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Hilton Hosts and Celebrates Achievements of Washington Association of Black Journalists

The WABJ and local businesses converged at the Washington Hilton National Mall

MCLEAN, Va. - On Sunday, December 8th, Hilton hosted the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) Holiday Party and Scholarship Benefit at the Washington Hilton National Mall to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African American journalists, media and communicators.

During the evening, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Founding Member and former New York Times editor Paul Delaney was honored with the WABJ Legacy Award for his exemplary career in journalism, which has spanned more than 50 years and set a new standard of excellence in the field.

Athelia Knight, award-winning journalist and Adjunct Lecturer at Georgetown University’s Journalism Program, was honored with the WABJ Building the Next Generation Award for her work training and mentoring students and young professionals interested in the field of journalism.

“We at Hilton truly believe in the mission of our founder, Conrad Hilton, to spread the light and warmth of hospitality around the world, and that is why we are always striving to be the best community partner that we can be,” said Andréa Richardson, Head of Multicultural Engagement at Hilton. “It is in this same spirit that we were honored to play the true part of a community partner and host WABJ, celebrating its members and their invaluable contributions and achievements in the field.”

“WABJ is thrilled to receive the support and hospitality of Hilton, and we look forward to continued partnership in the many years to come,” said Donna Walker, President of Washington Association of Black Journalists.

Demonstrating further community support, the evening’s dining options were sourced from local businesses, such as Ivy City Smokehouse and FireFly Farms. Hilton also applied its sustainability practices by banning plasticware from the event, donating leftover meals to local shelters and composting any food that could not be rescued or donated.   

True to its Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals, Hilton is committed to cutting its environmental footprint in half and doubling its investment in social impact, as well as doubling its sourcing spend from local, small and medium-sized enterprises and minority-owned suppliers.

“It was a joy to witness so many community partners coming together in order to commemorate the exceptional work WABJ members execute day in and day out,” added Richardson. “It was a very special evening for all involved.”

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the WABJ Urban Journalism Workshop and Scholarship Fund.

About Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ)

The Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) is the District’s local chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) that was founded in 1975. WABJ provides members with ongoing professional education opportunities and advocates for greater diversity within journalism. The organization is for African American journalists, journalism professors, public relations professionals and student journalists in the Washington, D.C., metro area.


About Hilton

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising more than 7,500 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 180 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube