Black Voices

There’s No Shortage of Black Speakers

Two resources — Black Speakers Collection and Black Executives Collection — continue to grow. Here’s an update to a story we published in December 2021 about the directories.

BY Michelle Russell February 1, 2023

New PCMA Board Chair Focuses on Inclusivity, Sustainability, and Development of Future Leaders

Desirée Knight, chair of PCMA’s 2023 Board of Directors and Trustees, talks about her goals during her term and the challenges facing the events industry.

BY Casey Gale January 9, 2023

Looking Inward at Our Biases

Inclusive leadership expert Melissa Majors’ three steps to follow to mindfully mitigate your own biases.

BY Curt Wagner January 4, 2023

How Diversity in Design Collaborative is Working to Bring Equity to Design Industry

Black designers are coming together to address the lack of Black representation in the design industry, and the events industry is part of that effort.

BY Barbara Palmer December 5, 2022

How This CVB Executive Is ‘100-percent Focused on Inclusion’

Hilina Ajakaiye draws on her experience as an immigrant — and conference organizer — to invite everyone to the table in the Boston hospitality and events industry.

BY Barbara Palmer September 28, 2022

The Talent Crisis at Convention Centers

OVG360’s Joyce Leveston reflects on three-plus decades of working in convention centers, the war on talent, and coming together during the eye of the pandemic storm.

BY Jennifer N. Dienst July 25, 2022

Celebrating Juneteenth — and Fort Worth’s Opal Lee

Sometimes the long haul is long, said 95-year-old activist Opal Lee, who worked for four decades for the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday.

BY Barbara Palmer June 13, 2022

Making Shifts to Meet the Evolving Needs of Convention Groups

“Groups want options and they want to feel confident that we can accommodate them,” said Monique Wise, director of sales and marketing at Indiana Convention Center, in the latest profile from our series highlighting female leaders at event facilities.

BY Jennifer N. Dienst June 8, 2022

Women Leading the Way at Convention Centers: T. Taubie Motlhabane at CTICC

A desire “to make a meaningful change” led T. Taubie Motlhabane to her role as the CEO of Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

BY Jennifer N. Dienst May 2, 2022

How This Groundbreaking Event Professional Remains an Eternal Learner

Yolanda Simmons Battle, senior manager, meetings at AHIMA and one of this year’s PCMA Groundbreaker Award nominees, shares how she has found success through asking questions, listening, and bringing her own seat to the table so others can follow.

BY Casey Gale January 31, 2022

Making Climate Change Personal

Social justice issues have everything to do with the environment, environmental justice advocate Wanjiku ‘Wawa’ Gatheru told the PCMA Convening Leaders 2022 audience in Las Vegas, ‘and the environment has everything to do with me.’

BY Barbara Palmer January 11, 2022

How This Sustainability Leader Found Purpose In Her Field

Kimberly Lewis, board chair of clean energy nonprofit Groundswell, spoke with Convene about finding her calling, uplifting diverse communities into leadership roles, and making events people-centric.

BY Casey Gale November 11, 2021

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