Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• Panel - "Celebrating Resilience and Empowerment" The Second International Decade for People of African Descent

  • When
    02/24/2025
  •  
    3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Capitol Building, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, North Congressional Meeting Room (CVC 268)

  
  

  REGISTER HERE

  
  

  
  

  PANEL: "Celebrating Resilience and Empowerment"

  The Second International Decade for people of African Descent

  The Second International Decade for people of African Descent

  UNA National Capital Area and the UNA-Atlanta Chapter Join Congressman Hank Johnson and His Congressional Colleagues to Celebrate the 2nd United Nations-Designated International Decade for People of African Descent (2025-2034) and the Importance to the United Nations.
  
  In celebration of Black History Month and the UN’s recent adoption of a second International Decade for People of African Descent, UNA-NCA and UNA-Atlanta will host a congressional staff briefing to highlight the critical role of the U.S.-UN partnership in advancing the SDGs as it relates to the African diaspora. This discussion will offer attendees the chance to celebrate the successes of the first International Decade and discuss what challenges still lay ahead for realizing equal and quality education, access to economic opportunities, and other rights as we transition into the Second Decade.
  
  We will be joined by Congressman Hank Johnson in celebration of all members of congress who demonstrate a commitment to fostering mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration between the United States, the United Nations and the nations of the African continent. This event is an opportunity to explore how the International Decades for People of African Descent are directly aligned with the core mission of the United Nations: promoting peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights on a global scale.
  
  When: Monday, February 24, 2025 at 3:30pm EST
  Where: Capitol Building, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, North Congressional Meeting Room (CVC 268)
  Cost: Free, but registration is required

  Show details
• Night of Elevated Synergy at the Kennedy Center (co-hosted by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce)

  • When
    02/25/2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
  • Location
    Kennedy Center Opera House 2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20566

  
  

  REGISTER HERE 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Tuesday, February 25, 2025

  7:30m-10:00pm

  Kennedy Center Opera House

  2700 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20566

  Join us for an extraordinary evening that brings together premier business networking and cultural enrichment. Experience mega networking opportunities with members from co-hosting chambers and business associations, fostering powerful connections across industries. The night culminates with an awe-inspiring performance by Shen Yun, celebrating cultural heritage and unity. Together, we'll thrive through shared connections and inspiring experiences.

  
  

  Community Partners:

  
  

  Chinese Culture Institute

  
  

  Asian American Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Arlington Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Virginia Minority Chambers

  
  

  Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  The Eurasia Center

  
  

  Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  Thai American Association of Washington DC

  
  

  Global Chamber Baltimore/Washington

  
  

  Philippine American Chamber of Commerce Metro Washington DC

  
  

  Asian American Chamber of Commerce Foundation

  
  

  Northern Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  BWI Business Partnership

  
  

  Black Professionals in International Affairs

  
  

  Minority Business RoundTable

  
  

  French American Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  US India SME Council

  
  

  Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce

  
  

  African American Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County

  
  

  Show details
• February BPIA Monthly Family Gathering

  • When
    02/26/2025
  •  
    8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual (Zoom)

  Register

  Invitation to BPIA Monthly Family Gathering

  We are excited to invite you to join us next week for our BPIA Monthly Family Gathering! This gathering will provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow members and learn from our guest speaker.
  
  We are pleased to announce that we will be joined by Kayla Harley, a Certified Wellness Practitioner, who will share valuable insights on health and wellness.
  
  We truly hope you can join us for this engaging and informative event.
  

  Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you there!

  Show details
• Volunteer Sign-Up: 2nd Annual BPIA Community Service Day at Thomas Stone Elementary School

  • When
    02/27/2025
  •  
    5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Thomas Stone Elementary - 4500 34th St, Mt Rainier, MD

  COMPLETE VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP FORM (required to participate as volunteer; deadline 2/15)

  
  

  
  

  BPIA 2nd Annual Community Service Day @ Thomas Stone Elementary School

  Date: Thursday, February 27, 2024

  Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET

  Location: Thomas Stone Elementary School - 4500 34th St, Mt Rainier, MD

  Join us for an engaging evening of fun, learning, and community connection during this Black History Month Showcase! This special event introduces youth (K-5) and the local community to international affairs, study abroad opportunities, and the exciting world of travel.

  Activities Include:

  • Engaging Games
  • Fun-Filled Activities
  • Exciting Prizes
  • International Snacks & Candy

  This event, hosted by Thomas Stone Elementary School in partnership with other organizations, is open to the public. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate culture, expand horizons, and connect with your community!

  --------

  VOLUNTEERS: WEAR YOUR COLLEGE / HBCU /NPHC ATTIRE OR THE COLOR BLUE!

  

  Show details
• DACOR Bacon Presents...Dinner and Conversation "Plessy v. Ferguson & Brown v. The Board of Education Protagonists"

  • When
    03/04/2025
  •  
    6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    DACOR Bacon House - 1801 F St NW, Washington, DC 20006

  
  

  REGISTER HERE 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Please note this is a hybrid event - you have the option to attend in person or virtually. Registrations are required for all attendees. For in-person attendees, the event will run from 6:30 - 9 pm and will include dinner. The live stream will begin around 8 pm (virtual attendees will be sent a link for the event via email).
  
  Join DACOR and the Washington Ambassador Club International (ACI) for a conversation on Supreme Court racial justice cases, specifically Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education, with Steve Luxenberg and Todd Cox. The conversation will focus on addressing two protagonists in the transitions from slavery to segregation to integration: The 1896 Plessy v. Fersuson Supreme Court Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan (The Great Dissenter)  and Thurgood Marshall Sr, then founder and President-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund and Education (later US Supreme Court Associate Justice). The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA), Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) and Thursday Luncheon Group (TLG) are co-sponsors of the event.
  
  It is not by chance that the DACOR Bacon House is front and center during the program Conversation in that the first one-hundred years of the history of the Supreme Court are in the House. It was owned by or lived in by Supreme Court Chief Justices and officers from the 1830's - 1910 (beginning with Chief Justice John Marshall and ending with Chief Justice Melville Fuller). In fact, Chief Justice Melville Fuller, of Plessy v. Ferguson fame, purchased the House on April 28, 1896, the day that Plessy v. Ferguson Oral Arguments began. DACOR Bacon House coincidentally is celebrating its bicentennial of the House this year. As Lin Manuel Miranda said in Hamilton, "You will be in the room where it happened."
  
  Steve Luxenberg is an associate editor at The Washington Post and an award-winning author. During his forty years as a newspaper editor and reporter, Steve has overseen reporting that has earned many national honors for his reporters, including two Pulitzer Prizes.
   
  His latest nonfiction book, Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation, was published in 2019 to critical acclaim. It was selected as a New York Times Notable Book that year and long-listed for the Cundill History Prize. As a work in progress, Separate won the 2016 J. Anthony Lukas Award for excellence in nonfiction writing.
   
  In 2020, as the presidential election neared its final phase, Steve worked with his Washington Post colleagues Kevin Sullivan and Mary Jordan to tell the definitive story of the Trump impeachment, based on fresh reporting and dozens of in-depth interviews. With Steve serving as editor, the team wrote and published "Trump on Trial: The Investigation, Impeachment, Acquittal and Aftermath."
   
  Steve’s first book was Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret (2009), honored as a Michigan Notable Book and selected as the 2013-2014 Great Michigan Read. Steve also has a TV “credit.” Look carefully, and you’ll see him as an extra in the fifth and final season of HBO’s dramatic series, “The Wire,” which aired in 2008. (Hint: Episode three.)
   
  Steve’s journalistic career began at The Baltimore Sun, where he worked for 11 years. He joined The Post in 1985 as deputy editor of the investigative/special projects staff, headed by assistant managing editor Bob Woodward. In 1991, Steve succeeded Woodward as head of the investigative staff. From 1996 to 2006, Steve was the editor of The Post’s Sunday Outlook section, which publishes original reporting and provocative commentary on a broad spectrum of political, historical and cultural issues.
   
  Steve is a graduate of Harvard College. He grew up in Detroit. He and his wife, Mary Jo Kirschman, a former school librarian, live in Baltimore. They have two grown children, Josh and Jill.
  
  Todd A. Cox is Associate Director - Counsel at the Legal Defense Fund. Cox, who officially joined LDF on February 3, is returning to the organization after serving as the Vice President of Programs at Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. Cox has more than 30 years of experience in racial and social justice, having held leadership roles in law, philanthropy, and government, including the administration of President Barack Obama. His extensive background in civil rights policy and litigation includes two stints at LDF, where he led the political participation team and served as Director of Policy.
   
  Cox is familiar to LDF. He was Assistant Counsel from 1997 to 2003 where he litigated a variety of matters, particularly in the area of voting rights, and oversaw LDF’s political participation work. He later served as Director of the Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs in the Administration of President Barack Obama at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and most recently as Director of Criminal Justice Policy at leading Washington think tank the Center for American Progress where he provided a crucial and influential voice on federal criminal justice reform.
   
  Mr. Cox’s impressive list of credentials also includes serving as Deputy Chief of the Special Litigation Division at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and as a Program Officer and Acting Deputy Director of the Human Rights Unit at the Ford Foundation. He has years of experience as a civil rights litigator and policy advocate, including at the Department of Justice and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law.
  
  
   
  

  Show details
• March BPIA First Friday: International Women’s Day Edition

  • When
    03/07/2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    The Park at 14th 920 14th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20005

  
  

  REGISTER HERE

  
  

  
  

  BPIA First Fridays: International Women’s Day Edition

  Honoring the Power of Women in Diplomacy and Global Affairs

  Join us for a special First Fridays social mixer in celebration of International Women’s Day, as we honor the resilience, leadership, and global impact of women in diplomacy and international affairs.

  Women have long been at the forefront of shaping foreign policy, fostering global partnerships, and advocating for social justice across borders. From diplomatic envoys and ambassadors to international development leaders and policy strategists, their contributions have paved the way for greater inclusion and innovation on the world stage.

  This evening will bring together influential women leaders who are making a difference in global governance, foreign policy, and humanitarian efforts. Engage in meaningful conversations, network with professionals in the international affairs community, and celebrate the achievements of those breaking barriers and driving change.

  ✨ Event Highlights:

  • Honoring Special Guests: Women leaders in diplomacy and international affairs
  • Networking & Social Mixer: Connect with professionals in foreign affairs and related fields
  • Inspiring Conversations: Insights on leadership, advocacy, and navigating global challenges
  • Celebratory Atmosphere: Music, drinks, and a vibrant community

   Venue: The Park at 14th – 920 14th St NW, Washington, DC
  ⏰ Date & Time: Friday, March 7, 2025 | 6-8 PM EDT
   Age: 21+ | RSVP Required at IABPIA.ORG/EVENTS

  Join us as we celebrate, uplift, and empower women leaders who are shaping the future of diplomacy and global affairs. Your presence is a statement of support for their continued impact and legacy!

  #WomenLead #GlobalImpact #IWD #Diplomacy #FirstFridays

  Show details
• The Situation Room: The Grand Negotiation A Virtual Interactive Diplomatic Simulation

  • When
    03/08/2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Virtual (Zoom)

  Register

  
  

  
  

  
  

  The Situation Room: The Grand Negotiation

  A Virtual Interactive Diplomatic Simulation

  Join the Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) for an exclusive high-stakes diplomatic simulation where participants will step into the roles of global leaders, policymakers, and negotiators to tackle critical international challenges.

  Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
  ⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM EDT
  Location: Virtual (via zoom)

  What to Expect:

  ✅ Engage in real-time diplomatic problem-solving
  ✅ Navigate complex global issues through interactive simulations
  ✅ Develop strategic decision-making skills in international affairs

  Simulations Include:

  Crisis in Andoria – Manage a high-tension geopolitical conflict
  The Future of U.S. Foreign Aid – Shape foreign policy strategies
  Exploring Diplomatic Decision-Making Models – Understand the art of negotiation

  The event will be facilitated by Alexandria Maloney, BPIA President, and will offer participants a unique opportunity to enhance their diplomacy, negotiation, and leadership skills in a fast-paced environment.

  Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in global diplomacy and shape the future of international relations!

  Show details
• 2025 AI Innovation Summit: Students Shaping the Future of AI

  • When
    03/14/2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

  
  

  Calling All Students and Early Professionals interested in AI Careers! 

  REGISTER HERE 

  
  

  
  

  Event Title: 2025 AI Innovation Summit: Students Shaping the Future of AI through Collaboration and Innovation

  Event Date: Friday, March 14, 2025

  Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT

  Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (Ballroom) - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

  The 2025 AI Innovation Summit is a one-day event designed to foster collaboration and innovation between students, AI professionals, faculty, and industry experts. With keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and panel discussions, this summit will cover cutting-edge topics in AI, career development in tech, and strategies for innovation within the tech industry.

  Special thank you to our venue sponsor the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center!

  Panels Topics:

  • Headline Panel: Powering the Future AI Workforce
  • “AI In Action” Interactive Workshop
  • AI 2030: The Next Frontier of Student Innovation
  • Hot take Spotlight: “AI, Culture, and the Next Renaissance"
  • From Idea to Impact: Student-Led AI Innovations

  This Summit will feature a networking reception to follow.

  This event is fully in-person only. The event will not be recorded and there will not be an online option.

  Attire is business professional. Light refreshments will be served.

  For interested sponsors and community partners please complete this form by February 25 or email president@iabpia.org. 

  Show details