Washington, DC is proud to support the MPI Black Meeting Professionals Community. Our values as a city align with those of this community and we sought this opportunity to support specific initiatives around black meeting professionals. Over the next year, we’ll be on this journey together and look forward to creating platforms and opportunities for an amazing exchange of thoughts and ideas.
Connect With Purpose in Washington, DC
From the city's roots as a vibrant community for African Americans to the opening of recent landmarks including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington, DC is rich with Black history and culture. DC has remained home to a large Black population that has shaped the city’s identity as a culturally diverse and intellectual capital.
Washington, DC is a destination known for its dedication to progress and inclusivity. As the host of some of the most influential protests in the country’s history, the city has long been a gathering place for people to put their power of free speech to work, where peaceful and powerful demonstrations have impacted the future of the country.
“Meeting attendees are seeking greater purpose at events,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “They want to make a difference in a destination, connect with people and impact local communities. By leveraging the DEI community and the city’s intellectual capital, DDC supports the opportunity to meet with purpose. Planners are empowered to advance their organization’s mission and progressive agendas.”
Connected Capital
With more than 175 embassies reflecting a wide range of cultures and 10-plus Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the area, DC’s skilled talent hub offers unmatched access to thought-leaders and expert speakers. With so many organizations advocating for social change in the city, access to diverse speakers whose relatable content for attendees often yields more meaningful outcomes. A top city for technology and social entrepreneurs, the nation’s capital is a leader in key industries such as tech, biotech/pharma, medical and education. The city’s economic and sustainability initiatives have attracted businesses like Amazon, Boeing and Raytheon to the area, expanding its intellectual capital to new industries including space exploration.
The DEI Impact
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of Washington, DC’s ethos. Meeting planners use the DEI District content hub on washington.org to explore DC’s history and experiences connected with racial and social equity. Event planners will also find options to engage with the city’s community venues and sustainable spaces or Black-, women-, and immigrant-owned businesses during their event. Socially minded venues range from the modernized Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library to the new Salamander Hotel, a 373-room hotel in Southwest owned by Sheila Johnson, a DEI champion and advocate of the hospitality community. Leading corporate social responsibility programming creates a natural alignment with an organization’s social impact goals. Meetings professionals can understand DC’s commitment to diversity and create lasting change in Washington, DC beyond the immediate economic impact of their event by donating their time and money to local charitable organizations serving the DC community. From joining a neighborhood river clean-up to enriching the lives of DC youth with educational opportunities, there are numerous opportunities to enhance your event by giving back.
Stay For the History and Culture
Meeting attendees can discover what makes DC such an inclusive city and how to experience its local history, culture and community. From discovering DC’s official music genre, go-go, to connecting with local artisans or supporting Black-owned restaurants, there are numerous ways to engage with the vibrant heartbeat of the nation’s capital.
Washington, DC is filled with free museums and attractions making it an added value for meeting attendees who want to stay and explore the city after their event. Destination DC supports meeting planners with itineraries tailored to an organization’s interests from group experiences that explore Black history and culture, tour “Black Broadway” in the Shaw neighborhood or honor the legacy of important moments in history.
Get more information on MPI's Black Meeting Professionals Community and join other dedicated black meeting professionals seeking connection, opportunities, and professional growh.
