A popular social event that also serves as a networking opportunity targeting Rockford’s Black community is back.
Wabongo Wednesday returned Aug. 9, bringing young professions and entrepreneurs back together after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The gathering serves as a way for people to make connections and grow.
“It’s always been a place where people can connect and learn about other opportunities in the community,” said Anqunette Parham, a member of the Wabongo Leadership Council, a non-profit striving to build leadership in education, community and economic development, and health and wellness.
More:During Black History Month, Rockford’s Wabongo Leadership Council looks to the future
Young professionals of color who are new to town find the event especially helpful.
“They come to town without any connections,” Parham said. “So, Wabongo Wednesday was a way for them to come and meet other young professionals and learn about different things in the community, connect socially, learn about volunteer opportunities, all sorts of things.”
Wabongo is a Swahili word derived from “ubongo,” which means brains. It’s evolved to become a word that describes Black people as thinking people.
“We say we are overtly Black, but intentionally collaborative,” Parham said. “It’s not limited to Black people, but that is our target audience.
Wabongo exists to develop and enhance leadership capacity within the African American community. That’s why Black folks have been our target audience.”
Parham herself remembers the day that a social interaction at a Wabongo event, helped her land a job.
Before being hired as the city of Rockford’s executive director of Health and Human Services, Parham was an intern. Someone she met at Wabongo Wednesday helped her later land a job at Collins Aerospace, where she managed the company’s International Trade and Compliance division.
Other members of the Leadership Council include Matthew Simpson, African American business development manager for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Joshua Patterson, director of community programs at Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc.; Tiana McCall, senior regional economic development manager at Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and Rockford Ald. Gabrielle Torina, a self-employed consultant.
Rob Webb, a registered nurse, has been on the job for one month as a city of Rockford health services team leader.He said he was able to use contacts he met at Wabongo Wednesday as references.
“Actually, what I’ve noticed is a lot of the time with the people that are on the leadership council, not only are they networking with you, but they’re opening their own network to you,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of people that I would have never known if it weren’t for the Wabongo Council members.
“One of the things Matthew Simpson always says is, ‘Make sure that you meet someone that you didn’t know before you walked through the door.'”
The next Wabongo Wednesday gatherings will be held Oct. 4 and Dec. 13.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen