Black Voices

‘Be Yourself, and Everybody Else Can Adjust to You’

PCMA Groundbreaker Ashlee Ammons, president and co-founder of event tech company Mixtroz, on how she and her mother found funding — and their way — in a white, male-dominated industry.

BY Casey Gale July 26, 2021

Who’s in Charge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

An HR services company found that diversity, equity, and inclusion is not anyone’s responsibility at 17 percent of nearly 400 companies it recently surveyed. PCMA EduCon Main Stage speaker Janet Stovall says it’s everyone’s responsibility — and business has the power to solve racial inequity.

BY Michelle Russell July 22, 2021

Becoming a JEDI Warrior: The Four Bs of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Events

Justice is key everywhere, but is especially important in the event industry, Tanya Gibson of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America told the EduCon 2021 audience.

BY Casey Gale July 14, 2021

Celebrating Juneteenth at Emancipation Park

President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday designating Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, a federal holiday. It marks the day when — as

BY Barbara Palmer June 17, 2021

Remembering George Floyd

What comes next for Meet Minneapolis, says CEO Melvin Tennant, is being built on a foundation of equity.

BY Barbara Palmer May 24, 2021

Janet Stovall on Getting Serious About Diversity and Inclusion

The PCMA EduCon Main Stage speaker says challenging companies to commit to diversity, inclusion, and equity should come with specific goals — and consequences.

BY Michelle Russell May 19, 2021

Lessons From Lifelong Learner Wanda Johnson

The path to the top doesn’t always follow a straight line. For ASPEN CEO and PCMA Groundbreaker Wanda Johnson, it’s what she did with what she learned along the way that’s made all the difference.

BY Barbara Palmer May 17, 2021

What Event Planner Morgan Prewitt Has Learned Through Events

Her fast-paced career brought Morgan Prewitt many lessons along the way, from when to say ‘no’ to recognizing that no matter how much you feel the imposter syndrome, ‘you belong here.’

BY Curt Wagner April 30, 2021

‘Never Accept a Ceiling That Someone Else Might Create for You’

After 30 years in the travel and meetings industry, Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC and a PCMA Groundbreaker, is carving a path for a new generation of leaders to follow.

BY Jennifer N. Dienst March 30, 2021

From a College Stint as Bellman to CEO: Cleo Battle’s Career Path

This July, Cleo Battle will take over as president and CEO of Louisville Tourism after eight years as the bureau’s executive vice president and COO. Battle shared highlights of his 34-plus-year career working at DMOs and hotels around the country — and how he’s trying to do his part to make the industry better and more diverse.

BY Jennifer N. Dienst March 4, 2021

Creating an Antiracist Meetings Industry

A candid and soul-searching conversation on racism and white supremacy at Convening Leaders points out the role business events can play in creating positive change on a global scale.

BY Barbara Palmer February 18, 2021

Richmond Embraces Its Painful Past During Black History Month

Here’s how one city with a history in the slave trade in North America has made the Black experience in America central to its identity.

BY Convene Editors February 11, 2021

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