Good Soil Forum 2024 Cooks Up Kitchen Table Talk Just in Time For Juneteenth 

Before modern society drove us to 18-hour days, 17 extra-curricular activities, all to be completed between working a 9-to-5 and a 6-to-midnight (because apparently you aren’t really working if you don’t have four side-hustles), dinner time at the kitchen table was the central meeting point in the American home. This table, at one point, served not only as a permanent home to grandma’s 67-year-old KitchenAid mixer, but also as prime real estate for family meals, late-night homework sessions, and maybe even the occasional Spades and Uno battle. 

Today, nightly family dinners are on the decline, and, well, there may not even be a kitchen table in the average family home. In fact, studies show that while up to 84% of parents say family meals are important, only around 50% report actually having them together most nights. 

Still, before America’s changing lifestyles drove a shift in household composition and an intense level of individualism, family meals around the kitchen table provided a dedicated time to connect and share stories, news, and experiences, strengthening family bonds and creating lasting memories. But, more than the open communication that took place around the table, it served as a springboard for discussing important topics, from navigating societal challenges to financial planning. 

As such, the kitchen table has historically been a surprisingly powerful tool for building wealth. “Kitchen table talk”, for generations, served as a surefire way to indirectly and directly introduce financial concepts to younger family members, teaching, by proximity and flat-out inclusion, the learned languages of business, finance, and wealth building.

For Black families, this phenomenon tracks, even though the tradition of the Black kitchen table conversation stretches back generations. During a time when opportunities for formal education were limited, the kitchen table became a platform for Black families to share knowledge, history, and cultural traditions passed down through oral storytelling. Elders imparted wisdom to younger generations, ensuring the continuity of heritage and equipping them to navigate a world often stacked against them.

While the tradition of families gathering over a meal remains strong for larger holidays, busy schedules can make daily dinners difficult. Black families, like others, have adapted to busier lives, meaning even less time around the table, less opportunity to share and pass down knowledge, and even fewer opportunities to discuss business ideas, financial wellbeing, and wealth-building. 

Like any other group, Black communities share a desire for financial security and wealth-building. But, for generations, systemic barriers have made financial literacy more challenging for Black Americans. First, traditional financial education might not resonate with Black cultural experiences, while historical and ongoing struggles with discrimination and economic hardship can make day-to-day survival a priority, leaving less time and energy for long-term financial planning. Between the racial wealth gap, meaning Black families often have fewer resources to pass on financial knowledge or invest in financial education, and limited access to quality financial education in schools or financial institutions, kitchen table talk, for many Black Americans, has been light in the way of financial conversations.

But, enter the second annual Good Soil Forum. Held June 13th-15th in Dallas, TX, the year’s Good Soil conference proved to be set on fertile ground for Black entrepreneurs seeking to cultivate business growth and sustainability. The dynamic three-day event brought together visionaries and changemakers, fostering a collaborative atmosphere ripe with opportunity, perfect for an audience seeking their share of the kitchen table talk missed due to changing household dynamics and the sheer lack of opportunity. 

The forum kicked off with a welcoming reception, setting the stage for connection. Attendees, a mix of established and aspiring entrepreneurs, networked and shared experiences. This spirit of collaboration continued throughout the event,with engaging breakout sessions on diverse topics like Wellness for Entrepreneurs, addressing the unique challenges faced by business owners, and AI for the Harvest, where participants explored the potential of artificial intelligence to streamline operations, gain valuable insights, and enhance customer experiences. The Forum also honed in on important topics for entrepreneurs with workshops including Branding in a Crowded Marketplace, Securing Capital and Bridging the Generational Gap. 

Aside from the breakout sessions, Good Soil 2024 featured inspiring speakers and hosts, including Potter’s House Pastor T.D. Jakes, Emmy Award Winning Actress NYT Bestselling Author & Entrepreneur Tabitha Brown, Founder & CEO of MACRO Charles King, and probably the most anticipated speaker, Arian Simone, Co-founder & CEO of the Fearless Fund. 

Sitting center stage with 4x Emmy Award-Winning Journalist and Founder of Loud Women Lead, Tashara Parker, Arian Simone noted that “Black women’s biggest barrier is access to capital. Take out race, gender, and there is still proximity…so what we need to do next is diversity the investor pool.” 

The current center of the battle of Affirmative Action universe, The Fearless Fund, launched in 2020, aimed to address the persistent funding gap faced by Black women-owned businesses. By focusing solely on Black female applicants, the program sought to level the playing field in a historically unequal landscape. However, a lawsuit set forth by Edward Blum, the same political activist whose lawsuits against Harvard University and University of North Carolina led to the Supreme Court overturning Affirmative Action, challenged the Fearless Fund’s practices, arguing that it discriminated against non-Black entrepreneurs. The court, siding with the lawsuit, ruled that the Fearless Fund’s racial exclusivity violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

The aftermath of the Fearless Fund case highlights the complexities of affirmative action. Still, Arian noted that her goal had always been to “create a more level playing field for people who’d always been left off the field.” The forum provided the perfect opportunity to showcase Simone’s commitment to passing on knowledge and extending opportunity.  With 15-minutes to spare, Tarasha Parker opened up for audience questions, leading to big money conversations between Black entrepreneurs – the kind of “kitchen table talk” that often eludes Black households. 

Simone offered practical, implementable advice to several business owners, including the 19-year-old founder of Me and the Bees, Mikaila Ulmer, Executive Publisher the HBCU Magazine, Nikki Zeigler, and a handful of other Black-owned businesses, including a postpartum resort and haircare line already doing $14 million in annual business. These kinds of conversations meant exposure to the kinds of discussions that are not always available to Black businesses and households.

The event’s seed capital pitch competition, sponsored by Wells Fargo, was also a flagship event. More than just about the money (although that was certainly a motivator – with a cool half-million dollars in grants up for grabs!), this Shark Tank-style competition provided a platform for aspiring minority entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative business ideas to a panel of expert judges. The competition not only awarded funding to the top ventures (with $200,000 going to the winner, Strands of Faith), but also offered mentorship opportunities for finalists, further solidifying the Good Soil Forum’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of business leaders.

Then again, Good Soil Forum wasn’t all business; the Harvest Moon Reception offered a chance to unwind, celebrate successes, and build lasting relationships. Attendees left the event equipped with new strategies, connections, and a renewed sense of purpose – things that others have always had the privilege of learning around the family dinner table.  With the momentum from this year’s forum, the future looks bright for Dallas’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, as a member of T.D. Jakes’ team confirmed, “we want to continue to do this every year around Juneteenth, and let this serve as a continued push for independence and financial freedom.” 

The Good Soil Forum is already gearing up for its 2025 iteration. Attendees can visit the forum’s website https://www.goodsoilforum.com/event to register for updates and secure their spot for next year’s event. With its commitment to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial community, the Good Soil Forum is sure to continue cultivating success stories in Dallas for years to come.

Related