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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MelaninCon Is Taking the Conference Model Apart. Free Monthly Workshops and Real Investment for Black Entrepreneurs LaunchingNow.

MelaninCon is reimagining what a conference can be. A year-round ecosystem of free workshops, real tools, and sustained investment in professional growth


MelaninCon is reimagining what a conference can be. A year-round ecosystem of free workshops, real tools, and sustained investment in professional growth.

Black professionals have heard the promise before. Buy the ticket. Show up. Leave inspired. Then go back to the same situation you came from. MelaninCon was built because that was never good enough.


On March 12, MelaninCon opened its doors wider than it ever has before. The Washington, D.C.-based summit for Black entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals is launching a free virtual workshop series that runs all year long and is open to Black professionals everywhere. No ticket required. No waitlist. Just real sessions built around what the community needs to grow.


"Too many Black professionals were spending money they did not have to attend conferences that sent them home motivated but still broke," said Donovan, founder of MelaninCon. "Inspiration without infrastructure is not enough. We needed something that gave our community real tools, real resources, and real community. Not just a good weekend."

What Is Coming Up

The ECHO Amplified Program is the year-round expansion of MelaninCon. It brings free virtual workshops every month covering the areas that matter most to Black professionals right now. Sessions launching in March and April include:


  • March 12: Branding and Creativity. Building a Profitable Brand.

  • March 16: Business and Entrepreneurship. Digital Growth Playbook.

  • March 19: Business and Entrepreneurship. From Hustle to Infrastructure.

  • March 26: Health, Wellness and Mindset. Healing While Building.

  • April 1: Community, Power and Legacy. Ecosystems Over Silos.

  • April 8: Branding and Creativity. Scaling Your Voice.

  • April 15: Tech and Innovation. Partnerships Over Pitching.

  • April 22: Branding and Creativity. Strategic Storytelling.

  • April 29: Politics and Civic Engagement. Civic Power 101.


Every session runs from 7:00 to 7:45 PM. Registration is open now at melanincon.com/workshops.


The Community That Made It Real


The proof of what MelaninCon does is in the people who keep showing up. Kharisty Akins, a life coach from Dallas, traveled more than 1,300 miles to be at the 2025 summit. She said the support for Black business felt like nothing she had experienced before and that the weekend pushed her to take her work further. Dr. Mary Roach, CEO of the JJ Center in Washington, D.C., walked away with wellness strategies she immediately brought back to her patients. In her words, MelaninCon helped her make a real impact on health education and patient care.


Who Has Taken the Stage


MelaninCon does not settle for visibility without substance when it comes to its speakers. The 2025 summit brought together Pastor Jamal Bryant, one of the most respected voices in Black faith and community leadership. Omi Bell, founder of Black Girl Ventures, whose platform has put funding in the hands of Black and Brown women entrepreneurs across the country. Trell Thomas, founder of Black Excellence Brunch, has built a movement around what Black professional community can look like. Philomina Kane, founder of KinApparel, a brand rooted in African heritage that has earned national recognition. And Sean Williams, founder of The Dad Gang, who has changed the conversation around Black fatherhood for millions of people. These are not people who show up to collect a check. They are builders who chose MelaninCon as the room to be in.


Access and Investment


In 2025, Verizon stepped in to ensure 50 HBCU students could attend MelaninCon at no cost. That kind of access is central to what MelaninCon believes in. The next generation of Black leaders should not be priced out of the rooms that were built for them.

In 2026, MelaninCon is expanding beyond Washington, D.C. In-person activations are coming to additional cities, each one bringing expert panels, networking opportunities, and pitch competitions where local Black entrepreneurs can win grants ranging from $500 to $1,500. City announcements are coming soon.


Six Pillars. One Movement.


MelaninCon was designed to meet Black professionals across every dimension of their lives. The six pillars that hold the organization together are Culture, Community, Commitment, Commerce, Luxury, and Empowerment. Together they form a framework that goes far beyond a one-day event and speaks to how Black excellence actually gets built and sustained over time.


By the Numbers


More than 800 Black entrepreneurs and creatives served since 2023 $8,000 in scholarships awarded through the 2025 ScholarPitch competition 50 HBCU students given free access through a Verizon partnership in 2025 In-person city activations coming in 2026 Monthly virtual workshops now open to professionals nationwide at no cost


About MelaninCon


MelaninCon was founded in Washington, D.C. in 2023 by Donovan Woodberry, a South Carolina native who turned a personal journey through adversity into a platform for community impact. Woodberry also founded The Posh Standard, an online magazine that reaches millions of readers weekly, and the Black Excellence Gala, and leads the nonprofit A Celebration of Us. MelaninCon brings all of that work together into a movement built for Black professionals who want more than motivation. They want results.

"MelaninCon has always been about celebrating Black excellence, but in 2026 we are moving beyond inspiration. We are giving our community practical tools to grow their businesses, careers, and communities. And we are doing it for free, because the cost of a ticket should never be what stands between a Black professional and their next level." — Donovan, Founder

As Featured In


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MEDIA CONTACT:

Donovan

Founder, MelaninCon / Chief Operating Officer, A Celebration of Us, Inc.

(202) 450-7955

Instagram: @celebrationofus | @officialmelanincon


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