Nielsen’s presence at this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF’s) Annual Legislative Conference in September served as the backdrop for the release of our seventh report on African-American consumers, ‘African-American Women: Our Science, Her Magic.’ For six of the past seven years, we have released our annual Diverse Intelligence Series report during a press conference at the event in Washington, D.C. This year, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) was our featured guest.
Congresswoman Waters lauded Nielsen’s commitment to quantifying the impact and power of Black consumers, as well as the fruitful relationship we’ve had for many years with the Congressional Black Caucus. Cheryl Grace, SVP, U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement, Nielsen, gave attendees an overview of the report. Grace’s remarks focused on key insights from the report including Black women’s purchasing behaviors, digital and social media habits, and the growing household leadership. She was introduced by Lori Hall, SVP, Marketing for TVOne, and member of Nielsen’s African-American External Advisory Council.
“The importance of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation within the Black community has made the annual legislative conference a natural fit for the release of our African-American consumer reports over the past several years,” said Grace. “Our continued collaboration with the CBCF has been a critical part of our brand awareness campaigns that support our outreach in African-American communities across the U.S. And, given the focus of this year’s report on Black women, the insights we shared resonated not only with important Black congressional leaders, but also their constituents from across the country.”
Our presence at the conference stretched well beyond our report launch. Grace also gave remarks at Congresswoman Waters’ ‘Young, Gifted and Black’ braintrust panel discussion, and participated in Rep. Yvette Clarke’s (D-NY) ‘Lights, Camera and Action: Being a Media Mogul’ braintrust session. These two sessions further promoted Nielsen’s work in African-American communities and gave us an opportunity to share insights from the newly released report with others attending the conference, including trendsetters and influencers from the Black community.
In addition, Lamont Robinson, VP of Supplier Diversity for Nielsen, spoke at a brunch hosted by the Checkered Flag Run Foundation as part of the conference. The brunch focused on the role global corporations play in supporting veteran-owned enterprises in the U.S. The brunch also served as a kickoff for HeroZona, a weeklong celebration for America’s military veterans in Phoenix. During HeroZona, Nielsen, in collaboration with the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), hosted a two-day veteran-owned business expo designed to increase business networking and contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses with corporate buyers, government entities and business owners.
We also attended the conference’s culminating event, the 47th Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner, where extraordinary African-American citizens were recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to the community. This year’s honorees included civil rights activist Ruby Bridges Hall, scholar and educator Dr. Thomas Freeman, activist Tamika Mallory, Ambassador Ron Kirk, and Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS).
“Our continued collaboration with the CBCF over the years has been a solid example of the importance we place on making sure that our multicultural insights reach policymakers on the Hill,” said Joby Fortson, VP, Federal Government Affairs, Nielsen. “Our subject matter experts in Diversity & Inclusion have helped us bolster our relationships with policymakers—ensuring they are equipped with vital information to help amplify the work they do to support their constituents.”
Our sponsorship of the CBCF conference, in tandem with our sponsorship of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI’s) annual leadership conference and Capitol Hill collaboration with the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), highlights our commitment to building relationships with important policymakers who represent consumers in diverse communities. The multicultural insights we share at these events are designed to help political leaders make informed decisions regarding their constituents and their everyday lives.
Photo credit: André Chung
