Black Future Weekend comes to Miami to support Black businesses

AS MIAMI BECOMES INCREASINGLY KNOWN AS A TECH HUB AND A HOTSPOT FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY TRADERS, DEL RO WANTS ATTENDEES TO UNDERSTAND THEY CAN ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THOSE FIELDS.

The Black Future Weekend is happening in Miami for the first time this weekend.

With support from nonprofit Dream Corps Tech, the convention will consist of discussions and speeches about technology, economic development and culture — all dedicated to the progress and evolution of

Black and brown people in Miami.

Del Ro, a Miami native and Miami Killian Senior High graduate, is executive producer of the event. Learning about the history of Black Miami as a youth captivated him. After the inaugural Black Future Weekend was held in Atlanta in October 2021, Ro saw the value of hosting a similar gathering in Miami to educate and inspire residents.

As Miami becomes increasingly known as a tech hub and a hotspot for cryptocurrency traders, Ro wants convention attendees to understand they can also access opportunities in those fields. Ro saw the energy at Miami tech conventions and thought those events could be more inclusive.

“These possibilities are not just for what people commonly know as the ‘majority,’ ” he said.

“These possibilities are for you as a Black man, as a Black woman, or as a Latina or Latino. We expand by making ourselves uncomfortable. They don’t want to jump into crypto or learn about blockchain. For me, what I want us to take away is a great feel, a welcome energy.”

The weekend of programming features speakers, including philanthropist Bilal Little, and also takes attendees on a tour of Black Miami.

The convention sessions on Saturday will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center before activities shift to Overtown’s Red Rooster for a Sunday brunch event. Ro said it was important to showcase Overtown, a historically Black neighborhood in Miami.

“Think about how close it is to downtown but has been looked at or cast off,” he said. “Parts of Overtown are now Wynwood. Where we are, the culture lives and breathes.”

Tickets for Black Future Weekend are available at blackfutureweekend.com/ registration/ and one-day passes cost $100; two-day passes are $200.