Louisville, Ky. – Entrepreneur and founder of the Derby Diversity Business Summit (DDBS) Tawana Bain announces the founding of The Global Economic Diversity Development Initiative (GEDDI), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit foundation created to further the diversity, equity, and inclusion work DDBS initiated in 2017 with a specific emphasis on addressing the systemic issues within the Black Community. DDBS will now become an annual program of GEDDI (pronounced JED-eye). GEDDI is a 100% Black founded and Black lead foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. GEDDI’s sole purpose over the next 5 years is supplying economic empowerment, supply chain development, and workforce development with a specific focus on creating equity and opportunity for the Black Community utilizing a proprietary system.

Nikki Lanier, senior vice president and regional executive of the Louisville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, will serve as GEDDI’s Executive Board Vice President. She shares, "This work requires a strategic and collaborative voice with black leadership and ownership. If we are going to change the system, it cannot be done at the current status quo."

"This organization has been in the making for the last two years," says founder Tawana Bain. "We will be the smartest corporate giving choice for racial equity and economic justice initiatives. Racial inequality and civil unrest events across the nation cause organizations and individuals to seek ways to get involved, or take action, to reduce its impact on our mental health, business interruption, relationships, and overall quality of life."

Bain continues, "Organizations are collectively committing billions of dollars to address systemic issues in the black community. We are now in a position to arm community leaders with investments into opportunities that have never been funded. Some of the smartest minds have worked to prop up this initiative to create Economic Empowerment for Black people, to fund black lead initiatives, and to make generational impact. If Kentucky leaders – regardless of their race, or political affiliation are truly morally convicted to see this happen… GEDDI should thrive."

Bain is beginning the state-by-state iniinvolved is tiative in Kentucky. More information about how to contribute and be available at geddi.org/campaignoverview.