The fifth annual Black Women Lead conference was held at the Conrad Hotel in Washington, D.C., last month. The conference room was filled with intelligent, prolific, scholars, creatives, world-changers, movers and shakers, entrepreneurs from all over the world, something we don’t see every day here in the District of Columbia. It was a room full of well-dressed and successful millennials! What a joy to be invited as part of the press team.
This conference came together to uplift, pivot, transform, inspire, revolutionize, educate and encourage participants to allow themselves to be honest and develop a safe place for whatever may be their problem.
Speakers helped to dispel some fears about mental health. One topic of particular interest to me was teen suicide, as speakers shared how suicide is the No. 1 killer among our teens. That was followed by a message for those of who may be suffering through pain with a broken heart.
Dynamic speakers also covered topics for moms and families, ranging from startup businesses to those who are thriving — panelists covered all bases.
Coordinated by millennials, marketed to millennials by millennials — it was so refreshing and different. It gave the room quite a different feel.
My favorites were the communications panels. I am a journalist, and my master’s degree is in the field of communications. Keeping with my educational background, this column has been running for 20 years, and my radio show for 15 years.
Panel participants ranged from Joy Reid, host of MSNBC’s “The Reid Out”; Stacey Abrams; Symone Sanders-Townsend, host of MSNBC’s “The Weekend”; and Alexi McCammond, an NBC/MSNBC contributor and reporter for Axios who covered Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in 2019 and 2020.
Desiree Rogers, who served as President Obama’s social secretary, was the lead spokesperson on an entrepreneurs panel, urging people to support Black businesses. She shared with the audience about her new role as co-CEO of Fashion Fair, a company founded by Eunice Johnson with more than 50 years of history, and Black Opal, a 30-year-old cosmetic company for African-American women.
Blessed to meet Rogers at the right time, I invited her to be my radio show guest for Mother’s Day this weekend. She agreed, and on Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m., listeners from Radio One’s Spirit 1340 WYCB will hear more of Desiree Rogers’ story. She will be sharing with listeners that Fashion Fair is back on the market and on a national scale.
You can buy Fashion Fair at select Macy’s department stores and Sephora stores. Go to the Fashion Fair website and Google your zip code to find the nearest place to buy Fashion Fair makeup and skin care products. For Black Opal, she told participants to go the company’s website (blackopalbeauty.com) to find the closest location.
Black Women Lead was a tremendous conference, and it was definitely a success. I’m thankful for the media/press pass extended to me and my team, especially the president of the D.C. Democratic Women’s Club, Ms. Valca Valentine.
I’m excited and eagerly awaiting the 2025 conference.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on Twitter @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
