Women’s Empowerment Summit in Mississippi to focus on Money, Purpose, Success

CLARKSDALE, MISS. – An event aimed at training women in the areas of leadership, community development, entrepreneurship and financial literacy will be held Oct. 15.

The Money, Purpose, and Success: Women’s Empowerment Summit is put on by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Higher Purpose Co., a social enterprise in Clarksdale designed to connect, educate and inspire minority millennials in rural communities. The event will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Coahoma County Higher Education Center in Clarksdale.

About 29 percent of America’s business owners are women, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research. That’s up from 1997 when 26 percent of businesses were owned by women.

“Women are steadily increasing their presence in the world of small-business ownership,” said Teresa Cheeks Wilson, senior community development specialist at the St. Louis Fed. “The Community Development department of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis fosters collaboration on community and economic development initiatives to stimulate ideas and share insights.”

The keynote speaker will be Jewel Burks, CEO of Partpic, an Atlanta firm that locates machine replacement parts using visual-recognition technology. Burks also serves as an entrepreneur in residence for diversity markets at Google. She has been featured on the 2016 Forbes 30 under 30, and in Essence, Black Enterprise and Glamour magazines.

“Statistics show female entrepreneurs are changing and disrupting several industries. There has been increased interest in our programs from millennials who have the desire to start their own business,” said Timothy E. Lampkin, CEO and co-founder of Higher Purpose. “Entrepreneurship is one way we can move people from poverty to prosperity.”

Additional presenters include:

• Barbara Logan Smith, executive director of Teach for America–Mississippi;
• Denisha Kuhlor, CEO of Plucked Admissions;
• Brit Fitzpatrick, CEO of Mentor Me;
• Sheena Allen, CEO of InstaFunds and Sheena Allen Apps;
• Krystal Beachum, CEO of Student Athletes Unite;
• Emily Roush Elliot, architect and economic developer; and
• Britney Clark, financial educator.

The summit is free and lunch will be provided. To register and find out more, visit https://www.higherpurpose.co/.