President of Andrew Roby Events, a DC-based event planning company, to speak at Weddings Insider Conference about turning diversity, equity, and inclusion talk into action.
As a Black man at the helm of a premier DC event planning company and advocate for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in his industry, Andrew Roby has seen progress. But he believes there must be a greater focus on turning intentions for greater DEI into implementation, and he will share his action plan as a speaker at the upcoming Weddings Insider Conference and Trade Show.
The conference will run from March 4-6 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. It will feature more than 150 seminars to help leaders in the wedding industry grow their businesses. Topics will include embracing the latest industry tech, stepping up digital advertising, mastering social media, and more. It will also feature more than 200 exhibits showcasing the latest products and services that are elevating the industry. Attendees will include everyone from florists to DJs to caterers to videographers to gown/tuxedo shops…and more.
As the leader of Andrew Roby Events, which specializes in planning luxury weddings and other events in the DC, Dallas, and LA areas, Andrew has learned that what event specialists do personally can affect how they operate as industry professionals.
“If our personal circles are full of people who look like us, it is that much harder for us to recognize the need and to seek out diversity at work,” said Roby.
Roby said that among US event industry professionals, just 14% feel that diversity and inclusion have been accepted in the event industry and their organizations. And just 18% of these professionals say their companies are actively promoting DEI in the workplace.
“It’s time to stop feeling fearful about who we are and our privilege and start supporting those who don’t look like us,” said Roby. “It will take more than just intention. If we focus more on talking about DEI (intention) and less on making the changes (implementation) we will never see any significant goals being reached. I’ll be discussing how we can accelerate implementation.”
Roby specializes in planning for corporate events, weddings, and social events. He is the winner of Wedding Wire’s Couples’ Choice Award and was one of just 104 recipients of Brides’ Best Wedding Planners in America distinction. Eventex named him among the 100 most influential people in the event industry.
To learn more about Andrew Roby’s event planning company or his dedication to making the events space more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, visit AndrewRobyEvents.com.
About Andrew Roby Events
Andrew Roby Events is a one-stop-shop that offers a wide array of Event and Wedding planning services. Whether it’s a wedding, a government or corporate event, or any social event, they know what to do and how to make the event perfect and memorable.