DC Black MBA is opening a three-part workshop series Oct. 22 to help Black women across the Washington region rebuild their careers after steep job losses in 2025.

The series, "Leading with Intention by Investing in Self," runs on three consecutive Thursdays through Nov. 5, according to a Washington Informer press release published by the organization. DC Black MBA, the D.C. chapter of the National Black MBA Association, developed the program in partnership with Blu Topaz Inc. Educational Consulting.

The workshops come as revised employment data show roughly 251,000 Black women lost jobs nationally between January and August 2025. That figure accounted for more than half of all employment losses among women during that stretch, even though Black women make up just 14.1% of the female workforce, the organization said. By the end of 2025, 113,000 fewer Black women were employed than at the start of the year. Maryland alone lost about 25,000 federal jobs in 2025, according to state employment data cited in the release.

Federal employment has long anchored economic stability for Black professionals in the D.C. metro area, the organization noted.

Dr. Carletta S. Hurt, president of DC Black MBA, said the series reflects a broader commitment. "I am focused on doing more and providing as many opportunities as possible for Black women to invest in themselves both professionally and personally," Hurt said, according to the release.

Each Thursday session features a different facilitator and theme:

  • Oct. 22, "Recalibrating Your Compass": Geraldine P. White, founder and CEO of Identity & Impact, will guide participants through questions of identity, direction and purpose. White said participants can feel proud of what they have built while being ready for something different.
  • Oct. 29, "Successful, But Stuck": Tonya Camille, creator of Me in the Making and Unstuck & Inspired, will lead an interactive session on identifying fears and limiting beliefs that block forward movement.
  • Nov. 5, "Rest is Revolutionary": Tokiwa T. Smith, a nonprofit leader, author and consultant, will challenge the expectation that achievement must come at the expense of Black women's own well-being.

The workshop series builds on DC Black MBA's Women's Symposium, "MastHERpiece: Designing a Life with Intention," held Aug. 22 at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. In an August release previewing that event, Hurt told the Washington Informer that "MastHERpiece is an invitation for women to be just as intentional about what they are building for themselves."

No venue has been announced for the workshop sessions. The organization directs interested residents to its website, dcblackmbaa.org, for registration and cost details.

Upcoming community events:

  • Thursday, Oct. 22: DC Black MBA "Recalibrating Your Compass" workshop (check dcblackmbaa.org for location)
  • Thursday, Oct. 29: DC Black MBA "Successful, But Stuck" workshop
  • Thursday, Nov. 5: DC Black MBA "Rest is Revolutionary" workshop