Collaborating to Expand Economic Mobility and Opportunities for Underserved Communities in Houston
The Greater Houston Black Chamber recently attended the Greater Houston Partnership’s Executive Roundtable and Reception, an event dedicated to fostering economic mobility and opportunity in the Greater Houston region.
Over the past year, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, the Greater Houston Partnership, and other community stakeholders have been working collaboratively to establish the Houston Economic Growth Collaborative. This initiative is a place-based, community-led effort aimed at driving economic growth and expanding opportunities in historically underserved communities across Houston.
Place-based community development models have proven successful nationwide in transforming underserved areas by fostering economic growth and opportunity. The Greater Houston Partnership recognizes that economic mobility is essential to a strong, resilient local economy. By working together, business leaders, community organizations, and foundations can dismantle barriers, build partnerships, and support effective community initiatives to advance economic opportunity.
The event brought together key voices in this conversation, including:
- Donna Epps, SVP and Chief Responsible Business Officer at Verizon
- Lexi Bataillon, Managing Director, Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase
- Steve Kean, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership
- Dr. Ruth Lopez Turley, Director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University
The Greater Houston Black Chamber looks forward to collaborating with corporate and community partners to create more opportunities for Black-owned businesses and contribute to the economic empowerment of our region.
Photography Credit: Tarence Rice

