MIA Magazine March 2016 Jazz in the Gardens | Page 16

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AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL

Events

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016

Black Tech Week Culminates With Women’s
Innovation Brunch To Celebrate Women Of Color

Black Tech Week wrapped up an
engaging week of discussions about
branding, tech and innovation with their
signature Women’s Innovation Brunch.
The brunch celebrated key women in the
tech and startup industry who have
innovatively made a name for themselves
as a brand and business.
Black Tech Week urges millennials
and older generations alike to go against
the grain and create a place for
themselves in the tech and
entrepreneurial space. The immersive
week long series of insightful discussion
focused on diversity, strength in weak
ties and the importance of staying ahead
in today’s business technological
revolution. All the events culminated with
the popular and well attended second
annual Women’s Innovation Brunch.
The brunch’s keynote Speaker was
Kathryn Finney, Founder and Managing
Director of digitalundivided (DID). She
shared her personal journey to a sold out
room of established and emerging
women entrepreneurs. Before helping

digitalundivided’s FOCUS Fellows raise
over $10M in angel/venture funding, she
successfully sold her blog “The Budget
Fashionista” for a premium. Finney was
honest and vulnerable about her growth
from blogging to becoming a boss.

Kathryn Finney, Founder and Managing Director
of digitalundivided and Felicia Hatcher,
Black Tech Week co-founder

Finney also received the Black Tech
Week-Rainmaker Award for her
entrepreneurial accomplishments. The
brunch fostered fellowship between the
women in attendance which in turn
sparked creativity and wonderful
networking opportunities.
“Start your own business, so you can
make your own rules!” says Kathryn

Finney, founder and managing director
of digitalundivided.
Black Tech Week Women’s
Innovation awards were presented to the
following honorees:
H. Leigh Toney: "The Connector", Holly
Delgado: "The Tech Evangelist",
Rebecca Fishman-Lipsey "The Social
Change Innovator",
Mary Spio: "The Bad-Ass Innovator" ,
Josie: "The Compassionate Innovator"
and Jewel Burks: "The Kick-ass
innovator."
“It is deeply rewarding to be able
honor these women who have not only
paved their own pathway to success but
have inspired other women to do the
same along the way. Women
entrepreneurs of color are disruptors in
the tech space and it’s time they are
recognized as such.” says Felecia
Hatcher, Co-Founder of Code Fever and
Black Tech Week.
Attendees were also treated to mini
TedX style panel presentation
moderated by Black Tech Week

co-founder Felecia Hatcher. The
impressive panel included Ebony
Pope- Village Capital, Natalie
Coifed-Walker Legacy/Urban Co-Lab,
Dawn Dixon-VentureFund.io/Flat out
Heels, Barbara Jacques - Jacq's Organics
and T. Bernie-Cocoachic Beauty.
Black