Helen Mesfin, founder of Empower the Community Weekend and host and executive producer of The Helen Show on EBS. (Courtesy Photo)
Tadias Magazine
July 2026
New York (TADIAS) — Empower the Community Weekend (ECW), one of the Washington metropolitan area’s premier annual gatherings celebrating the East African diaspora, marks its 10th anniversary this month with a two-day celebration bringing together leaders in business, government, healthcare, education, technology, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Founded by Helen Mesfin—host and executive producer of The Helen Show on EBS—ECW has grown over the past decade into a signature forum for professional networking, community dialogue, cultural celebration, and civic engagement. Since its launch, the event has welcomed thousands of participants while creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, students, families, and professionals to connect and learn from one another.
This year’s anniversary celebration takes place on July 24–25, 2026, beginning with a gala dinner on Friday evening at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, followed by ECW’s signature Community Day on Saturday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Hosted by award-winning journalist Bofta Yimam, the anniversary gala will celebrate ten years of community impact while recognizing the sponsors, partners, volunteers, and leaders whose support has helped shape ECW’s growth. The evening will also feature performances by Kuku Sebsebe, Bezuayhu Demissie, Hibist Tiruneh, Ras Band, and DJ Luda. A portion of the gala proceeds will benefit the Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community (EESNC).
Saturday’s Community Day will once again transform the Walter E. Washington Convention Center into a hub of learning, networking, and celebration, offering more than thirty speakers, educational sessions, a health and wellness pavilion, a marketplace, youth programming, cultural performances, and family-friendly activities throughout the day.
(Courtesy Photo)
Among this year’s featured discussions are conversations on leadership, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, immigration, mental health, parenting, higher education, and career development. Speakers include accomplished executives, innovators, healthcare professionals, educators, public officials, and community leaders representing organizations across the public and private sectors.
Reflecting on the milestone, Helen said the anniversary is both a celebration of the community’s accomplishments and an opportunity to look toward the future.
ECW began with a simple idea and a bold vision to create a space where our community could learn, connect, discover opportunities, and celebrate our culture together. Ten years later, that vision has grown into a movement powered by thousands of people who continue to believe in the strength of community. This milestone is not just about looking back—it is about building what’s next. The best is yet to come.”
Beyond Washington, ECW’s mission has expanded internationally through Empower Addis, launched in Addis Ababa in 2024 to strengthen connections between Ethiopia and the global diaspora through conversations on innovation, entrepreneurship, health, education, and culture. The third annual Empower Addis is scheduled to take place later this year in Addis Ababa.
For many in the Ethiopian and Eritrean communities, Empower the Community Weekend has become more than an annual event—it has evolved into a platform that celebrates achievement while encouraging collaboration across generations and professions.
The 10th anniversary celebration continues that tradition, offering participants opportunities to build relationships, exchange ideas, and explore resources designed to strengthen individuals, families, businesses, and communities.
Tadias Magazine congratulates Helen Mesfin and the Empower the Community Weekend team on reaching this important ten-year milestone and looks forward to continuing to highlight the conversations and connections that have made ECW a valued annual tradition for the Ethiopian, Eritrean, and broader East African diaspora.
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If You Go:
Registration for both the Gala Dinner and Community Day is available through the Empower the Community Weekend website.
Event Information
ECW 10th Anniversary Gala
Friday, July 24, 2026 • 6:30 p.m.
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
ECW Community Day
Saturday, July 25, 2026 • 11:00 a.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
For tickets and additional information, visit www.empowercw.com.
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