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WASHINGTON, DC — March 21, 2026 — MelaninCon, a Black professional development and entrepreneurship summit produced by A Celebration of Us, Inc., a Washington DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, today announced Champagne Reign, a new signature evening experience set for Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 3pm to 7pm at Realm Rooftop Bar and Lounge, 899 O Street NW in Washington, DC.

The event marks MelaninCon’s first dedicated evening activation and the inaugural live installment of ECHO Pulse, a programming extension of the organization’s year-round ECHO Amplified virtual workshop series.

A Night Built in Two Moments

Champagne Reign is built in two moments — and both of them matter.

The night opens with ECHO Pulse, a 45-minute panel titled The State of Us.

No fluff.
No talking points.

Just three voices in a room full of people who are ready to hear the truth about where Black America is right now and what we actually do about it.

The conversation covers:

• Community organizing
• Economic power
• The vote

Then three Black entrepreneurs step to the mic for a live pitch competition with $2,250 in prizes on the line:

• First Place: $1,000
• Second Place: $750
• Third Place: $500

All of it awarded live, on stage, in front of the room.

Real Capital. Real Time. Real Impact.

Black entrepreneurs in this city are building real businesses with limited access to real capital.

Champagne Reign does something about that.

Three business owners stand in front of 200 of their peers, make their case in two minutes, and walk away with funding the same night.

No applications that go nowhere.
No committees that take months.

Just a community that shows up, listens, and invests.

The people in that room become part of the story of how those businesses grow.

From Pitch to Celebration

Once the pitches are done and the prizes are awarded, the room shifts.

The DJ drops.
The networking floor opens.

And Champagne Reign becomes exactly what the name promises.

Two hundred people dressed in ivory, gold, and white, celebrating each other and everything it took to get in that room.

The dress code is enforced at the door.
Come correct — or come prepared to go back home and change.

The Venue: Realm Rooftop

Champagne Reign will be held at Realm Rooftop Bar and Lounge in DC’s Shaw neighborhood.

The space sits atop the Hyatt House on O Street NW with an unobstructed view of the Capitol Dome and the city below.

Realm is led by native Washingtonians who built the space with community in mind.

That is not a coincidence.

When you are producing an event rooted in Black DC, the venue has to carry the same intention as the programming.

Realm does.

Founder Statement

“Champagne Reign is the moment when the work pays off. 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.”

— Donovan Woodberry, Founder, MelaninCon · Chief Operating Officer, A Celebration of Us, Inc.

Momentum from 2025

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.”

Tickets & Access

Tickets for Champagne Reign range from free to $50 and are available through MelaninCon’s ticketing platform at:

melanincon.com

• Early bird free tickets: Drop March 24, 2026
• General admission: $20
• Late sale tickets: $50 (while supplies last)

Production & Partners

Champagne Reign is produced by A Celebration of Us, Inc. in partnership with:

• MelaninCon
• 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
• The year-round ECHO Amplified virtual workshop series

The series 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
• Community empowerment

The organization produces events, digital content, and community programming under the MelaninCon and The Posh Standard Media Group brands.

Reach includes:

• 351,000+ digital followers
• 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:

• 160,000+ Instagram followers
• 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.

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