There are plenty of networking events in the city, but there is only one local happy hour that seeks to welcome a very special guest to our city, while at the same time will help instill excitement for the
4th annual Grand Rapids Neighborhood Summit.
And while the Neighborhood Summit starts on Saturday at the downtown GVSU Pew Campus, Friday night is a kick off event at
LINC Up to welcome the annual neighborhood event's keynote speaker Dr. Rasheda Weaver, Assistant Professor of Community Entrepreneurship, University of Vermont.
From Dr. Weaver’s bio: She received a PhD in Public Affairs-Community Development and a Master of Science in Public Affairs at Rutgers University. She graduated valedictorian from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development with a Master of Arts in Applied Psychology and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Herbert H. Lehman College.
Also at LINC Up on Friday, organizers will be welcoming other activities including live music BG's (the Back Grounders) and PJ DA DJ Sound & Entertainment, powerful spoken word, a cash bar, community vendors and other amenities that you have come to enjoy in conjunction with LINC Up’s First Friday Urban Networking Parties over the years in the Madison Square neighborhood.
A special thanks goes out to the hosts as well as the Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Latina Network of West Michigan for presenting this welcoming event for Dr. Weaver.
For those hoping to attend Saturday’s summit, you will want to register in advance (pending availability) at this web address. The theme of this year’s event is “
Going Beyond A Seat At The Table” and will address the need for economic equity and opportunity in our city’s neighborhoods as well as how to leverage resident wisdom in decisions that impact them.
Grand Rapids residents, neighborhood associations, business owners and associations, and stakeholders are encouraged to attend this annual event that is always packed with some pretty amazing voices from our city.