Arlan Hamilton is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT. She is also co-founder of Backstage Studio, which launched a four-city accelerator program in 2018. Arlan has been featured on the cover of Fast Company magazine as the first Black woman non-celebrity to do so, and is the author of “It’s About Damn Time” and host of the weekly podcast “Your First Million”. Arlan and her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims, announced their scholarship program which kicked-off with scholarships for Black students at Oxford University and HBCU Dillard University.

Arlan Hamilton, Executive Founder

itsaboutdamntime.com

Princess Fortier is a singer, actress, model and Co-Founder of a tech start-up called MUSE Collective. MUSE is a finance-based platform with almost 400 abundance-minded and wealth-building subscribers. Princess is also Founder CEO of Diva Discoveries, a Beauty and Personal Development company that provides the technical expertise necessary for artistic and cultural works and productions. Princess Fortier teaches young women the ins and outs of what it takes to make it in the entertainment industry as a model and/or singer. Diva Discoveries is coming out with an online clothing boutique soon! For more information please visit:

Princess Fortier, Investor 
princessfortier.com

Deidra Viney is the owner of Express Employment Professionals of Jersey City, NJ. For over 20 years she has become one of the leading and most respected small business owners in the State of New Jersey and nationally within the Express Employment Professionals franchise. Having established her reputation as an expert in the fields of the professional employment sector, she has become one of the most sought-after experts, lending her straightforward knowledge and expertise to individuals and businesses alike. In her business, Deidra and her team are involved in placing over several hundred employees in Newark, NJ, New York City and throughout the Hudson County area. She also interacts with hundreds of businesses to learn about their business as well as the skills they require for their new employees. And together she aligns herself to help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many client companies as possible find good people.

Deidra Viney, Founder 
expresspros.com

L-Mani S. Viney is national thought leader in education, mentoring and youth advocacy. He has been an educator, on the secondary school level, for over 23 years and currently serves as Dean of Students for Piscataway High School in New Jersey. He is also the Director of the Jersey City Kappa League program. In addition, he is the past executive director of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation and also served as the fraternity’s National Guide Right Chairman, transforming its core program, Kappa League, into the largest youth leadership program for African American boys and boys of color in America. He has spoken and advised numerous organizations such as MENTOR, the Congressional Black Caucus, National Association of College Admissions Association, the NEA, College Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, National Council of Black Studies and the Obama Foundation (MBK). He is a graduate of Boston College, Class of 1996, and currently holds a master’s in educational leadership from Montclair State University.

Lmani Viney, Founder 
thekappafoundation.org