Theme: “Trust, Trauma and Transparency”

  • 8:30am - 5:30pm

Registration - Soundscape Provided by DJ Onyx

  • 8:30am - 9:15am

Upon registration community members will have the opportunity to contribute personal photos
in the Community Roots Gallery.

Breakfast + Networking

  • 8:30am - 9:15am

Menu Curated by Jerkies Caribbean Restaurant and Black Girls Eat

African Drummers invite community members into the Sanctuary

  • 9:15 am - 9:20am

Asase Yaa Entertainment Group

Welcome to the YD Community

  • 9:20am - 9:25am

Malik Yoba Founder/CEO Yoba Development + Dena Yoba President Yoba Development Foundation

“The first real estate we own is in our minds.” – Malik Yoba

Tilling the Soil

  • 9:30am - 9:50am

Mindfulness Session Day 2 – “Trust, Trauma and Transparency” – with Malik Yoba and Di Santana -a co-facilitated guided AM meditation + sound baths (10 mins)

See in the Dark – with Brandon Gibson –
Moments of uncertainty and change can threaten the future of any individual or organization, and bring about a darkness that prohibits clear vision and understanding of what to do next. However, with just a few slight, but targeted shifts in perspective, leaders and everyday people can use these dark moments to set themselves up for even greater success, galvanize their team, and foster a renewed sense of purpose and vision within themselves and their organization – they will be able to “see in the dark!” (10 mins)

  • Learn the 3 essential pillars of seeing in the dark
  • Discover how to reconnect to your purpose and passion for your work and life during times of uncertainty
  • Master the “lightbulb” actions necessary to navigate yourself and your team through, and out of, uncertain times

Weathering the Storm

  • 9:55 am - 10:15am

“The System is Designed to Keep You Broke—Here’s the Blueprint to Escape” with Storm Leroy aka “The Employed Millionaire” Brooklyn Native thought leader, real estate entrepreneur and game spitter shares sobering and insightful truths on the problems and solutions facing our community’s economic health.

Your Network is Your Net Worth

  • 10:15am - 10:25 am

Networking + Community Move. Community members are encouraged to move to a different “neighborhood” from where they originally settled at top of day. Meet new neighbors and network.

How to Become a Successful Real Estate Developer

  • 10:30am - 11:00am

Fireside Chat hosted by Angela Tharpe –Collier Companies Chief of Staff with Micah Hunter, Project Manager Acquisition Development, and Dan Bythewood, Principal La Cité. For most people, real estate development remains a mystery. Learn from the rags to riches journey of four real estate developers and the path they took to find, purpose, passion and profits in transforming communities.

From Poverty to Billionaire : A life in Full Bloom

  • 11:05am – 11:30am

Fireside Chat– Meet the richest Jamaican born woman in history, Dr Trisha Bailey in conversation with Malik Yoba as she shares her incredible story of triumph over tragedy and how her humble beginnings prepared her for a life of service and outsized success in the medical supply industry and beyond. In addition to her 46 pharmacies in multiple states, she is an author, has founded 15 companies, owns real estate around the globe and has stakes in the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns, among other endeavors. And she has donated millions, including an undisclosed amount to UConn athletics that the school says is the largest in its history.

The World is Yours

  • 11:35am – 11:55am

Hospitality + Travel Careers + Investment Across the African Diaspora, Kareem Maddison, international real estate developer, and Diana Lynch, Brooklyn native, Lawyer, real estate developer founder of Alma de Samana. Black leisure travelers spent $145 billion on travel alone in 2023 with the vast majority of that spend leaving our community. This session covers careers in global travel, hospitality and investment /partnership opportunities including a 1500-acre Black owned master development site Alma de Samana in Samana Dominican Republic. Diana shares her vision for a real life “Wakanda” in one of the most beautiful destinations on the planet.

A House is not A Home without Thoughtful Design

  • 12:05pm - 12:25pm

Architecture and Design Principles That Promote Good Mental and Emotional Wellbeing – with AD 100 Designer Leyden Lewis at Leyden Lewis Design Studio, Kieta Turner at Keita Turner Design, Pascale Sablan CEO of NY Studio of David Adjaye.

The Power of Cooperative Economics

  • 12:30pm –1:00pm

Panel – Meet three dynamic real estate entrepreneurs with three different strategies for co-investing in real estate.

  • Unlocking Your Home’s Equity without Loans – Ashley Bete founder Kineton Capital – Learn how to leverage the existing equity in your home to access capital via a unique joint venture strategy without incurring more debt.
  • Co-Investing Strategies for First Time Investors – with Vernon J founder Equity Share and Nikki Merkerson founder Pair Gap.

LUNCH

  • 1:00pm – 1:45pm

Level Up or Get Left Behind: Bridging the Digital Divide - Interactive Workshops

  • 2:00pm - 3:00pm
  • Building Wealth in AI + Machine Learning – with Brandon Cooper founder Aphid, Learie Hercules founder Heft IQ – hosted by Managing Director, Senior Strategy Advisor, Capital Markets Kevin Pemberton and three tech entrepreneurs at the leading edge of thought and opportunity that are changing the game for our community.
  • Investing in Crypto 101– meet Mark Scott founder Hood Banking LLC who leads an interactive workshop for new investors, the curious and experienced on some of the latest opportunities in crypto and blockchain.
  • Become A Cyber Hero – meet Theresa Jones aka “The Cyber Lady” founder Evalv IQ performs a live phone vishing demonstration, using two volunteers from the community. She’ll skillfully show how she can make one person’s phone number appear on another’s device, demonstrating the ease and danger of vishing scam and highlight her groundbreaking achievement as the first woman to establish a cybersecurity consulting firm in Louisiana in 2019. The interactive session is designed to educate and engage the audience in key cybersecurity practices and career pathways.

Is Doing Business with the Federal Government Dead?

  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm

Federal Contracting 101– with Federal Contracting expert Paula Watts (GPI Win), Eric Coffie (GovCon Giants), Venus Quates (Launch Tech) – Hear firsthand accounts from federal workers and contractors on how the lucrative business of federal contracting has been impacted in the current political environment and how to successfully navigate the uncertain times.

The New Affirmative Action: Our Role in Securing an Equitable Future for Ourselves

  • 3:30pm – 4:00pm

Panel – Meet Edwin Raymond –Former NYPD’s highest-ranking whistleblower and author of Inconvenient Cop and one of America’s leading voices on police reform, David Adefeso wealth manager and founder of Sootchy a company on a mission to ensure that kids from disadvantaged backgrounds can have their college education paid for without student debt through state run 529 plans and Oscar Flores founder Legado Wealth Management LLC with a focus on the Cultural Considerations for Wealth Management will share investment and wealth building strategies based on three core principles – Discipline + Diversification + Dividends and teaches (30 mins)

Pairgap’s Investor Speed Dating Networking Session

  • 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Finding the Right Investment Partner Has Never Been Easier

Join Nikki Merkerson for Pairgap’s Investor Speed Dating Networking Session, a dynamic, fast-paced event designed to connect first-time homebuyers, real estate investors, and industry professionals in a structured and efficient way. Whether you’re looking for a co-buyer, investment partner, or real estate expert, this session helps you make meaningful connections in minutes.

How It Works:

  • Register at Check-In – Participants receive a unique number and category based on their goals (e.g., investor, first-time buyer, real estate professional).
  • Structured, Timed Rounds – You’ll rotate through multiple short, focused conversations with potential partners.
  • Discuss Your Goals – Each round allows participants to share what they’re looking for and what they bring to the table.
  • Match & Follow Up – After the session, attendees can exchange contact information and continue the conversation.

Who Should Attend?

✔ First-time homebuyers looking to co-buy with a trusted partner.
✔ Investors seeking strategic partnerships for joint ventures.
✔ Real estate professionals looking to connect with serious buyers and investors.
✔ Anyone interested in shared ownership, wealth-building, and community investment.

Why You Should Join:

✅ Expand your network with like-minded investors and professionals.
✅ Find the right co-buyer or partner to increase buying power.
✅ Learn new strategies for entering the real estate market.
✅ Make real connections that can turn into real deals.

Take the Next Step in Your Investment Journey!

Pairgap is committed to building connections that turn into opportunities. Whether you’re ready to invest or just exploring, this session is designed to help you find the right people and take action.

**** Programming Schedule Subject to Change