Economic Inclusion Starts In:
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The Nation’s Premiere Entrepreneurship Hub for underserved entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises and small business owners.
The Resident Owned Business Incubator (ROBI), exists to strengthen communities and help create local jobs by investing in underserved and under-resourced small business owners and entrepreneurs through capital, capacity-building education and networks of support. The goals of the ROBI program are to develop and adequately match qualified businesses with the contractors and or subcontractors that must meet federal Section 3 and First Source numerical quotas.
ROBI Program provides DC’s first-generation, under-resourced entrepreneurs, a full year of support which includes 15-weeks of intense classroom training, business planning and coaching, as well as marketing tools, networking opportunities, seed investment, and affordable shared office space at BAU Works. BAU Works is located on the BAU Washington DC campus (1510 H Street, NW) right next door to the White House.
The ROBICONNECT platforms unifies these efforts and allows ROBI to showcase their new graduates and the businesses they have birthed. Under-resourced entrepreneurs interested in the ROBI entrepreneurial training program should visit www.canilive.org/robi for details.
It is a means by which HUD fosters local economic development, neighborhood economic improvement, and individual self-sufficiency. Section 3 is the legal basis for providing jobs for residents and awarding contracts to businesses in areas receiving certain types of HUD financial assistance. Under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968, wherever HUD financial assistance is expended for housing or community development, to the greatest extent feasible, economic opportunities will be given to Section 3 residents and businesses in that area.
Congress established the Section 3 policy to guarantee that the employment and other economic opportunities created by Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs should, if possible, be directed toward low- and very-low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing.
Unfortunately, more than $18.9 billion dollars (40% of HUD’s annual budget) which supports economic opportunities for low-income residents goes unaccounted for yearly. For this purpose, this platform was created. To establish a network of support that will increase contracting, capital and capacity for Section 3 and Resident Owned Businesses.
(Interactive Footprint$ Coming 2022)
Approximately 40 percent of HUD’s current overall budget or the $18.9 billion that is covered by Section 3 is estimated to bring more than $16 million dollars in weekly wages for Section 3 (low-income) residents (According to the proposed rule Regulatory Impact Analysis-Docket No. FR-4893-P-01). Therefore, increased compliance and greatest extent feasible efforts must be improved.
Our Section 3 interactive footprint will help identify specifically how much funding is triggered by Section 3 and the projects that are required to provide training, employment and contracting opportunities to low-income residents. The purpose of the economic footprint is to being transparency and accountability to the billion of dollars in Section 3 federally regulated projects.
We believe that all Americans are created equal and possess inalienable rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and justice under the law. Yet the entitlements provided to people living at or below poverty are structured to keep them poor while entitlements offered to wealthier Americans and corporations assist in wealth creation and enhanced prosperity.
10:00am – 10:20am
Racquel Williams- Jones
President Can I Live, Inc
10:20am – 10:30amLakendra McNair
Vice President M & T Bank
Sinem Vatanartiran
President (Bay Atlantic University)
10:30am – 10:50am
President Livingston Works
10:50am – 11:00am 11:00am – 11:45am
Economic Development
What is Section 3
Contracting
11:45am - 12:00pm 12:00pm - 1:00pm 1:00pm – 1:45pm 1:45pm – 1:55pm 1:55pm – 2:00pmTowanda R. Livingston is a successful and award-winning Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Executive with almost 30 years of strategic and tactical experience. She is an innovative thought equity, inclusion and supplier diversity leader of this era. Since beginning her professional career, Towanda has delivered transformational solutions for corporate and government agencies within the inclusion and supplier diversity space.
Towanda has received numerous awards and industry accolades for developing, implementing and institutionalizing various diversity initiatives and programs for her work in communications, human capital management, and supplier/business and community outreach. She possesses over 25 years of experience and has become a sought-out expert on advocacy and policy development, diversity and inclusion, economic development, business development and organizational strategic planning and management.
One of Towanda’s colleagues stated, "the breadth and depth of her experience, in particular, with advocacy, strategic planning and implementation of sustainable economic development, business development, diversity, inclusion and equity programs has been extremely valuable to our organization and those stakeholders fortune enough to procure her services."
Towanda is a highly skilled and accredited international “Activational” life and business coach/consultant, motivational and business public speaker, published author, rainmaker and trusted business mentor. Her passion for what she does is grounded in our unshakeable faith in God.
“Either by inspiration or desperation you will be PUSHED into your PURPOSE.” ~ Towanda R. Livingston
Towanda has journeyed through progressive years climbing the proverbial "corporate ladder" that remains a persistent challenge for women of color. Towanda leveraged this challenge when she realized there is more power and influence in constructing your own ladder through her mindset and actions that have served to help women (and men) of color ascend the ranks in corporate, government and entrepreneurship. Towanda has been affectionately called the “pied-piper” of small, minority and women businesses due to her staunch advocacy of efforts to ensure inclusion of these businesses in contracting opportunities with government, private and public organizations. Towanda has been referred to as “one of the luminaries who has blazed the path of righteousness to increase economic inclusion during her professional career which includes both government and corporate” by the Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA), a premier and influential business association based in Maryland.
Towanda has published an 18-episode podcast series, entitled, “Waging War on Wealth – Leveraging Supplier Diversity Programs” that is available on Anchor©, Apple©, Spotify© and other podcast platforms. This 18-part podcast series, equips, enables and empowers small and diverse businesses with information and resources to support them in doing business in the government, private and public sectors. Recently, Towanda has launched her second podcast, “Broken Brilliance,” that is focused on highlighting individuals that have achieved immense success in spite of great challenges. Broken Brilliance is available on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube. Towanda’s published work includes “How I Slayed Her” can be found in a book, entitled, “Fifty & Fabulous” an anthology authored by Dr. Sharon H. Porter. In this short story Towanda gives readers an intimate glimpse of her story and some pearls of wisdom. Towanda’s most recent published book entitled, “Grit, Grind and Grace-Activate It!” is now available. Grit, Grind and Grace is a journey’s journal for seekers of purpose, passion and immeasurable possibilities.
Towanda is the Chief Business Strategist at Livingston Worx, a company she founded in 2017. Livingston Worx delivers innovative and transformational Equity, Diversity and Inclusion solutions to the government, public and private sectors. Also, Livingston Worx delivers strategic, tactical and innovative solutions to small, diverse and women-owned businesses to help start, sustain and grow their businesses in various marketplaces. Livingston Worx supports small, diverse and women-owned businesses with gaining access to contracting opportunities in the government, public and private sectors.
From July 2018 to September 2019, Towanda was the Senior Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity for the City of Philadelphia. She served as the primary Leader in implementing and overseeing inclusion-related programs that are guided by the City of Philadelphia’s legislative mandates and requirements. Under Towanda’s leadership and stewardship, in Fiscal Year 2019, the City of Philadelphia achieved 35 percent in minority, women and disabled (M/W/DSBE) participation in contracting for the first-time in the history of the City’s M/W/DSBE Program.
Prior to working for the City of Philadelphia, Towanda served as the Director of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s (WSSC) Office of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion (OSDI), from November 2006 to November 2017. In 2017, Towanda hit the $1 Billion mark; meaning during her career at WSSC 2006 through 2017 she has been integral to over $1 Billion in contractual payments to Minority/Women Business Enterprise Firms and Small Local Businesses. Prior to WSSC, Towanda served in various progressive roles at PECO Energy/Exelon Corporation. She has won numerous awards and accolades over her career; and has volunteered numerous hours to communitybased organizations that are dedicated to women, children and entrepreneurial causes.
Contact Information:
Towanda R. Livingston, Chief Business Strategist/CEO
Livingston Worx, LLC
Email: Towanda@liivngstonworx.com
Website: livingstonworx.com
Telephone:302-525-8360 or Toll Free 833-402-0053
