Hundreds gather at symposium emceed by 8News’ own Eric Philips to discuss economic mobility for all

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Hundreds of people attended a symposium held at the Altria Theater in Richmond on Friday to discuss how to achieve economic mobility for all communities, an event which was emceed by 8News' own Eric Philips.

On Friday, Sept. 26, the YMCA of Greater Richmond held a symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Altria Theater in Richmond, where hundreds of people joined guest speakers to discuss how to achieve economic mobility for all.

The theme of the event was "Rising Together," with the goal of figuring out strategies to improve the economic picture for the region as a whole. 8News' own Eric Philips emceed at the event.

"I believe it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, 'No one is free until we all are free.' I think that with a little bit of poetic license, we could also say that none of us rise until all of us rise," Philips said during his speech at the event.

Organizers at the event said that improving economic mobility for all can only happen if the economic disparity that disproportionately affects the African American community is addressed, and that it starts with a change of heart and mind, realizing that we're all more alike than different.