The Greenwood Challenge is named for the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, referred to colloquially as Black Wall Street. In 1921, Greenwood was the site of one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history as a mob of white residents killed close to 300 Black people and destroyed property that left more than 8,000 people homeless and most Black businesses in ruins. Through this initiative, BECMA seeks to build and reclaim modern, thriving, unapologetically Black communities across Massachusetts.
​
We have an ambitious goal of raising $1 million by September 2020. Proceeds from the effort will support the development of BECMA’s agenda, which includes advocating for private and public sector policies to address systemic racism that impede Black economic development, supporting a fund to provide greater access to capital for Black-owned businesses, and offering technical assistance programs.
THE GREENWOOD CHALLENGE
BECMA is taking the lead in addressing the negative impacts of systemic racism on the economic well-being of the Black community in Massachusetts.
The Greenwood Challenge was kicked off with a substantial donation from Herby Duverne, a BECMA board member and CEO of the Windwalker Group. In early June 2020, he committed $100,000 to helping BECMA reach its $1 million goal by the end of 2020.
​
Thank you, Herby!
Prefer to send a check? Be sure to send it to:
BECMA, One Beacon Street, Suite 1500, Boston, MA 02108
​
Questions? Reach us at
Supporters of
THE GREENWOOD CHALLENGE
Founding Donor
Platinum Donors ($100,000+)
The Shlomo Fund
Silver Donors ($50,000+)
Bronze Donors ($25,000+)
Neighbors ($10,000+)
Friends ($1,000+)
ABCD
Boston Private
Brumme Family Foundation
Commonwealth Corporation
Glynn Lloyd / City Fresh Foods
HBS Entertainment and Media Club
The Hidden Garden Fund
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC)
John Croes
John Jenkins
Justin Kang
Lee Pelton Racial Justice Award
LISC Boston
Mass Development
Needham Bank
NESN
NixonPeabody LLP
The Sternfeld Family Charitable Fund
UHM Properties
We want to give a special thank you to the 100+ individual donors who contributed to the Greenwood Challenge this year!