The inaugural “Rise & Recognize: Connecting and Celebrating BIWOC Leaders” virtual event, hosted by Embrace Change on January 30, 2025, exceeded expectations with over 100 Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) leaders participating from 84 cities across the globe, including attendees from Costa Rica and Australia. The event marked a significant milestone in professional networking for BIWOC leaders, bringing together a remarkable group that included 74 founders and entrepreneurs, 36 seasoned professionals with over 20 years of experience, and 35 C-suite executives, directors, and managers from 10 different sectors.
The event featured an engaging panel discussion on “The 2.0 of Networking: Leveraging the Power of Community in 2025,” moderated by Cynthia Pong, JD, founder and CEO of Embrace Change. Distinguished panelists included Lisa Campagñe, Sales Director at LinkedIn; Brandilyn Dumas, Esq., Real Estate Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP; and Dr. Kathryn Hall, Senior Vice President at The New York Academy of Medicine. The panelists shared powerful strategies for navigating professional spaces, with Dumas emphasizing “You belong in every room you enter,” Hall offering tactical approaches such as using the question “What is it about me that makes you think…?” as a tool for addressing biases and assumptions, and Campagñe advising leaders to “Separate fact from feeling” in professional situations in order to advance one’s leadership. The discussion generated extraordinary engagement, with participants contributing 5,699 emojis and maintaining an active, continuous dialogue throughout the event.
Hosted on the innovative AirMeet platform and produced by LaToya M. Smith, award-winning Founder and CEO of Brass City Media, Inc., the event showcased the power of expert virtual production. With over a decade of experience as an award-winning journalist, Smith has built her multimedia company into a leader in virtual and in-person event production, media consulting, and storytelling, partnering with government agencies, corporations, and community organizations to deliver meaningful, well-executed events that engage and inspire. The Rise & Recognize event featured dynamic networking sessions where participants connected in themed virtual rooms. High-demand tables in technology and innovation, consulting and professional services, nonprofit, higher education, medicine and healthcare, and entrepreneurial sectors reached full capacity, demonstrating the diverse professional backgrounds of attendees. The energy remained high throughout the event, amplified by vibrant music sets from renowned, Oakland-based DJ Karlita.
Pong’s powerful keynote address on the “State of BIWOC in the Workplace” resonated deeply with attendees, addressing critical issues facing women of color in leadership positions while emphasizing the importance of intentional career building and collective power. The address highlighted sobering statistics—including that women of color occupy only 7% of C-suite roles despite comprising over 20% of the US population—while offering strategic approaches to creating lasting change.
A highlight of the gathering was the inaugural Rise & Recognize Awards ceremony, celebrating excellence in three categories. The Impact & Leadership Award, recognizing BIWOC creating meaningful change and inspiring others to action, went to Ritha Pierre, Esq., General Counsel at RiseBoro Community Partnership. Pierre captured the spirit of the gathering in her acceptance speech, stating “We rise so that others may follow.” The Service Award, honoring those who go above and beyond in supporting others, was presented to Sangeetha Kowsik, Founder/Creator of Ihsan Ishan Design, while the Community Award, celebrating those who actively champion and uplift other BIWOC in the Embrace Change community, was awarded to Naseem Kapdi, Founder and Coach at Kimiya Coaching. The event recognized an impressive slate of finalists, including Jess Mar, PhD, Professor at University of Queensland; Jessica Qaasim, Head of Industry at Google; Markita Billups, Founder & Principal of Blackbird Strategic Solutions; Yvette Martínez-Vu, PhD, Grad School and Productivity Coach; Kesia Hudson, Managing Director of Zahn Innovation Center; and Dr. Olamide Jarrett, Global Health Practitioner. The distinguished judging panel included industry leaders Ashley Watkins Thomas, Carissa Begonia, Mary Lizardi, Rhapsodi Pierre-Jacques, Janna Zinzi, and Desree Cabrall-Njenga.
“The overwhelming response and engagement at Rise & Recognize demonstrates the critical need for spaces that specifically celebrate and connect BIWOC leaders,” said Cynthia Pong, JD. “The diversity of our attendees—from seasoned executives to emerging entrepreneurs—reflects the rich talent pool within our community and the power of meaningful connection.”
The event also recognized outstanding participant engagement, with Orion Brown, Founder of BlackTravelBox, winning the gold prize for most event engagement, followed by Karoline Hood of King Salama Safaris (silver) and Grace Kim from Dow Jones (bronze). Dr. Pilanda Watkins-Curry, Co-Founder and CTO at Olokun Minerals, and Tahjma VanBuren, Podcast Producer & SEO Specialist at iMoves Management, were awarded special prizes for their compelling responses about the importance of BIWOC-centered professional events.
This groundbreaking virtual gathering sets a new standard for professional networking events, demonstrating the power of intentional community building and recognition in advancing BIWOC leadership across industries.
Event Recording Access
Members of the EC Collective, a vibrant support community for BIWOC professionals, can access the full event replay as a complimentary benefit with their Annual or 6-Month membership (embracechange.nyc/ec-collective).
About Embrace Change
Embrace Change is an award-winning career coaching and training firm specializing in working with women of color and people of color. Founded in 2015, the company’s singular mission is to get all women of color—and people of color—the money, power, and respect they deserve in the workplace. Through innovative programming and community building, Embrace Change has established itself as a leading force in professional development for leaders of all backgrounds.
For more information, please visit embracechange.nyc or call 347-620-6328.
For any inquiries or to schedule an interview, send an email to happier@embracechange.nyc
Media Contact
Company Name: Embrace Change
Contact Person: Cynthia Pong, JD
Email: Send Email
Phone: 347-620-6328
City: New York
State: NY
Country: United States
Website: www.embracechange.nyc