As we celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, I’m thinking about the  ongoing fight for economic justice and the persistence it demands from each of us. I’m reminded of these powerful words from 1967:

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“We must rapidly begin the shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘person-oriented’ society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered… A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth.” - Martin Luther King Jr 

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Dr. King’s vision is as relevant today as it was then. And it inspires the work we are doing at the Global Black Economic Forum.

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In 2023, the Global Black Economic Forum will convene leaders across the diaspora to interrogate the importance of economic justice and discuss global challenges we are facing on a myriad of issues from the impact of climate change to the present-day effects of colonization.

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Economic justice means creating an opportunity economy where everyone has a fair shot at competing. It means prioritizing dignity for Black and marginalized workers and our contributions. And in 2023, GBEF intends to advance the fight for substantive progress toward economic justice worldwide.