3rd Annual Community Economic Development Summit

**The Audacity to Build**

Wealth. Identity. Power.

In collaboration with The Black Wall Street Festival & Powered by The Elements of Abundance

Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025

Time: 5:00PM or 9:00PM

Place: TBD

3rd Annual Community Economic Development Summit

**The Audacity to Build**

Wealth. Identity. Power.

In collaboration with The Black Wall Street Festival & Powered by The Elements of Abundance

Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025

Time: 5:00PM or 9:00PM

Place: TBD

This isn’t just a summit. It’s a revival.

You’re invited to a powerful gathering curated with legacy, vision and action on the agenda.

CFG’s 3rd Annual Community Economic Development (CED) Summit is where bold ideas meet generational impact.

What to Expect

Real talk. Real tools. Real change.

Deep conversations around self-sufficiency, ownership and collective power

A community igniting the spirit of Black Wall Street for now and next generations

This isn’t just a summit. It’s a revival.

You’re invited to a powerful gathering curated with legacy, vision and action on the agenda. CFG’s 3rd Annual Community Economic Development (CED) Summit is where bold ideas meet generational impact.

What to Expect

Real talk. Real tools. Real change.

Deep conversations around self-sufficiency, ownership and collective power

A community igniting the spirit of Black Wall Street for now and next generations

What You’ll Experience

Keynotes & panels with unapologetic visionaries
Workshops to build your economic power
Strategic activation of CFG’s CED framework
Live culture, music, food and connections

What You’ll Experience

Keynotes & panels with unapologetic visionaries
Workshops to build your economic power
Strategic activation of CFG’s CED framework
Live culture, music, food and connections

Our Impact

Key Initiatives

Annual Community Economic Development Summit

A platform for thought leaders, residents and policymakers to address economic disparities and propose actionable solutions.

SAGE Civic Institute

A viable community-led academy for life-long learners to enhance political, social and economic literacy and acquire skills and resources to lead and engage in civic life.

Health & Wellness Initiatives

A pathway for communities to practice emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing in ways that honor ancestral wisdom and holistic wellness as essential pillars of community strength.

How We Measure Success

We measure success by how far residents advance along the Pathways to Self-Sufficiency model. Our primary indicators are the physical, emotional, mental and educational well-being of the children and families we serve. We track civic engagement, economic mobility and policy influence as signs that community conditions are improving. Through data collection and direct feedback, we ensure our initiatives lead to real, measurable impact and long-term self-sufficiency.

Meet our Team

Arden Santana

Director of Educational Programs

Arden Santana is an award-winning educator, curriculum consultant and civic strategist with over two decades of experience designing paradigm-shifting learning experiences that equip communities with knowledge and tools to thrive. As the Director of Educational Programs at Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), Arden leads the development and delivery of civic literacy, community economic development and leadership training initiatives that center cultural relevance, clarity of purpose and lasting impact.

Arden is also the founding Board Chair of CFG and plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s mission to build generational self-sufficiency for historically marginalized communities through civic education, healing-centered practices and policy literacy. Her commitment to systems change is rooted in her deep belief that education must serve as both a liberatory force and a strategic tool.

In addition to her work with CFG, Arden is the founding director of SAGE Civic Institute (formerly SĀHGE Academy) and a Yale Access to Law School Fellow. She brings visionary leadership, curriculum expertise and a bold voice to the work of restoring equity and civic power in Black and Brown communities across Connecticut and beyond

Belito Garcia

Director of Techonology & Operations

Belito Garcia didn’t get into technology for the gadgets. He got into it to solve real problems for real people.

He’s the Founder of Cool Nerd Consulting and Co-Founder of SAGE Civic Institute (formerly SĀHGE Academy). As a founding member and Director of Technology & Operations at Communities For Generations, Inc. (CFG), Belito uses his deep expertise in web design, systems thinking and business programming to build infrastructure that powers real-world impact.

Every database, every platform, every workflow he creates is built with one goal, to make it easier for mission-driven organizations to connect, uplift and empower people.

Belito believes community isn’t built on hope or speeches. It’s built on action, structure and follow-through. His passion is turning good ideas into systems that actually work and scale.

Across all his work, Belito is the architect behind the scenes, making sure the tech runs smooth, the mission stays focused and the impact lasts for generations.

Hafeeza Turé

Director of Health & Wellness Initiatives

Hafeeza Turé is a bridge between generations, cultures, and possibilities. As a founding member of Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), she brings a unique blend of ancestral wisdom, entrepreneurial spirit and healing practices to every initiative. With over two decades of experience in organizational leadership, economic development and community wellness, Hafeeza’s work centers around building ecosystems where Black communities can thrive across lifetimes.

In her role as Director of Health & Wellbeing Initiatives, Hafeeza leads programs that restore balance, cultivate belonging and empower self-determination. Drawing from her lineage of healers and her expertise in acupuncture detoxification and holistic wellness, she designs spaces where healing is not only possible, but inevitable.

A global citizen rooted in the African diaspora, Hafeeza moves with both strategy and soul—fusing cultural pride, community care and economic empowerment into every project she touches. Through CFG, she is committed to fostering environments where generations connect, heal, build and thrive together.

Her work is a living testament to the truth that when we nurture our roots, we transform our future.