Best of the DMV Culminates with Inaugural Winners Celebration

December 23, 2025

The Washington Informer held its inaugural Best of the DMV Winners Celebration on December 21st at Busboys and Poets in Anacostia, honoring winners selected through more than 15,000 votes across 200 categories celebrating Black excellence in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. The event, led by Ra-Jah Kelly and supported by Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes with Safeway sponsorship, recognized Black-led businesses, creatives, and institutions ranging from event planners and festivals to HBCUs and nonprofit organizations. During the celebration, organizers announced the creation of The Washington Informer Charities' James L.

Who is affected

Winners across 200+ categories including The Spotlight DMV, Anacostia BID, Creative Designs by Jamila Boddie, Eastern Market, The StoreHouse, H Street Festival, Kelsey Nicole Nelson, Morgan State University, Howard University, Tomika Anderson/Manifest Greatness Media, Noble Integrative Health, Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Rent The Dress DC, Tee Wright, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Andy Shallal/Busboys and Poets
The Washington Informer staff and leadership including Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, Managing Editor Micha Green, and Chief Officer Ra-Jah Kelly
More than 15,000 voters and 2,000 nominators from the DMV region
Finalists and supporters who attended the December 21st event
Future beneficiaries of the James L. Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund
Black-led and Black-owned businesses and organizations throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The event described took place on December 21st (a completed action), and future plans for 2026 are mentioned but not described as currently ongoing.

Why it matters

This inaugural awards celebration matters because it counters negative narratives about the DMV region by highlighting positive contributions from Black leaders, businesses, and cultural institutions through community-driven recognition. The event provides crucial visibility and validation for Black entrepreneurship and cultural work, particularly during a period described as marked by federal pushback against Black narratives and contributions. By empowering the community to select winners through voting, the initiative ensures authentic representation of who residents consider impactful changemakers. The establishment of a scholarship fund in James L. Wright's name extends the significance by investing in future generations of journalists who will continue telling community stories. The celebration reinforces the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses and institutions that form the "heart and soul" of the region, fostering communal connections and partnerships during challenging times when such solidarity is especially needed.

What's next

The Best of the DMV awards program will return in 2026
Ra-Jah Kelly plans to develop more partnerships and elevate the campaign
The Washington Informer Charities' James L. Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund will support early career journalists with a focus on community storytelling and lifelong learning

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer