Three local trailblazers will be honored Wednesday night at “Black Women Soar,” an event for Women’s History Month hosted by WHUT, Howard University Television.
Keisha Nelson, the education and outreach director at WHUT, told WTOP the event will be in a venue that fits the vibe of the evening: The College Park Aviation Museum
“There are airplanes all around the museum which help to put us in the mindset of soaring, quite literally,” Nelson said.
“Black Women Soar” honors women who have made extraordinary contributions in various career fields. The first year the event was held it honored the field of education, then sports for its second year. This year, the spotlight will shine on civic engagement and activism.
“This year, we are honoring Angel Gregorio, the founder of the Spice Suite, and also the thought leader and founder of Black and Forth. We are also honoring Mrs. Denise Rolark Barnes, who is the CEO of The Washington Informer. And we’re also honoring the executive director of Challenging Racism, Mrs. Monique Bryant,” Nelson said.
Along with a fireside chat with the honorees and a pinning ceremony, the event starts off with a networking opportunity for the seasoned pros to meet with younger professionals.
Nelson pointed out that one of the most important parts of the event is that it’s intergenerational. Women are invited to bring their mentees as guests to the dinner.
“I really believe in the importance of bringing those who are super successful into spaces where women who have the potential, young ladies who are excited about their futures, need to be,” Nelson said.
Girls as young as 10 years old have been invited to this event. Nelson pointed out that not everybody has easily accessible pathways to success, and this is a way for young women to meet a potential role model.
“Someone like a Denise Rolock Barnes who is leading in the spirit of journalism, or someone like Angel Gregorio, who decided to pivot and go and explore a completely different career field, or someone as bold as Monique Bryant to be able to tackle issues of racism,” Nelson said.
“We don’t take that for granted, but we also know that it’s super important that we create our own pathways for success,” she added.
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