Economic Empowerment

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation publishes content on economic empowerment and related issues. Find and access current and archived items in our database. 

CBBB grantee

The U.S. Chamber Foundation conducted a series of interviews featuring Coalition to Back Black Businesses (CBBB) grantees and their stories. We heard from Black small business owners on how the CBBB grant helped them, the impact of the pandemic on small businesses, and what Black business owners need during this challenging time.

11th Annual International Women’s Day Forum: Business Powering a New Tomorrow

Our 11th annual International Women’s Day Forum will highlight how the private sector, working with cross-sector partners, can narrow gender gaps in every aspect of society, redefine leadership, reconstruct workplaces, and drive equality of opportunity for women and girls as we navigate our recovery from the pandemic and beyond.

Business Solves Event Graphic- Steven Preston (speaker)

With the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Citizenship Conference, Business Solves, right around the corner, we sat down with one of our speakers, Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, to learn more about his organization’s efforts, how Goodwill® is supporting the needs of U.S. communities during the pandemic, and what advice he has for others.

chilcare equation
Childcare is important for children, and it is essential for working parents. Parents rely on childcare to help them enter, re-enter, or remain in the workforce. But access to affordable, quality childcare is hard to come by, and now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, families are experiencing additional challenges in finding childcare that meets their needs. It is no secret that parents dedicate significant energy and resources balancing their roles at home, in the community, and in the workplace. Parents must consider various factors in determining the level and type of childcare solutions that best meet their needs. These factors make up what we’re referring to as the ‘Childcare Equation.’
Alexandra Levine Graphic

Alexandra S. Levine is a reporter covering the intersection of technology, government and public policy — as well as the broader crosscurrents between Silicon Valley and Washington D.C. She currently reports on these topics for POLITICO, where she also writes POLITICO’s popular daily newsletter, Morning Tech. This year, she is focused in particular on how tech is shaping the 2020 U.S. presidential election. I sat down with ask her about her role as a journalist covering the tech world and to learn how she has seen topics surrounding women evolve within the areas she covers. — Alexa Miller, Director, Digital Empowers National Campaign

Anita Selvakumari

Anita Selvakumari is an experienced professional in the information technology and services industry. She has been working at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, for almost 20 years. She currently serves as a client partner and began her career at TCS in 2000 as a program manager. In her free time she enjoys volunteering and running. She is a 2-time Ultra Marathoner and 7-time Marathoner. I sat down with her to learn more about her work at TCS and her experience as a woman in the technology field. — Alexa Miller, Director, Digital Empowers National Campaign

Nalini Polavarapu

Nalini Polavarapu has always been interested in taking an interdisciplinary approach to solving challenges on a global scale. She currently works as the Head of Data Sciences – Customer Centricity at Bayer. With a strong foundational background in STEM coursework, she developed a lifelong passion for AI and agriculture, that she has been able to combine when she began her work as Bayer’s first data scientist over 10 years ago. Since then, the team has vastly expanded and the overall data science community within Bayer Crop Science alone employs 700 + people. We sat down with her learn more about her experience as a woman in the tech industry and advice she would give to women looking to follow a similar path. — Alexa Miller, Director, Digital Empowers National Campaign

Brenna Graphic

Brenna Berman is working to make cities happier, healthier and more productive. She currently serves as the CEO & Executive Director of City Tech Collaborative in Chicago, Illinois, an urban solutions accelerator looking to improve cities and turn them into places where technology helps drive innovation, inclusion, and collaboration for all. Before joining City Tech, she worked in the administration of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, where she served as the Chief Information Officer for the City and Commissioner for the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) from 2012 to 2017. Brenna began her career at IBM where she worked to promote government innovation. We sat down with her to learn more about what has influenced her career, her work at City Tech and other projects she enjoys.

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