What We Can Learn From Richmond’s BLCK Street Summit

In 2022, Richmond, Virginia, became home to something new: the BLCK Street Conference. It launched at a moment when entrepreneurs were just beginning to gather again after the pandemic, and more than 300 people showed up, eager for connection. But the idea behind it was much older, born from a recognition that while there were plenty of conferences for tech founders, Black entrepreneurs outside of tech—those running Main Street businesses—had no dedicated space of their own.

“We recognized there were really no conferences available for Black entrepreneurs who weren’t in the tech space,” says Rasheeda N. Creighton, Executive Director of the BLCK Street Summit. “There are some great offerings if you’re in the tech space, but for non-tech, or Mainstreet, businesses, the options are very limited. We wanted to solve that.” Even the name speaks to that vision: BLCK Street, a play on both Black Entrepreneurs and Main Street businesses—with the vowels dropped to avoid confusion with the ’90s R&B group.

From the beginning, BLCK Street has been shaped by Richmond’s long legacy of Black enterprise. Jackson Ward, once called the nation’s first “Black Wall Street,” was home to more than 100 Black-owned businesses in its heyday. Leaders like Maggie L. Walker, who in 1903 became the first Black woman in the U.S. to found and run a bank, left a foundation of resilience and innovation. BLCK Street honors that history even as it writes its own.

The conference has grown and evolved every year. What began with tracks and panel sessions has shifted toward a more intimate format, with hands-on workshops that give participants something tangible to take home. In 2025, the name itself evolved into the BLCK Street Summit, signaling a deeper focus on impact. “We really try to accommodate every type of conference attendee,” Creighton explains. “Some will attend every session, others will come to a few, and others just want to connect and keep conversations going. We want to remove the pressure from having to go from session to session when you need a break.” That thinking inspired the Dream Lounge, a space to decompress, recharge, and connect on your own terms.

For Creighton, the most powerful moments are often the quiet ones. “Every year I walk around the event and try hard to just observe quietly. I watch the interactions and conversations, listen to the session discussions and hear the questions. And it’s always joy, excitement, connection and aha moments,” she reflects. Attendees describe it as a “family reunion,” a place where new partnerships form and new ideas take root.

That impact extends beyond the walls of the Summit. Businesses apply what they’ve learned, collaborations continue long after the event, and Richmond itself is showcased as a city with a critical role in both American and Black history. Each year begins with a session called Rooted. “Rooted is always about grounding everyone in an element of history,” says Creighton. “One of the things I am always reminded of is that we must understand our history in order to move forward, even when some parts of it are hard to face. I take that with me every day.”

For Creighton, one of the personal surprises came from a session on AI at the second conference. “I’ve been hooked ever since,” she laughs. But the deeper lesson has always been about building intentionally—listening, adapting, and centering the community you serve. As she puts it: “Be intentional about who you bring to the table; you want passion and expertise, and people who represent the community you’re serving, because they can tell you best what’s truly needed.”

From its roots in Richmond’s historic Black Wall Street to its role today as a “family reunion” for Black entrepreneurs, BLCK Street is proof that when you fill the gaps that matter, you don’t just build an event—you build a movement.

Shared Lessons We Believe In

BLCK Street’s story affirms values we hold close at the Startup Mountain Summit:

1. See the gap and step up. Communities thrive when someone takes the first step to build what’s missing. 
2. Design for everyone. Whether you want nonstop sessions, meaningful connections, or space to reflect, you belong. 
3. Ground in history, grow toward the future. Remembering where we come from helps us build better paths forward. 
4. Evolve with your community. Each year is an opportunity to listen, adapt, and make the experience richer. 

The BLCK Street Summit in Richmond shows what’s possible when a community comes together to fill a gap. Here in Johnson City, the Startup Mountain Summit is proud to live out those same values, rooted in our region, yet connected to a bigger movement of entrepreneurs shaping the future together.