Welcome to the inaugural 2022 Inspire Awards.
Brought to us by Truist Bank.
Led by their philanthropic arm, the Truist Foundation.
I’m your host, Lisa Ling and I am so thrilled to be here tonight.
In beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina.
We wanted this program to be more than just a check or flash in the pan.
So we’re looking to invest in change leaders with a vision, experience and knowledge to tear down barriers, facing black, indigenous people of color, and women owned small businesses.
The finalists you’ll meet tonight represent some of the most exciting organizations, and ideas in this realm.
And we can’t wait to introduce them to you.
We’re taking away a lot over the past five months of working with this cohort, bouncing ideas off of each other and learning together as we’re testing models in our different cities.
It’s really been amazing from that aspect.
And not always something that you see of organizations working together like this.
I think this wrap around services for the past five months have been a really invigorating experience for us, to find out that we are not alone in this process.
That there are other organizations like us, doing similar kinds of work.
These judges have joined us from all corners of the business, academic, and non-profit sectors, and we’re grateful for their dedication of their time and talents.
Whether you’re with us in the studio. Some of you judges are out there.
Or joining the broadcast virtually, we thank you for all of your efforts and insight as you work with us to identify the final seven and select the winners.
I was given this one. That says winner.
Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative
It is not just about business solutions, it really is about looking down the street.
Seeing the business owners, seeing the children that they raise.
Understanding how one moment, of being able to have an investment, changes that family, a generation and a community forever.
And now we have our audience choice award winner and it is…
Synergies Work
And our second place winner is…
Synergies Work
You all can’t see this, but Aarti’s getting a standing ovation in the audience.
Thank you so much. This means the world to me.
Not because we’ve won, Synergies Work has won, because it’s time I think, the disabilities community gets a place on the table.
Thank you.
All seven of these dedicated organizations have demonstrated their remarkable commitment to elevating our communities and we know that each one of those solutions that you heard tonight, have the power to change lives.
We’re grateful for the time and effort, you’ve put in to share these ideas.
I can’t wait to see the continued impact you’re gonna have on the world.