August 26, 2023
BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Set To Spotlight Black Women In Citywide Celebration Under New Partnership
Ahead of Women’s Equality Day, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser tapped dynamic partners like BLACK GIRLS ROCK to support leadership, community engagement, and sisterhood in the nation’s capital. This intentional partnership with the global women’s empowerment movement paves the way for an expansion like no other.
In a press release, Natasha Dupee, director of the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives (MOWPI), said, “Community engagement is one of our driving forces, so we are excited to help showcase Black women who push boundaries through creative and artistic expression.”
Curated by Founder and CEO Beverly Bond, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! FEST, also known as BGR!FEST has held a premiere event in the District since 2019. According to the release, the global destination celebration is returning to the nation’s cultural center, the Kennedy Center, but under a new partnership with MOWPI and the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME).
LaToya Foster, director of the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment, noted that the objective of the collaboration is to “create more jobs and opportunities, and give Black women a ‘fair shot,’ in the words of Mayor Bowser, in the media and entertainment industries.”
As the 2023 BGR!Fest wrapped up in March, the upcoming show is slated to put on an even “bigger” party featuring a speaker series, workshops, youth activations, sponsor showcases, community events, and more. The festival will also provide District students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals with opportunities to network. In doing so, the festival will be presenting a Black Cloud Tech Network Summit opportunity for the first time. The aim is to create more career pathways for women and girls in the tech industry.
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March 2024 is a special time for the District residents to immerse themselves in the power of community during Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day Weekend.
“The collaboration spanning multiple venues with a range of dynamic events allows us to integrate the significance of Black women’s contributions during D.C.’s Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day Weekend,” Bond said in the release.
“It’s an honor to join forces with Mayor Bowser and the city. Together, our aim is to spotlight Black women’s voices, enhance cultural vibrancy, and drive unity and economic prosperity in the heart of DC, creating a lasting, global impact,” she continued.
The news comes after Bond proudly announced the inauguration of a daily digital publication, Black Girls Bond, in May. As BLACK ENTERPRISE reported, the new business venture aims to provide a “daily trove of informative and aspirational content that caters to the multifaceted lifestyles of our readers, providing them with the resources necessary to forge balanced and fulfilling lives,” according to Bond. With amplifying women of color in mind, the publication features content from skincare and beauty to health and wellness, fashion, business, tech, and pop-culture news.