Spirit of Giving Growing in Black America.

With 2021 behind us and preparations and commitments now being made for 2022, we are revisiting the progress accomplished by a leading African American entrepreneur and corporate leader, Robert F. Smith, who is helping to increase racial equity funding and bridge the digital divide in six southern cities where a large percentage of African Americans now reside: Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Houston, New Orleans and Charlotte.

Earlier last year, NNPA highlighted the game-changing initiative that , along with PayPal CEO Dan Schulman, and BCG CEO Rich Lesser launched called the Southern Communities Initiative. This initiative is “A catalytic effort to coordinate and accelerate racial equity funding, programming, and convening organizations in six southern communities that are home to approximately 50% of the African American population.”

According to information recently posted on Smith’s dedicated website, we were pleased to learn that the Southern Communities Initiative already has identified, embraced and activated the following local leadership appointments and activations in those six states.

here are four racial equity pillars for the initiative: Wealth Creation – supporting Black-owned business growth and access to capital; Housing – providing access to resources that enable home ownership at fair rates and terms; Education / Workforce Development – creating advancement opportunities via formal education/skills training for minorities; and Health Equity – eliminating health disparities through equal access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Here are also two racial equity enablers that are part of the initiative: Digital Access – providing access and adoption of affordable high-speed internet solutions for low-income and minority households; and Physical Infrastructure – providing access to affordable, reliable real-estate and civil infrastructure to support minority families and businesses.

In each of the six states, there is a well-known community servant and leader who has been designated as the “Community Lead” of the Southern Communities Initiative. In Atlanta, The Rev. Bernice King, The King Center CEO, is the lead. In Houston, the lead is LaTanya Flix, Greater Houston Partnership senior vice president. In Memphis, there is Sarah Lockridge-Steckel, co-founder and CEO of the Collective Blueprint co-founder, while the lead in Charlotte is Janet LaBar, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance president and CEO.

In Birmingham, the lead is J.W. Carpenter, Prosper Birmingham executive director and in New Orleans, it is Judy Morse, Urban League of Louisiana president and CEO.

The philanthropy and corporate leadership of Robert F. Smith is appreciated by numerous recipients and Smith should be applauded for helping make a difference and providing hope to millions of people in underserved communities. The issues of economic equity and racial justice are still critical for the future of the nation.

Yet, the contributions of Smith and others appear to be gaining support because as of today more than 70 major corporate entities have now endorsed the Southern Communities Initiative.

The truth is there can be no real racial justice without the reality of sustainable racial equity and economic advancement of communities of color. We, therefore, without hesitation salute Robert F. Smith.