About
About Global Black Economic Forum
The Global Black Economic Forum is an international enterprise focused on advancing the economic interests of the Black Diaspora and other marginalized groups through global summits, workplace training and leadership development, policy advocacy and litigation, and thought leadership.
Learn more about our work at gbef.com.
About League of United Latin American Citizens
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 535 local LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups.
Learn more about at lulac.org.
Authors
Alphonso David
Alphonso David, one of the foremost civil rights attorneys and a life-long advocate for social and economic justice, serves as the President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum. Mr. David brings more than two decades of experience in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, where he has worked to advance the rights of marginalized communities through policy, legislation, litigation, and advocacy.
As President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum, Mr. David engages with world leaders, business executives, policymakers, entrepreneurs, activists, and consumers globally on thought leadership; corporate and entrepreneurial career development; and advancing economic and social justice for marginalized communities across the globe. The Global Black Economic Forum’s innovative, multi-faceted organizational structure includes a strategic consulting practice that partners with major corporations and business leaders on leadership development, skill building, and organizational assessments; summits and conferences that bring together key leaders from all sectors; a foundation dedicated to social and economic justice policy; and an emerging technology platform focused on redefining equity and equality. In the face of recent legal and political attacks on Black communities, the Global Black Economic Forum launched the Council for Economic Opportunity & Social Justice, which convenes major social justice and civil rights organizations in the nation
Juan Proaño
Juan Proaño is an entrepreneur, technologist, and business leader who is active in civic affairs, social impact, and politics He has served as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since November 2023. As LULAC’s CEO, Juan oversees the day-to-day operations at LULAC, identifies strategic growth areas, and works to amplify the organization’s advocacy initiatives and action-oriented programs.
Juan is the co-founder of Plus Three, a Technology company serving nonprofit, advocacy, membership, and political organizations. Founded in 2002, Plus Three has raised more than $500 million online and delivered over one billion emails for its nonprofit clients. In his two decades of entrepreneurship, Juan has founded and managed three companies in the technology sector and generated more than $400 million in revenue for his businesses, which have operated throughout the U.S. and Latin America. In 2015, Juan was invited to be part of the first class of Latino-owned business leaders to participate in the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), a program designed to help Latino-owned businesses scale to $1 billion in revenue. Juan also started a program at Plus Three to develop the capacity of Latino nonprofits across the country by providing $250,000 of in-kind services.