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Mayoral Summit Overview

At the Annual Festival of the Diaspora, US and Latin American Mayors converge to exchange insights and strategies, fostering collaboration for inclusive urban development. Small business owners from diverse backgrounds enrich discussions, sharing experiences and forging partnerships. Together, they champion innovation, resilience, and community-driven solutions, laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity

My biggest takeaway from this symposium is our ability to take a shared history and turn that into progress for all of our people. And I think it's up to us to come up with solutions in our time using technology and innovation to help those who have been marginalized and disenfranchised for years. and that's what this conference has been about.
Steve ReedMayor of Montgomery, Alabama
Steve Reed
The NBEC sponsors the Mayor Summit because it's a unique opportunity to globalize the leadership of our mayors.
Darius JonesPresident NBEC
Darius Jones

FOTD100 DISASPORIC LEADERSHIP

The Festival of the Diaspora is thrilled to unveil the inaugural FOTD100 in 2026—a prestigious new leadership award celebrating 100 consequential leaders from all over the Americas. This award spotlights mid-career changemakers—primarily under the age of 50 – whose achievements and vision reflect the extraordinary promise and power of the diasporic communities across the Americas.

The FOTD100 recognizes trailblazers who are breaking barriers, forging connections, and driving meaningful change in their fields and communities. Whether making an impact through civic engagement, entrepreneurship, the arts, education, advocacy, or beyond, these honorees exemplify the Festival’s core values: equity, innovation, and the collective advancement of our communities.

Honorees will receive:

  • 2026 FOTD100 Leadership Award Coin.
  • Special recognition at the 2026 Festival of the Diaspora Gala on March 15th at the historic Casa de Espana in old town San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • Special pricing for the Festival of the Diaspora.
  • A featured profile in the “Voices of the Diaspora” podcast series
  • Membership in a distinguished global leadership network dedicated to building a more prosperous and inclusive future for all.
 

Nomination Criteria:

  • Demonstrated leadership and impact in their field or community
  • Self-identify as Black, Latino, or Indigenous and reside in Canada, the United States, or Mexico
  • Mid-career professionals, primarily under the age of 50
  • Commitment to the values of excellence, innovation, and collective uplift
 

FOTD100 Nomination Guidelines

  • Who Can Be Nominated?
  • Nominees must self-identify as Black, Latino, or Indigenous.
  • Nominees must reside in Canada, the United States, or Mexico.
  • Nominees should be mid-career professionals, primarily under the age of 45.
  • Nominees must demonstrate a record of leadership, innovation, and positive impact in their field or community.

Who Can Nominate?

Anyone can submit a nomination, including colleagues, mentors, community members, or self-nominations.

How to Nominate:

  1. Complete the official FOTD100 Nomination Form – Click Button Below 
  2. Provide a brief biography of the nominee (max 250 words).
  3. Describe the nominee’s impact and leadership (max 500 words), including specific achievements and examples.
  4. Include at least one letter of support or reference.
  5. Submit any relevant links or supporting materials (e.g., press coverage, project websites).
 

Open Call from September 3rd to October 15th, 2025

FOTD100 Nomination FORM

Join The Next FOTD100 Leadership Award

Interested in participating in our next FOTD100 Leadership Award? Please submit an inquiry form below and we will reach out to you.

Next Stop
Puerto Rico!

The 5th Annual Festival of the Diaspora is heading back to where the movement started in 2022, San Juan, Puerto Rico! Having held festivals in three countries over the last four years, we return to Historic San Juan with a more comprehensive event that now includes a pitch competition, fashion show, exhibition hall, incredible content from the stage and the unveiling of the first FOTD100 list which will honor 100 leaders across the Americas in our closing gala.

Whether you’ve attended before or are a first-time festival-goer, we invite you to register today and experience the joy and diversity of our diasporic community.

Purchase Tickets

About The Festival Of The Diaspora Organization

Each year, we bring our unwavering belief and unwavering commitment to a new city, ignited a ripple effect of positive impact.

About FOTD

Our Past Festivals:

First FOTD Convening (2022)

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Our beginngs start with the first festival taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the idyllic Hilton Grand Resort. We kicked off our convening with more than 150 leaders from 12 countries.
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Our Past Festivals:

Second FOTD Convening (2023)

Cartagena, Colombia

More than 200 leaders convened in this historic city, savoring the historic irony of celebrating underestimated communities on top of a 500 year old fortress built by their formerly enslaved ancestors.
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Our Past Festivals:

Third FOTD Convening (2024)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

With the fumes of Carnaval still in the air, a record-setting group of leaders descended upon Rio de Janeiro for the 3rd annual Festival of the Diaspora. The sun, sand and vibrancy of the city left an indelible mark on all 240 attendees.
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Our Past Festivals:

Fourth FOTD Festival (2025)

Medellín, Colombia

For our 4th annual Festival of the Diaspora in Medellin, we welcomed more than 350 leaders to the city of Eternal Spring! In addition to our annual Black Ambition/Casa Innovation Pitch Competition, we hosted our first Fashion Show at the Medellin Museum of Modern Art, our first Exhibition Hall which featured more than 40 entrepreneurs and a Festival of the Spirits to honor the tradition of Viche (an ancestral alcoholic beverage made of sugar cane). Our guests ventured to the neighborhood transformed by hip hop (Comuna 13) as well as engaged in a multitude of nighttime activities each evening.
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Past Festival Events

Our beginnings start with the first festival taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the idyllic Hilton Grand Resort. We kicked off our convening with more than 150 leaders from 46 countries.

The second FOTD in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, leveraged lessons learned from the first year to curate an unparalleled four day event during March of 2023 where over 200 leaders gathered at the Cartagena Centro Convenciones and took over the ancient city to celebrate, connect and collaborate.

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FOTD Event Schedule

  • Feb 13th, 2025
  • 1:30 PM
  • -
  • 1:00 AM
  • Intercontinental Medellin

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Moderator: Ivan Barron
Sponsor: Black Ambition
Track: Main Track
Themes: Tech & Society
Speaker(s) Aaron Cervantes
  • Feb 14th, 2025
  • 1:30 PM
  • -
  • 1:00 AM
  • Medellin Museum of Modern Art

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Donec vitae augue eu enim bibendum fringilla. Vivamus posuere id erat sed porta...
Moderator: Cordell Carter
Sponsor: Casa Innovation
Track: Track A
Speaker(s) Ada Williams Prince
  • Feb 14th, 2025
  • 1:30 PM
  • -
  • 1:00 AM
  • Medellin Museum of Modern Art

Curabitur vel massa nec sem volutpat cursus.

Donec vitae augue eu enim bibendum fringilla. Vivamus posuere id erat sed porta...
Moderator: Ivan Barron
Sponsor: Casa Innovation
Track: Track A
Themes: Tech & Society
Speaker(s) Al Cockfield

Our Vision

Each of these organizations is committed to fostering a sense of belonging within their communities; creating an inclusive workplace culture that values and respects all individuals, regardless of their background or identity.

Through our partnership, we hope to continue to cultivate and celebrate our humanity, while creating international unity and impact.