CNHED’s Silver Jubilee 25th Anniversary Gala

Join us for an unforgettable evening commemorating 25 years of dedicated service to Washington, DC communities at the CNHED Silver Jubilee 25th Anniversary Gala. This landmark event will take place on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium (1301 Constitution Ave. NW), and will bring together leaders, advocates, and changemakers who have played pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of community economic development in our nation’s capital.

A Night of Celebration and Reflection

As we gear up for this momentous occasion, our team is diligently working to curate an evening that reflects the essence of our organization’s journey. This milestone celebration promises an evening filled with inspiration, reflection, networking opportunities, and glimpses into the transformative projects that have defined CNHED’s legacy.

CNHED's Silver Jubilee 25th Anniversary Gala

When

October 22, 2024

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Bookings

Bookings closed

Where

Andrew W Mellon Auditorium

Event Type

Bookings

Bookings are closed for this event.

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April De Simone Speaker Headshot

It is our pleasure to announce April De Simone as our Silver Jubilee featured keynote speaker!

You might know April from her nationally acclaimed exhibit “Undesign the Redline,” which explains the history of redlining–the explicit devaluation of residential areas based on race–and other, once legal policies that denied Black residents and other people of color access to homeownership in upper Northwest DC and nationwide. This year, she launched The Practice of Democracy, a decentralized design practice committed to the long-term work of advancing equitable and just systemic change, moving beyond the one-off projects of architecture.

So who is April De Simone? April works at the intersection of social dynamics and spatial design. She investigates how built environments interact with the people and societies that occupy them. Her transdisciplinary approach emphasizes the ways human experience, historical reflection and background, intention and interpretation informs and promotes occurrences like equity, healing, and justice within spatial practice. Her work is inspired by her experiences growing up in a Bronx, New York neighborhood, steeped in the collateral consequences of intentionally designed systems.

Through a nuanced understanding of how individuals interact with and interpret their surroundings, April applies a social and spatial phenomena framework to inform her multidimensional research and design practice.

Special Guests

Emcee | Ebony McMorris

Ebony McMorris is an award-winning journalist based in Washington D.C. whose career in TV and radio spans nearly two decades. Currently, she serves as the White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks – a division of A Wonder Media. On an average day, she covers press conferences and briefings from the Brady Press Room in the White House, creating audio reports and video content for AURN affiliates and the company’s social media. She also hosts a weekly Business for the Culture digital program and co-hosts a weekly news feature on WHUR-FM in Washington, D.C. Check out all the segments Ebony has hosted here.

DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development | Nina Albert

Nina Albert currently serves as the District’s Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and has more than 20 years of experience in public real estate strategy, public-private partnership negotiations, economic revitalization, and sustainable development. As a leader with a proven track record of innovation, sustainability, and using public real estate to support communities and economic development, she prioritizes collaboration, fosters a diverse culture of high performers and encourages growth mindset and creative ideas.

DC Council Chairman | Phil Mendelson

Phil was first elected to the DC Council as an At-Large Councilmember in 1998. In 2012, Phil’s colleagues selected him to become the Chairman of the DC Council following the resignation of his predecessor. Subsequently, voters elected and reelected Phil as Chairman in 2012, 2014, and 2018.

As Chairman, Phil leads the Council on all legislative matters. He also serves as the chair for the Committee of the Whole with specific oversight of the District budget, Council relations with the federal government, planning and zoning, DC statehood, the retirement system, the University of the District of Columbia, the DC auditor, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, and DCPS and charter schools.

DC At-Large Councilman | Kenyan McDuffie

An experienced attorney, civil rights advocate, and community leader dedicated to improving the lives of District residents, Kenyan R. McDuffie, was first elected in a 2012 special election to represent Ward 5 on the Council of the District of Columbia. In November 2014, Ward 5 voters overwhelmingly re-elected him to his first full four-year term. Councilmember McDuffie was again re-elected in 2018. In 2022, District residents, in all 8 Wards, elected him to serve as Councilmember At-Large.

On the Council, Councilmember McDuffie has established himself as a skilled legislator and coalition builder, including having been elected by his colleagues to serve as Chairman Pro Tempore since 2013. As a testament to his diligent work and preparation, more often than not the legislation Councilmember McDuffie champions passes the Council unanimously.

Program

Doors Open at 5:30pm for Cocktails & Networking
Dinner & program begins at 6:00pm sharp
A dessert reception will begin promptly after the program
The evening’s events will conclude at 9:00pm

Attire
This is a celebration! However, we recognize many will be coming from work. We encourage guests to wear business or cocktail attire.

Parking & Transportation
We encourage guests to use public transportation due to the location of the venue (Federal Triangle Metro Stop). For those who do decide to drive, free valet parking is available.

Thank you to our sponsors.

Sponsorship provides invaluable exposure and can lead to a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship that drives future growth and greater impact!

Interested? Take a look at some of the benefits of a CNHED 25th Anniversary Gala sponsorship.

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