The 2023 Event
Thursday, June 8th 2023
On June 8th, 2023 over 100 individuals gathered to hear the stories behind our region’s local social enterprises, meet the extraordinary leaders who started them and see how purpose drives these organizations. The Social Enterprise Impact Showcase celebrated the work of the 2022 Impact List and recognized the achievements of three outstanding social enterprises in our community. Attendees were moved by featured stories from Flava Cafe, Eureka Recycling, and Bim Bam Boo. A special thank you to Ryan Stopera for their videography, Jenny Zander for the photography, and Ashleyn Przedwiecki for her creative direction and event design. Additional thanks goes out to Emcee and Keynote Speaker, Jeff Aguy for sharing his vision of a new world driven by purpose and impact and to Isavela Lopez for her incredible poetry performances.
2022 Featured Social Enterprises
Flava Café General Benefit Corporation is a black-owned social enterprise community café invested in offering quality coffee, food, service and programming that eliminates disparities for young women of color and gender-expansive youth one latte at a time.
Flava Café provides a safe and affirming place for young women to learn new skills and meet new people while building up their resumé for future opportunities. Their community mentors help young womxn chart pathways to confidence and capability.
Eureka is a community-based, nonprofit social enterprise with a vision for a Zero Waste future. Operating like a zero-waste laboratory, Eureka uses data to support their policy and advocacy work aimed at changing the larger system to better address climate change and support healthy equitable communities. Uncommon to the industry, Eureka is prioritizing good green jobs that offer living wages with benefits, as well as choosing responsible “end markets” for materials. Over 90% of these materials are sold to markets in the Midwest and 100% stay within North America, strengthening local economies.
BIM BAM BOO
Bim Bam Boo is a tree-free paper company on a mission to wipe away deforestation. Through the creation of bamboo-based products, Bim Bam Boo is providing sustainable alternatives to bathroom essentials that are chemical-free and healthier for people. As a company, they take their social responsibility seriously through multiple third-party certifications to ensure the utmost responsibility to our environment as well as ensuring fair wages and ethical labor practices are enforced throughout the supply chain.
The Program
Jeff Aguy || Emcee & Speaker
Jeff Aguy is a charismatic speaker and national leader in innovation. He owns and operates 2043 Corp., an economic development firm at the intersection of innovation, infrastructure and workforce. He is also a Founding Partner at NCXT, an inclusive management consulting firm specializing in research, strategy, and organizational change with large library systems across the U.S. and its territories.
Isavela Lopez || Spoken Word Performer
Isavela Lopez comes from the Zapotec Nation located in Oaxaca, MX with additional roots in Tampico, MX. She is a spoken word artist, writer, danzante, and aspiring filmmaker. Lopez has collaborated locally with Indigenous Roots Cultural Art Center, International Indigenous Youth Council - Twin Cities Chapter and is active in the movement for climate action and justice. Her hope is to empower Indigenous youth across the globe and for them not to forget their traditions, teachings, and ceremonies.
Ryan Stopera || Videography and Storytelling Partner
