If we want to achieve an inclusive economy that works for all, we must begin by giving Black women a seat at the table, says Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. An activist and emerging researcher, she specializes in data-driven solutions that address the future of work and its implications for Black people in both corporate and academic spaces. Today, Opoku-Agyeman joins The Lavin Agency as a new speaker—shining a light on the importance of structural change that centers Black experiences and voices.

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the ensuing economic crisis, and the recent election, there has never been a more crucial time to dismantle the power structures that no longer serve us. Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman has been leading the charge in this arena for years. As the co-founder of The Sadie Collective, she is tackling the pipeline and pathway problem for Black women in fields where they have historically been absent: economics, data science, finance, and policy.

In her recent op-ed for the New York Times, Opoku-Agyeman teamed up with Dr. Lisa Cook—a former White House aide for President Obama, who is now part of Biden-Harris transition team—to explore the lack of representation of Black women in economics, and the discrimination they face within the profession. And in the latest Teen Vogue, Opoku-Agyeman reflects on why Dr. Cook’s place on Biden’s team is a huge win for Black girls everywhere. “The administration can now show how they will make good on rhetoric around centering Black women in economic policy, considering how critical we were to the Democrats’ success in the 2020 election.”

Forthright, candid, and authentic, Opoku-Agyeman’s talks touch upon many of the issues we need to urgently reform, from economic inclusion and diversity within organizations, to anti-Black racism and sexism in college campuses and corporations. She is set to release two books: THE BLACK AGENDA (St. Martin’s Press, 2022), a collection of essays featuring leading Black voices across policy, healthcare, and technology; and Knock Those Doors Down (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2023), a children’s book about Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander, America’s First Black Economist.