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The Dream Summit is Coming Back to Syracuse The Dream Summit is Coming Back to Syracuse

By Kennedy Houston

People are posing for a photo for the 2019 Dream Summit
© 2019 My Dream Summit

Kennedy Houston: The Dream Summit is an event that brings in keynote speakers discuss entrepreneurship amongst minorities. The Covid-19 Outbreak paused the event for three-years—now it is back. C-E-O Eli Smith says the summit is meant to celebrate businesses who support diversity.

Eli Smith: Recognize companies that have a strong DEI initiative and recognize those companies and put them on a platform and say hey you’re doing a great job and continue doing this.

Houston: Smith says he’s seen a difference in Central New York since the first event.

Smith: So now we have multiple black entrepreneurs that in the last three years especially black women that are stepping up and have stepped up and started their own businesses.

Houston: Syracuse isn’t the only one getting help. Next year the organization is planning to host a similar event in Philadelphia. Smith hopes the summit will eventually become a national conference. For more information on how to get involved visit w-w-w-my-dream-summit-dot-com.Kennedy Houston, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)–  The Dream Summit is back after a three year hiatus.

My Dream Summit is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating minorities of Central New York on entrepreneurship. In 2022, they will be hosting a weekend event, throughout Syracuse, where audiences will hear from different key note speakers and engage in different breakout sessions.

When asked about the inspiration for the idea, Eli Smith, the CEO of My Dream Summit said,”Upstate New York is known traditionally for being number one in poverty, especially Syracuse… I took it as a leader as my personal challenge to say how can I do the most I can for black and brown businesses and black and brown people”.

In 2019, the organization held their first conference. Due to the pandemic, the event was paused for three years. Despite the pause, the organization has been committed to bringing the event together. They have gotten more speakers for 2022’s conference compared to the previous event.

When giving details about some speakers Smith said”… in journalism such as Soledad O’Brien, Jemele Hill. In the professional world such as Dorsey Levens”.

Although the event is about economic development, Smith hopes that the conference will shed a new light on Syracuse for young adults. “I want it to be a landing spot…they don’t see Syracuse as a place where they want to grow… I’m hoping that in three to five years that Syracuse becomes like Atlanta, or like Charlotte where black businesses and black excellence is not just talked about with lip service,” Smith said.

To learn more about the 2022 Dream Summit visit www.mydreamsummit.com.

 

 

 

 

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