Politics & Inclusion co-hosted by CNN’s Abby Phillip and ColorComm’s Lauren Wesley Wilson brought together a 50 person sit-down dinner to celebrate media personalities and political journalists in Washington DC, in honor of White House Correspondents’ Weekend at Masseria restaurant on Friday, April 29. The dinner brought together the “whose who” in media to celebrate diversity in journalism.
The Politics & Inclusion Dinner was sponsored by Google and Moët Hennessey USA. The dinner celebrated rising stars and established industry leaders across major networks.
The evening kicked off with a private reception hosted by Moët Hennessey featuring specialty cocktails named after the co-hosts the “Downtown Abby” for Abby Phillip and “L-Dubya-Dubya” for Lauren Wesley Wilson which featured Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège.
Several notables in attendance included Gayle King, Don Lemon, Sunny Hostin, Jim Acosta, Symone Sanders, Yamiche Alcindor, Geoff Bennett, Fin Gomez, Alicia Menendez, Ana Navarro, Weijia Jiang, among others.
Attendees dined on a 3-course meal which included lamb & beef, prepared by Masseria’s Chef Chef Nicholas Stefanelli.
The Politics & Inclusion Dinner was unique among the receptions and parties that were hosted all weekend. This was one of the few sit-down dinners among the WHCD party circuit.
“The Politics and Inclusion dinner is so rare and so needed. We’ve got a lot of work to do to make political journalism a more inclusive place, but I’m just floored by how far we’ve come,” said Phillip.
“I represent the inclusion piece. I’ve overseen the ColorComm Corporation for the past 11 years, where our work focuses on amplifying people of color in media and communications, said Lauren Wesley Wilson, CEO, ColorComm Corporation. “If you build it, they will come,” said Wesley Wilson.
Guests didn’t want to leave and they dined well into 10:30 pm. Co-Hosts Abby Phillip and Lauren Wesley Wilson closed out the evening toasting to a successful night with Dom Perignon champagne, sponsored by Moët Hennessey USA.
