This runs 20 minutes. Next up tracy owens director u. S. Public affairs. [applause] good afternoon. As you just heard my name is tracy owens i am the Public Affairs for the u. S. At sage. I am also very proud alumnus. [applause] absolutely. I am grateful for the opportunity it has provided me. I am even more grateful and proud of the opportunities it is continuing to provide for students. You will hear a little bit more about that later but before i discuss more about morehouse i like to tell you more about sage. For those of you who do not know sage is a 50 tech Company Founded just over 40 years ago about 10 billion pounds was 11000 colleagues globally. Sage is a Market Leader in accounting, financial, hr and Payroll Technology for small and mediumsize businesses is about nine and a of the u. S. Economy. We enable them to streamline operations make more informed decisions and be more productive bring Business Owners and their workforces from repetitive Administration Tasks and enable them to deliver it more more stc and higher value tasks ultimately increasing the productivity. While we are globally headquartered in that uk, and the u. S. We are headquartered in atlanta. A rapidly growing Entrepreneurial Community and we have a number of investments there including a new building that quadruples our Square Footage space in atlanta. And also a lot of investments and skills programs to support entrepreneurs. Our Company Purpose is to knock down barriers so that everyone can thrive. Sage is committed to working together with the right part is to build a trusted and close a digital economy. Our ai vision is a world where Business Leaders have realtime trusted information about their Business Financial performance to guide their strategy. The scale and of the economy sustainably we need a diverse highperforming human culture. With the Rapid Advances in ai which will have a profound and ultimately positive effect on the work there has never been a more important time for Companies Like sage to embrace Community Partnerships to ensure progress is inclusive and that it can be scaled. Too often tech is rolled out with a onesizefitsall mentality even though it can have lasting consequences on those not considered during its development. Not having diverse backgrounds at the table risks missing on some of the keenest insight available to make Technology Work at its best. That is one reason why sage embrace the opportunity to partner that includes my sisters from college as well to procreate the Software Engineering and conversational ai Program Providing students of color with more opportunities to use in studying emerging technologies. And provide mentoring and internship programs to make sure we capitalize in the town opportunities. I am glad the doctor and some students are here today. They would not mind if they could stand for second i would love for them to be recognized. [applause] thank you. Thank you. We are also joined by a couple of my colleagues from sage who have been instrumental in making sure these programs get off the ground and are big supporters of our efforts. If you would not mind standing . [applause] thank you. The wider opportunity to participate in broadening impact on diversifying the Tech Industry can be amplified. Sage sees this is not only doing whats right and just also is what we should be doing to build Strong Communities and removing barriers to success. The workforce in general and tech specifically bring some ofe greatest brainpower available to create the best services as possible. Diversifying tech is not enough. We also believe making sure Small Businesses have an opportunity to thrive it. Particularly those who have had historical and systemic barriers placed in front of them. Sage and only once to increase traversing the chexsystems of service customers, went to make sure we are providing services to those who need it most of the marketplace our efforts are concentrated on elevating human work by solving a customers needs by eliminating the repetitive and focusing on Building Trust bread Building Trust requires me of the most diverse thinking available and at the table. Ai is set to contribute significantly to modernizing re envisioned accounting roles. Making them more appealing to a new generation, talent from all walks of life. Ai can handle routine tasks like Transaction Processing and arrow spotting improving Work Life Balance by handling entire sets of tasks that thomas will he. Ai also supports Work Life Balance and remote work. Fitting right into the demand for a new workforce that is emerging. Diversity intact does not just mean for the technical roles its diversity across the entire company. It all works together to build the best products and services for customers. To be cleared technology does not bond to one company its far bigger than that. As we know talent will likely not just work for us that likely for a lot of people and a lot of companies in this room right now. It is incumbent all of us participate in building the next great workforce it helps lift all communities i make sure the work we do is the best it can possibly be. In closing i would state sage is working hard how tech provides for a more inclusive environment that helps to build the next great workforce. Partnerships like morehouse are just a part of it. But a very important part. More is needed we are certainly committed to doing more toward that effort. Collectively we can make a huge difference. And we look forward to working with many of you in this room on the journey. We hope that we can make a real big difference in how the tech workforce and beyond looks into the future. So thank you very much. [applause] place of welcome back with mayor steven benjamin. Advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of public engagement. [applause] clicks thank you so much for being here with us. Thank you for making the turbo from 1600 pennsylvania two joints at such a great honor to have your projects thank you, thank you so much i do not live at 1600 pennsylvania i just worked there. Thank you for taking a trip over for work. On the work you are doing on behalf of the Biden Administration is a focus on engaging communities like ours the Tech Industry and other constituents to help drive the priorities of the administration. And we appreciate first and foremost how much you have given us the opportunity to participate in that process and help succeed in the important efforts are driving forward. One that is top of mine for all of us in the Tech Industry and the chips and science act and the implementation taking place there. I wanted to ask for your perspective on that and audits of the bipartisan infrastructure laws a big part of that. Lets start with chips, the action happening there and what is your assessment of what we can do to support the work youre doing . First of all thank you. The two most powerful words in the english language are thank you but my wife says yes, maam. I say thank you. [laughter] thank you for having me and thank you for the partnership. Those who have not had the opportunity to work with us in the past. Those of a senior in the Civil Society who work every single days subject Matter Experts are proximate to the world challenges facing the country. We Work Together to try to make sure wouldnt rising up the presence debuted two years and whatnot for one reason. We get critical feedback helps us do our job better. The agenda in its entirety has been successful. On job creation. Returning critical supply chains around chips. Thats an amazing opportunity i am a former mayor is my title suggests. Eight comes up here every other month for infrastructure week. Built hundred 36 miles of road. The bridge project on for 2 million jobs across this country weve seen unemployment under stork loads for under 4 for two years running. We see a really smart placed based economic development. Again comes to chips in particular bringing back critical supply helping create high wage jobs including highways jobs its allowing us a degree of security. Access to the middle class unlike any other time it may be these numbers was 1. 2 trillion infrastructure even the American Rescue plan. These numbers represented a leverage. It is a significant investment that actually is being complemented much more aggressively by the private sector in partnership with the Public Sector. In private sector announcements complementing the Public Sector investments. And if we do this right it will pay benefits for posterity. By helping to improve the economy in the health of our families. One other area of this Digital Infrastructure investment the administration has been very focused on a new have been very focused on its address in the Digital Divide. Access to broadbent which is an important goal given how indispensable broadbent is an all access to life from education, to medical care, to future opportunities. Congress sent a bipartisan basis to be supported a lot of programs that help invest in closing the Digital Divide. It will close tomorrow because congress has not started it up back up again. Its one of those programs. Can you talk a little bit about the president s interest in continuing this work . Your view of how the Digital Divide needs to be viewed what congress should be doing to help foster more and broader access to broadbent for all americans . And what sheriff Alan Davidson has got all caps her. He is not. Its probably the first at responder authority incredible work he has done to help build out 21st century infrastructure. Action access to the injured edge. In every field of life is necessary right now. I think its moving somewhere and 90 billion or what have you. Its really Wonderful Partnership with internet providers that manifest itself in the acp program. It cannot be overstated how important this is. Not taking new applicants as of this week. The program will expire this spring. You think about this scale and how it got to this point. We are talking 23 Million People all across this country. Give access to Free Internet or significantly reduces their internet. We have heard story after story of a real families, real challenges the real issues that not for this program would not have access to the internet. As long as staff is been around only 29 my people instead of arty 23 Million People acp and the Wonderful Partnership we have responsibilities to be a politician and i work for the government. I cant tell you to do something an advocate but for those of you who have a voice its really important the same bipartisan leadership that you will do on acp that steps up and make sure we will continue to provide these opportunities for families all across this country. The good thing about it when you reach that kind of scale all across the country it is worth advocating for and fighting for hopefully and prayerfully Congress Steps up and allows us to continue the program and maybe even continue to expand to progress the president s been out on the road a lot in recent weeks and months talking at the importance of the superstructure investment. Its obviously bringing a lot of great Construction Projects to a number of places around the country. Its important for the National Security for that success. The importance of this investment when the upgrades to systems. The Technology Investment the iti members are doing. Can we help the rest of the country understand how important these investments are . How much theyre helping with Economic Growth and Development Creating job opportunities. Whats the story we should be out there talking about . In the former of the african mayors association. And the mutual admiration society. I would tell you mayors get it they see the significant investment. But it does help to have partnerships with each and every one of you who are true leaders in this field to make sure everyone understands these are not onetime investments. If you build a thoughtful partnership that allows you to strategically invest for posterity. Pandemic are economic or social disruptions. I would build for the future. Longer term twotiered from the public, private and Philanthropic Center they cannot be overstated. Realizing all cities have something in common. The investments have taken unique characteristics i will tell you if you dont arty have a relationship with the mayor and the city you at work or have significant number of people i would encourage you to reach out to her, reach out to him they are ways you can inform each other to make sure these investments not only affect me and you but our childrens children and children after that pickwick saucing on to ask you about the Stem Education and workforce opportunities. Weird tracy from sage talk about we have a great group from morehouse who are visiting with us. Tracy did not mention this. Its responsible for producing more black mail graduates with masters and phds than any other profession the country i did not just make that up. [applause] though the Technology Industry is focus with help of people like the doctor and the people at morehouse creating stem opportunities for historically underrepresented communities. The buy demonstration is very focused on this as well of the Infrastructure Investment we are talking about companies the more skilled workers whats the focus there . I was hustling in the back like my teenage daughters do i hurt morehouse and spelman that i hear someone as well . I have a freshman at spelman. My heart and my money. [laughter] i have to shut up the spelman as well. The investment and the Talent Pipeline the domestic Talent Pipeline cannot be overstated. It is important to reach deep and wide and building the pipeline for many years to come. I would encourage you if youre already investing in your companys make sure you dramatically widen and deepen the talent pool of the amazing and young people and id say youre missing out. You invests in the build up your jute well it is critical and every just not mail benefit. Allows us to the president said to build congress from the bottom of a metal output if we do that working people do so much better than the middle class they continue to grow and certainly those who do well will prosper as well. So is thats our time up . Thank you for all you do. Looking forward to continuing to work with you on behalf of the president and Vice President and get the job done god bless you all. [applause]