ABOUT US
The Greenwood Plan, which takes its name from the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma (often referred to as the “Black Wall Street”), has its roots in a business conference: Greenwood Week. Founded by Khamil Bailey and Samantha Black in 2017, the conference served as an antidote to the challenges Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs face in the Pittsburgh region. By providing an opportunity for new and expanding Black companies to network, learn, and ultimately deposit and withdraw on their collective social capital, Greenwood Week grew into one of the most successful and widely attended business conferences in the region.
After the success of 5 consecutive Greenwood Week events — including a virtual conference during the pandemic — Bailey and Black identified a clear need for year-round professional support. In 2021, The Greenwood Plan was founded.
Since its inception, The Greenwood Plan has created a thriving, ever-expanding ecosystem that supports and revitalizes the Pittsburgh Black business community. Realizing the need for a prominent location where community connections could grow, The Greenwood Plan acquired Greenwood Smithfield, which houses a co-working and event space in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. With this newly obtained space came a tangible place for networking, professional community building, and a location to expand their week-long conference into year-round educational programming.
Today, Greenwood Smithfield hosts and supports several Black-owned businesses and business professionals’ daily operations, offering an expansive list of professional services and resources. The Greenwood Plan has continued to expand its educational offerings, giving the Black business community deeper access to necessary resources. Greenwood and its programming will continue to grow in support of Black-owned businesses and economic advocacy in the Pittsburgh region!
10 POINTS OF STRATEGY
1
Serve as a vessel for shared access to economic prosperity and generational wealth for the Black community.
2
Become a thought leader in decolonizing dominant business practices and structure.
3
Formalize a marketplace for bartering between Black businesses.
4
Establish a role as an economic justice coalition builder.
5
Fortify internal processes and build the capacity to do this work.
6
Harness the regional will to support the Black entrepreneur.
7
Develop a membership community and structure.
8
Become the entry point for Black businesses to build their social capital.
9
Cultivate community amongst Black business owners year-round.
10
Uplift traditional Black business practices and affirm the ingenuity of the Black entrepreneur.