Black-Owned Businesses Win Democratic National Convention Contracts

It’s My Affair and The Main Event were two of the 13 vendors awarded event planning contracts for the Democratic National Convention’s delegation parties this fall. The Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee announced the contracts at a ceremony last week at the Bechtler Museum.

“I’d like to thank the Host Committee for their continued hard work and commitment to ensuring our convention visitors come away excited by all Charlotte has to offer—from its fantastic restaurants and entertainment, to its incomparable Southern hospitality,” said Travis Dredd, Chief of Staff for the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC), in a statement.

The Delegate Welcome Events will be held on September 2 and will be divided between 12 venues around the region that will host the approximately 6,000 delegates. The venues represent the diversity, culture, landscape, and history of the Charlotte region. Rather than hosting all delegates at one venue, choosing to host these welcome events at 12 venues expands business opportunities to companies across the region.

• Rhonda Caldwell’s The Main Event will host the delegates from Florida, Mississippi and Alabama at the Historic Rosedale Plantation.

• Karen Lawerence’s It’s My Affair will host the delegates from New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture.

The full list of vendors is on the Charlotte in 2012 website. Lawrence and Caldwell were excited about the opportunity to work with the convention and represent the city.

“It give us an opportunity to do an event on a international level,” Caldwell said. “This is going to put charlotte on the world stage. It puts us in a great position to be able to a part of that.”

The event planning contract is Lawrence’s second contract. She is also working with hotel arrangements for the delegations. Lawrence wrote a powerful testimony for Praise Charlotte about God’s hand in her success and how she’s been able to give back.

“To be awarded two contracts has exceeded my expectations and is moving my business into a much different space,” Lawrence said. “I am excited about representing Charlotte, hosting our guests, being in the moment and being a part of history.”