Butch Graves headed to the NABJ convention in Chicago!
Black Enterprise’s CEO Butch Graves will sit alongside some of Black media’s elite on an impactful panel hosted by The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) during the 2024 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Conference.
This year, the ELC will take center stage to host an array of influential media executives who have paved the way in Black media for decades. “The Power of Black Leadership and Today’s Media Landscape” panel will be jam-packed with the best of the best in Black media spaces, including Essence CEO Caroline Wanga, CBS’ VP of News, Tanya Black, CEO of Reach TV, Lynnwood Bibbens and BET’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kimberly Paige, according to a press release shared with Black Enterprise.
While on the NABJ stage, the group will take a deep dive into Black leaders’ pivotal role in shaping the media’s narrative, break down the challenges faced, and explain how to continue being the driver of inclusivity. Those who attend will hear and see the powerful world of leadership, diversity, and the future of media.
Since 1986, the ELC has been a lifeline in mentoring Black leaders in higher education and corporate America. Formed by a group of 19 Black corporate executives –- eighteen men and one woman — the group started by helping to keep the doors of the former HBCU, Bishop College, open until 1988. After becoming a “catalyst for a corporate civil rights movement,” the group’s legacy has continued to be vital in “supporting, developing, and nurturing Black excellence” across numerous sectors.
The annual NABJ conference will take place in Chicago between July 31 and Aug. 4. Black journalists and media professionals from all over the country come together for this annual event to embed a lasting impact on culture and to continue a “legacy of thriving Black-owned businesses and cultural institutions.”
Since the Windy City was voted as the best big city in the U.S. seven years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler, the event will surely see a slew of industry leaders, innovators, and influencers in media, technology, government, community service, health, arts, entertainment, academia, and more. In 2023, more than 3,000 people attended the multi-day conference in Birmingham, Alabama.
The topics corresponding with this year’s schedule are ones that attendees don’t want to miss. Some topics include writing data-driven stories, making connections in the newsroom, building small business success, and more. Attendees can also make lasting media connections or find their next employer by attending the all-day Career Fair & Exhibits.
