For the First Time in DC, MelaninCon Brings the Conversation, the Capital, and the Celebration to the Same Stage in Shaw

Champagne Reign Brings a Live Panel on Black America, a Pitch Competition, and a Rooftop Mixer to Realm on June 28

WASHINGTON, DC — June 13, 2026 — On Sunday, June 28, 2026, MelaninCon will host Champagne Reign at Realm Rooftop Bar and Lounge in the heart of Shaw, a live pitch competition and champagne mixer celebrating Black entrepreneurship in Washington, DC. 

With over 500 people registered, Champagne Reign brings together Black entrepreneurs, creatives, and community leaders for an elevated afternoon featuring a red carpet hosted by Mostly Sugar, a live art installation by BeWare Designs, sounds by DJ Jus Jamz and DJ Davy J The Virgo, and guest host Diamond Heeralall, founder of The Diamond Standard Co. and Hospitality Hued's 2026 Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year. 

The setting matches the moment. Realm is a modern rooftop sanctuary rooted in the heritage of Africa's Indian Ocean islands, where elevated cocktails and panoramic views of the capital come together above the Shaw neighborhood. Champagne Reign places Black founders at the center of DC's entrepreneurial story under the tagline "We built the table. Now we toast at it." 

DRESS CODE

Guests are asked to arrive in ivory, gold, white, blush, and black. The palette is intentional, a visual celebration of abundance, unity, and the elegance of a community gathered to toast its own success.

THE PANEL 

The State of Us, moderated by Fahn Darkor, Co-Founder of Souled Out Dates:

• Constance Carter — Founder and CEO, Catalyst Real Estate Professionals, on the importance of Black dollars and financial awareness 

• Former Senator Katrina Robinson — The first African American woman elected to the Tennessee State Senate from District 33, on the importance of our vote 

• Senzwa Ntshepe — President and CEO, The Connect, on community building with purpose

THE FOUNDERS 

Three DC-based Black tech founders will compete live in the ECHO Pulse Pitch Competition, with one winner receiving funding awarded on the spot: 

• Donnisha Davis — FlixMate: A community-driven entertainment discovery app helping people discover, save, and track movie and TV recommendations through the people they trust. 

• Phifer Turner — GoalExecution: A platform helping friends, families, and communities organize shared goals in one place and move from good intentions to real execution.

• Keith Chaney — Peadbo: A goal-oriented platform helping people close wealth and opportunity gaps through mentorship, community, and generative AI coaching. 

THE JUDGES

Competitors will present their ventures before a panel of industry leaders: 

• Janine Brunson-Johnson — Senior Director of Events and Entertainment, D.C. United and Audi Field 

• Aniesia Williams — Chief Impact and Venture Officer, Dreambloc; Forbes Business Council Member 

• Johnny Bailey — Founder, ShineHard Network; Captain, Black Golf Club DC; Black Enterprise 40 Under 40 

"Champagne Reign is the moment when the work pays off," said Donovan Woodberry, Founder of MelaninCon and Chief Operating Officer of A Celebration of Us, Inc. "We built this night for the people who show up every day, build something, invest in their community, and still know how to celebrate doing it. The panel, the pitch competition, and the mixer are all one conversation. This is what Black excellence looks like when it gets dressed up and gets to work at the same time. Come dressed. Leave different."

The announcement comes on the heels of MelaninCon's 2025 Black Excellence Gala, which drew praise from attendees across the DC metro area. "MelaninCon has built something that does not exist anywhere else," said Marcus Ellis, a Michigan-based entrepreneur and attendee of the 2025 Black Excellence Gala. "Every time I am in one of their rooms I leave with something I did not have before. A contact, an idea, a sense of purpose."

Champagne Reign is supported by a growing coalition of organizations that have been doing this work long before this night. Broccoli City, DC Black MBA Association, Black Wall St, Pyramids and Diamonds, The DMV Daily, The Voice of Africa, Dream Block, All Good Friends, The Posh Standard, Black Excellence Society, Win With Black Men, The Connect, Just Another Social Network DC, and Mostly Sugar have each joined as community partners, lending their networks, their credibility, and their people to this moment. Their presence in this room is not ceremonial. It is proof that when Black institutions in this city decide to move together, something different becomes possible.

Tickets for Champagne Reign range from free to $50 and are available through MelaninCon's ticketing platform at https://www.melanincon.com/events/champagne-reign

Champagne Reign is produced by A Celebration of Us, Inc. in partnership with MelaninCon and The Posh Standard Media Group.

About MelaninCon MelaninCon is a Black professional development and entrepreneurship summit based in Washington, DC, produced by A Celebration of Us, Inc. since 2017. Since its founding, MelaninCon has grown from 200 to over 800 attendees. MelaninCon's programming spans live events, digital content, and the year-round ECHO Amplified virtual workshop series, which converts live panels into self-paced courses available to the broader community.

About A Celebration of Us, Inc. A Celebration of Us, Inc. is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on Black professional development, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment. The organization produces events, digital content, and community programming under the MelaninCon and The Posh Standard Media Group brands, reaching a combined digital audience of over 351,000 followers and a 40,000 subscriber email newsletter.

About The Posh Standard Media Group The Posh Standard Media Group is a Black-owned media brand and community platform producing content, events, and programming rooted in Black culture, lifestyle, and excellence. With over 160,000 Instagram followers and a growing presence across Threads, TikTok, and email, The Posh Standard serves as a primary amplification platform for MelaninCon and A Celebration of Us, Inc. activations.

Media Inquiries Donovan Woodberry Founder, MelaninCon Chief Operating Officer, A Celebration of Us, Inc. info@celebrationofus.org celebrationofus.org| melanincon.com