D.C., Wash. -- Serial entrepreneur, economic innovator, business developer, and a consecrated bishop from Atlanta, Rodney Sampson is bringing Kingonomics to Washington DC this month via a high-profile gala event called the “Emancipation of Capital”. This will be held on Thursday, the 22nd of August 2013, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

President Abraham Lincoln’s “Emancipation Proclamation”, which became law on January 1, 1963, marked the beginning of the freedom journey for African Americans slaves in the Southern States. It was a vital step towards the eventual outlawing of slavery and the conferring of citizenship upon blacks in America.

Kingonomics also celebrates the 50th anniversary of “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” which happened on August 28th, 1963. During the historic march, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic speech "I Have a Dream" calling for the end of racism and discrimination in America with a major push for jobs and freedom.
This event is part of a 2-day series of events, which includes the Gala Reception on Thursday, August 22nd; “Kingonomics: Unlocking Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Investment and Crowdfunding Conference and Bootcamps” and an official ABC Shark Tank Casting Call on Friday, August 23rd. Kingonomics is divided into two main platform sessions including a boot-camp for startups, growth companies, investors and high tech innovators, crowdfunding, youth and young adults. Billionaire investor, Mark Cuban and David Weild, former Vice-Chairman of NASDAQ, are confirmed to speak and interact with registered attendees.

Sampson, who is focused on addressing America’s poverty and wealth gap through entrepreneurship and investment shapes innovative economic policy and opportunities throughout society and culture. Sampson also serves as Executive-In-Charge of Diversity and Inclusion for One Three Media (Mark Burnett Productions), Executive Producers of The Voice, Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice and ABC’s Shark Tank. Sampson is also very passionate about advancing the cause of crowdfunding as a way of life for all communities. Sampson is regularly called upon to advise and speak to nations, businesses, universities, and bishops who employ thousands and lead millions of constituents and communities around the world.

”In 1963, the definitive call to action by Dr. King, Congressman John Lewis and The Big Six was “jobs and freedom”. In America today, most jobs and economic freedom are created via small businesses. To this end, it is imperative that our nation and world have a definitive focus on sparking education in innovation, on-ramping a generation of new entrepreneurs, facilitating access to capital to launch, accelerate and grow these companies and providing access to best practices and tools designed to ensure that entrepreneurs and their teams are maximizing opportunities to create wealth and leave a legacy to their children’s children. In 2013, fifty years later from that historic moment in time, we declare that the modern day civil rights movement has official evolved into an economic rights movement for all to participate. We will do more together than we can apart”, declares Sampson.

This event is a collaborative initiative of Kingonomics and the Opportunity Community Development Corporation. It aims to address poverty, joblessness, and the racial wealth gap amongst the underserved and underrepresented communities in the U.S. through advocacy, education, innovation, entrepreneurship, and access to capital (via crowdfunding).

The Gala Reception will include an awards ceremony that will honor innovators, entrepreneurs and investors that have “emancipated” and transformed their respective industries. This event will bring together leaders of the business, political, financial and non-profit community with accredited investors, crowdfunding experts and business owners for an evening of productive business networking and conversation.

Among the honorees, the “Emancipators & Emerging Emancipators”, are: David Weild, Former Vice-Chairman of NASDAQ; Sue Malone, CEO at Strategies for Small Business; Charles M. Williams & Milton Jones, Founders of Certus Bank; Londell McMillan, Founder of The Northstar Group (The Source and Jones Magazine); Paul Judge, Founder of Judge Ventures; Mark Burnett, Executive Producer of Shark Tank, The Voice, Survivor, The Bible Series; Congressman John Lewis, United States Representative, 5th District; Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder of the National Action Network; Jamie Foster Brown, Founder of Sister 2 Sister Magazine; Melanie Few, Founder of Results Inc. & NFL Superbowl Gospel Celebration; David Hodgson, Founder of the Paladin Group; Chonchol Gupta, Founder of Rebirth Financial; Sheila Robinson, Founder of Diversity Woman Magazine; Joey Womack, Founder of sf35 & Pipeline; Bishop Wayne T. Jackson & Royal Jackson of Impact Network; Andrew Aydin, Co-Author of MARCH, The Graphic Novel; Ron Kardashian, CEO at Ron Kardashian Enterprises.

Mr. David Drake, the founder and chairman of LDJ Capital (www.ldjcapital.com) and The Soho Loft (www.thesoholoft.com) firms based in New York, and an early stage equity thought leader and one of the Co-Chair of this historic event says, “It is a commemoration of achievements and it is impressive how Bishop Sampson and his colleagues have brought these amazing series of economic empowering events together in Washington, DC.” Other Co-Chairs include Mark Burnett and Chris Tyrell.

During the event, Bishop Sampson will unveil “I Have A Dream: A 50th Year Testament To The March That Changed America”, a commemorative photo-journal with famed civil rights photo-journalist and author, Bob Adelman, and the SCLC Poverty Institute. For more information about the event and how to purchase tickets and register, go to:
http://mlk50mow.com/kingonomicsdc/

About Kingonomics (www.kingonomics.wordpress.com)

Inspired by the best selling book, Kingonomics: Twelve Innovative Currencies for Transforming Your Business & Life, Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kingonomics is an economic and institutional platform designed to address poverty and the wealth gap via the efficient use of existing and new knowledge and best practices for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment. This is accomplished by creating an efficient ecosystem system of experts, firms, research centers, universities, consultants, advisors and advisors that are presented via Kingonomics events, bootcamps and learning programs.

About The Soho Loft (www.thesoholoft.com)

The Soho Loft is an event-driven financial media company - your global communications partner.

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