Hack.Diversity Gala
Radical change takes a village. Join the movement.
GALA RECAP
We raised over $500,000 at our inaugural gala on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at historic Fenway Park! The gala was attended by over 150 changemakers in the tech industry and featured cocktails, dinner, and an impactful program hosted by co-founders Jody Rose and Jeff Bussgang.
— Les Brun was named ChangeMaker Honoree
— Amazon Web Services, Tamr, and Wayfair won Rapid7 Systems Change Awards
— Rosviny Felix, 2019 Hack.Alumna, inspired guests with her story of why she decided to apply to be a Hack.Fellow
Thank you to everyone who made the inaugural gala a home run! We're grateful for your continued support and commitment to furthering our mission. Read the full recap here.
HONOREE
Les Brun is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ariel Alternatives, LLC, which invests in mid-market, scalable businesses that are or will become Black and Latinx owned. He is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sarr Group, LLC, a diversified holding company for his investments, as well as Senior Advisor to G100 and World 50, a private platform of peer-to-peer communities for senior-most executives and directors from some of the world's largest companies.
Les has over 42 years of investment banking, commercial banking, and financial advisory experience. He was recognized by the NACD as one of America’s top 100 Corporate Directors in 2015 and inducted into the 2019 Business Hall of Fame for Philadelphia Inquirer’s Industry Icons. He is also a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Les holds a B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus.
Ariel Alternatives, LLC is a private asset management firm affiliated with Ariel Investments, LLC. Ariel Alternatives’ first mission, Project Black, will scale minority-owned businesses to serve as suppliers-of-choice to Fortune 500 companies, driving economic equality from the entry level to the boardroom. They aim to close the wealth gap by generating jobs and economic growth within underrepresented communities, with a focus on Black and Latinx communities.
SPONSORS
TRAILBLAZER
AMBASSADOR
CHAMPION
Amazon | Battery Ventures | Charlesbank | Cooley | Fidelity/Shoobx | Merck | Patriots Foundation | Underscore VC | Jason & Keely Krantz | Joe & Yolandra Alexander | John Hunt | Kent Bennett & Steve Kraus | Sarah Hodges | The Roses
FRIEND
Atlas Venture | Converge VC | Founder Collective | General Catalyst | Glasswing Ventures | Red Sox Foundation | Tamr | David Jegen | Peggy Koenig
