During the Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington, D.C, Vital Voices hosted an inspiring event in partnership with kweliTV and BLK + GRN at our Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership to celebrate the essence of Black women collaboration.
Designed the highlight their achievements and contributions across various sectors, the event featured a marketplace of Black women-owned eco-friendly businesses including:
- Joy of Beauty, a diabetic and immunocompromised-friendly body care brand
- Love Goods Co. a company specializing in self-love gift sets
- BLK + GRN, an all-natural marketplace of Black artisans who create high quality, natural and toxin-free products
While exploring the marketplace and sipping on mimosas, guests also enjoyed beautiful grazing table by The Ultimate Nosh, a local Black-owned business specializing in chef-curated charcuterie displays.
The program kicked off with a screening of the award-winning short film Odessa’s Reign directed by Emmy-award-winning television host, journalist and Founder of ARound Robin Production Company Robin N. Hamiton. During the discussion that followed with Founder and CEO of kweliTV Deshuna Elisa Spencer, Robin shed light on how being a filmmaker has allowed her to highlight and give credit to a pioneering queer black woman from Washington, DC.
The event topped off with a second discussion about the importance of storytelling and collaboration moderated by Vice President of People at Vital Voices Marilyn Edmunds Bowser and featuring four panelists: Founder and CEO of BLK+GRN Kristian Edwards; Executive Producer at Terra Rossa Cherrelle Swain; Brand Strategist, Executive Coach & Author of The Rest Revolution Amanda Miller Littlejohn; and Founder & CEO of kweliTV DeShuna Elisa Spencer.
“If we don’t tell our stories, they’re going to tell the wrong ones,” said Kristian. “So we have to tell a different story. I had to tell a story, that Black women care about their health. They care about their wellbeing.”
