Bakari Sellers’ 2020 memoir “My Vanishing Country,” is filled with delicious morsels that stay with readers long after they’ve been digested.

In his book, a New York Times best-seller, the former South Carolina lawmaker-turned CNN analyst and civil rights attorney deftly describes how to properly eat fried whiting in a Black country church: With white bread that likely will stick to your teeth. It is a meal that local elected officials and visiting politicians have learned to enjoy while also learning to use their tongues to clean their teeth, he adds.

Another nugget shared by Mr. Sellers is the infinite wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends,” he writes quoting Dr. King.

More of Mr. Sellers’ reflections and thoughts will unfold today and tomorrow during the 2nd Annual Big Dipper Innovation Summit at Virginia State University. This year’s theme is “From Insight to Impact: Innovation for All.”

The event, sponsored by Johnson Marketing Inc. (JMI) and VSU, will include panel discussions with thought leaders in technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship, music and culture.

“This summit serves as a destination for creators, entrepreneurs, big dreamers, big thinkers, makers, and curators who seek conversations about innovation, new ideas, and the next frontier across major industries and emerging markets,” according to statements from JMI and VSU.

“The backdrop of the Big Dipper experience is inspiring self-actualization,” said Brelan Hillman, lead content coordinator for Big Dipper and senior project manager at JMI. “It’s about taking ownership of the journey and finding the answers to how to unlock our intellectual and economic potential.

“The businesses these entrepreneurs and innovators want to build aren’t only going to help their communities,” he continued. “When they’re successful, they’ll help the whole world — which is really the history of Black entrepreneurship.”

In addition to Mr. Sellers, speakers will include VSU President Makola Abdullah, Jewel Burks-Solomon, former head of startups for Google who now is founder and managing partner of Collab Capital, and H. Jerome Russell, Jr. of H.J. Russell & Company and Russell New Urban Development.®

Also participating in the summit are RVA Community Fridges Founder Taylor Scott, teacher, artist and The Core Art Studio Founder Lizzie Brown, W. Franklyn Richardson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church and chair of Virginia Union University’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Lydia Johnson, a Richmond-based dermatologist with more than 20 years of medical dermatology experience, and Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras.

The Summit will open with the Coffee and Conversation Spiritual Kickoff, followed by panel discussions on education, social innovation, visionary leadership, and the value of financial and cultural capital. Friday’s programming will feature strategies for community renewal and discussions on the economy, art, health care and new opportunities in tech.

The Summit’s organizers hope to not just encourage the cross-sharing of knowledge and experience among important figures, but to also raise the profile of VSU as a destination for discussion, innovation and inclusion.

“We’ll explore what entrepreneurs and innovators in their respective sectors need to know to achieve lasting, transformative success, not just personally, but in their businesses, organizations, and communities, and for the world,” said James Warren, founder and CEO of Share More Stories and vice president of brand strategy for JMI

The full event schedule is available at bigdippersummit.com.