their careers.
How did that government experience impact you and the choices you have made since?
I worked with people across all levels of the administration, and the one thing I was constantly amazed by was the shared vision of the office. A presidential office is always racing against time to have the maximum impact during their term, and one needs to check their ego at the door and work together as a team to accomplish the shared vision.
Why do you value the GlobalMindED community, and how can GlobalMindED's inclusive Success Network support your goals in the various professional and personal roles you lead?
The mission of creating an inclusive success network by connecting students with mentors and internships has a powerful personal resonance. GlobalMindED truly understands that we need to become agents of change. One mentor or opportunity can truly change generations of a family and create positive ripple effects within a community.
What legacy do you most want to leave the world at the end of your life?
To have a generational impact by building a diverse global ecosystem and leverage the Bridge 2 Technologies platform to accelerate the closing of the wealth, education, and health gaps while strengthening communities and the economy.
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Join February's Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable Series:
First and Ten from the One Yard Line - Moving the Educational Justice and Reparations Ball Forward in the Black Community
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 4:00 EST
Hear from champions and leaders doing the work to eliminate educational equity and exploring how to realistically attain the “Forty Acres and a Mule.” Learn about efforts, obstacles, and opportunities to ensure educational and economic equity become a true element of the lived experience of Black and African Americans.
Eric McDonnell; Chair, African American Reparations Advisory Committee, City and County of San Francisco
Eric is a people-first advocate, strategist, diversity trainer, executive coach, and keynote speaker in pursuit of positive impact in the world.
Dr. Christopher Mathis; Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, College of Law Professor Mathis’ scholarship explores critical race theory, access and equity within higher education, and the philosophical assumptions within legal education.
Sadé Cooper; Co-Founder & CEO Collaborative Healing Initiative within Communities
Sadé is a real steward for her community, changing lives one day at a time.
Dr. Ryan Ross Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion Colorado Community College System
An educator, speaker, and actualization coach, Dr. Ross is committed to access, equity, and the development of leaders.
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Join us in Denver June 7-9 for GlobalMindED 2023 |
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Early Bird Registration Open Now
To get a feel for the conference experience, please see this brief video by The PhD Project from the 2022 GlobalMindED Conference
- GlobalMindED June 2022 DEI conference
- Complete 2022 Program
- Inclusive Leader Awards Program 2022
- 800+ attendees
- 140 students from 41 universities/colleges, 58 received scholarships
- 300+ speakers from 65 universities/colleges and 47 businesses
- 130 universities/colleges represented
- Majority of panels featured at least one student
- 74 % diverse speakers
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Social Justice and Equity: A constant evolution but we still haven’t hit the mark! |
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Social Justice and Equity: A Constant Evolution but we Still Haven’t Hit the Mark!, a Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable presentation |
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Dr. Ryan Ross; Assoc. V. Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion, Colorado Community College System
Reiland Rabaka; Founder and Director, Center for African and African American Studies, University of Colorado Boulder,
Lana Hailemariam; Chief Executive Officer, StandUP, LLC,
Emily Shamsid-Deen; Principal, ESD Consulting,
Dr. Roberto Montoya; Chief Educational Equity Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education,
Keith Station; Deputy Chief of Staff—Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, City of Omaha Mayor’s Office
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The GlobalMindED Inclusive Success NetworkTM had another banner year of growth, impact, and outcomes for First Generation, poverty-affected and minoritized students. Here are some of the highlights:
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Return of in-person GlobalMindED conference with record attendance and the largest First Gen Leadership Class ever of 122 student leaders. See PhD Project brief video of the event.
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Our fourth annual Inclusive Leader Awards recognized 15 DEIB leaders across sectors.
- Almost all our 100+ panels and sessions of 2022 featured a student.
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Of the 300+ speakers, 73% were diverse leaders sharing their thoughts.
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We held our first Industry Marketplace Career Exploration Arena at GlobalMindED 2022 with 40 companies, giving K-12, college students, educators, and leaders a way to learn about emerging fields and careers. Join us for the next one at GlobalMindED 2023.
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Our first satellite event at Georgia Institute of Tech was livestreamed via the Atlanta PBS affiliate.
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We became an official initiative of the Foundation for the Support the United Nations (FSUN) and will hold our first UN event on March 22, 2023.
- ·We served ten colleges with the GlobalMindED Success Collaborative connecting students at each HBCU, MSI, HIS and Tribal College with role models, mentors, internships, and jobs.
- We had partners/volunteers from Microsoft, Salesforce, Rubrik, HP, Stanford MBA and more.
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We spoke at the White House Initiative for HBCUs with sponsor Hewlett Packard.
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Our team, Board, Colorado Board and Executive Leadership Council are all majority diverse serving a majority diverse population of emerging leaders.
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We continued to publish our daily newsletter and conduct monthly virtual Equity events, led by people of color with majority diverse panelists and students. These are the role models for our students.
- Our annual operating budget increased by 67% emerging COVID strong.
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We doubled our staff from four to eight as we grow to scale our impact.
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Our Young Professionals grew to 40 strong, with a ten-person leadership cabinet made up of, but not limited to, graduates of our programs who are now working professionals.
- Since 2015, we have successfully connected 1,200+ students to internships and jobs.
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Our founder, Carol Carter, was recognized as one of the Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Denver Business Journal.
We are grateful for the support, inclusive leadership, and financial contributions of our community and sponsors who work tirelessly to open doors for the students we serve, the institutions who support them, and the businesses and non-profits who are committed to hiring a capable, diverse talent pipeline. We look forward to seeing all of you June 7-9 at our best event yet, GlobalMindED 2023 - Transforming Boundaries: Creating Systemic Access and Equity. The Inclusive Leaders Awards Dinner is June 7, followed by the conference June 8- 9 at the Denver Downtown Sheraton.
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