Marcus Whitney stands out in Nashville’s huge health care sector as an investor in startups. In addition to his venture capital firm, he’s organized an annual health tech conference and co-founded the city’s pro soccer club.

And often, he’s the only Black man in the room.

So in the summer of 2020, as Black Lives Matter protestors filled the streets in Nashville and around the country following George Floyd’s murder, Whitney thought about the racial inequalities he saw in his industry.