Happy Thursday, Baltimore. The week's almost over, and you're another day closer to (hopefully) warmer weather this weekend!
I'm taking over today's newsletter today for Alanah while she's out in Tulsa for Breakout 2023, the latest iteration of a recurring convention aimed at linking change makers from across the country to one another in cities where grassroots-level leaders are tackling critical issues. Expect more on that experience from her when she gets back.
Alanah's trip to Tulsa — a city that shares Baltimore's history of Black entrepreneurship targeted by racist policies (and, in Tulsa's case, a horrific organized destruction of a district so economically vibrant, it was called "Black Wall Street") — has me thinking about the examples we can draw between US cities experiencing similar social and economic phenomena. That might be because we at Technical.ly are already hitting the start of
Philly Tech Week, with major constituent events like our
Developers Conference and
Builders Conference just days away.
Our company always saw the worth in comparing the entrepreneurship and tech ecosystems in the various cities and regions we cover. So while Philly Tech Week usually draws at least a few Baltimore folks, this year's Builders Conference program has
a fair number of Charm City denizens speaking on panels (including me and Alanah!). Below, you'll see a guest post with comprehensive conference attendee tips from Squadra Ventures COO Margaret Roth Falzon, who's also attending next week.
You'd think that productive comparison is the name of the game, especially when it comes to how to grow more profitable and equitable economies. Yet whenever I travel to other cities, I too often find tremendous provincialism: People, even when guided by an interest in preserving what's unique about their city, act as if that's all there is. There's little interest in shared culture, history or destinies, let alone what those similarities can illustrate for collective growth.
We have our ways of breaking these silos, including our coverage and events. What're your favorite methods? Let us know, and we hope to see you in Philly next week!
P.S. Below, check out the latest edition of Technical.ly's Thriving series, a yearlong, multi-city storytelling initiative focused on the economic opportunities and obstacles facing different groups. 
