Join Ohio Women’s Alliance for our inaugural gala, Celebrate BLACK!
Thursday, September 4
7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
@ The Junto in Columbus
Celebrate BLACK is a night of empowerment and unity that celebrates the incredible power that is unleashed when we invest in the vision and leadership of Black women. Enjoy live entertainment, delicious food, and inspiring speakers as we come together to celebrate the work of Ohio Women's Alliance and fuel the fight ahead!
ATTIRE: Please wear black!
Our Keynote Conversation
Teresa C. Younger, President & CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, will be our special guest this September at the Ohio Women's Alliance Gala, Celebrate BLACK! Facilitated by OWA Founder & Executive Director Rhiannon Carnes, our keynote conversation will focus on what it truly means to invest in the vision and leadership of Black women as we work to transform Ohio and the nation.
Teresa is an activist, advocate, renowned public speaker, organizational strategist, and a proven leader in the philanthropic and policy sectors. Having spent 30 years on the frontlines of some of the most critical battles for comprehensive equity and the elimination of institutionalized oppression, for just over a decade she has served as the President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. She is the longest-serving CEO of color and the second-longest-serving CEO in Ms.’ over 50-year herstory.
Celebrate BLACK (Bold Leaders Accelerating Change & Kinship) Honorees
Emerging Leader Honorees
Introducing Celebrate BLACK Host, Preston Mitchum!
Preston Mitchum (he/him) is an award-winning Black queer attorney, advocate, and activist. As the founder of PDM Consulting, he amplifies the voices and power of Black people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and young people.
With nearly 15 years in law and policy, Preston has held key roles at The Trevor Project, URGE, Advocates for Youth, the Center for American Progress, and more. He has also taught LGBTQ Health Law & Policy at Georgetown University Law Center and Sexuality, Gender Identity, & the Law at American University Washington College of Law.
Preston’s leadership spans reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial justice. He serves on the Board of Directors for Spark Reproductive Justice and has led efforts at Collective Action for Safe Spaces and the National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in the 10-week protest against Nellie’s Sports Bar in Washington, D.C.
A respected media voice, Preston has been featured in The Washington Post, People, BET, MTV, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, The Grio, The Atlantic, MSNBC, and more. His accolades include DC LGBTQ’s “Most Committed Activist” (2021) and the National LGBTQ+ Bar’s Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 (2020).
Preston holds an LL.M. from American University, a J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University, and a B.A. in Political Science, cum laude, from Kent State University.
You can also catch him on Bravo’s Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard.