2025 NABJ Convention
& Career Fair

Resilience. Advocacy. Excellence.

The Land of Black Excellence

Celebrating 50 Years of NABJ

From Aug. 6-10, 2025, thousands of the nation’s top journalists, media leaders, innovators and students will gather in The Land for the National Association of Black Journalists' 50th Annual Convention & Career Fair at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

As proud hosts, we’re ready to showcase a city where the Black community’s impact on culture, history and progress runs deep — from breaking barriers in sports and business to shaping music, politics and the arts.

We can't wait to show off the bold spirit, deep pride and unstoppable energy that defines Cleveland. See you in The Land for #NABJ25.

NABJ Conference Info

NABJ Hotels

Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland

Black Culture in CLE

NABJ Official Website

Greater Cleveland Association
of Black Journalists

Cleveland’s bringing the heat for NABJ 2025, and GCLEABJ is leading the charge with Cleveland experiences you won't find anywhere else.

Aug. 3: Drive Cleveland Golf Outing benefitting The 100 Black Men of Greater Cleveland and GCLEABJ.
Aug. 5: Pre-convention reception in the Eastman Reading Gardento mix it up with the city’s media scene.
Aug. 6: Celebrate CLE's musical legacy with a night of dancing, drinks and history at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Aug. 9: Dive into the real Cleveland with curated tours that spotlight Black history, urban farming and local arts.

This is more than a schedule — it’s a love letter from The Land. Register today.

Learn More

Know Before You Go

F.A.Q.

Transportation

Weather

Maps

Accessibility

The Land Lounge

Party with CLE on Mall B

Destination Cleveland welcomes NABJ Convention attendees to a CLE-style party at The Land Lounge on Mall B outside the front entrance of Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. Bring your badge and enjoy summer views of Lake Erie, food trucks, live music, retail pop-ups, games and authentic Black CLE programming from Black CoLabs.

Wednesday, August 6

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Lunch-Hour Activation (Convention attendees only.)
- Food trucks on West Mall Drive.

Thursday, Aug. 7 & Friday, Aug. 8

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Lunch-Hour Activation (Convention ttendees only.)
- Food trucks on West Mall Drive.
3:30 – 6:30 p.m.: Happy Hour Activation (Local community also invited.)
- Additional food, artists, live music, local business marketplace and interactive experiences.

GCLEABJ Recommendations: Cleveland’s Greatest Neighborhood Hits

Favorite Locally Owned Coffee Shops

Michael's Diner, Lion Heart Coffee, UnBar

Coffee in CLE

Favorite Locally Owned Restaurants

Zanzibar, Grille 55, House of Creole, Capo Steaks, Mia Bella, The Crispy Chick, The Vegan Club, Slyman's, No Forks

Eat & Drink in CLE

Favorite Locally Owned Bars

Academy Tavern, Milt's Bar & Grill, The Fairmont

Bars in CLE

Favorite Locally Owned Nightlife Establishments

Kulture Ultra Lounge, Sylks, FWD Day & Night Club, The Vault, Rumor Bar & Lounge, B-Side Lounge

Nightlife in CLE

Favorite Locally Owned Retailers/Shops

Cleveland Clothing Co., My Cousins Closet, Tower City, Coco's Chalky Paints, He Loves Curves, Fashions by Fowler, Blanc Boutique

Shop in CLE

Favorite Locally Owned Beauty/Personal Care/Wellness Service Providers and Retailers

Manifest, Reverence Design Team, Diamonds Cuts Barbershop, Hands of God by Von, Polished Professionals

Things To Do

Read Cleveland's Official Insider Guide

Press Resources

Cleveland in the News

ThisIsCleveland.TV

Chat with Us

Black Cleveland experiences. Curated for you.

BOOK NOW

Black-Owned Businesses in The Land

The Gray Area Bistro & Ultralounge

CouCou Sentiment

Irie Jamaican Kitchen (West)

Gusto's Seafood & Chicken

Hit Your Mark Productions

NABJ Comes to Cleveland in 2025

5 Cleveland Institutions Where Black Heritage Comes Alive

Black Cleveland: A Living Legacy of History, Culture, and Civil Rights

Where Black Travelers Can Unwind & Turn Up in Cleveland

The Black Traveler's Guide to Cleveland

Watch Now: Cleveland's Black Excellence

Cleveland Creatives: #VoicesofCLE

Stina Aleah

Artist & Entrepreneur

The first time Stina Aleah tried her hand at art, she was recovering from an injury that temporarily derailed her decorated track and field career. She left corporate America to chase her passion and became a successful artist and entrepreneur, to the surprise of no one. While she usually prefers to work on her own, she was moved to step out of her comfort zone and engage with Cleveland’s artist community by the #VoicesofCLE project, and the hope that she could make a difference for her young son.

Rashaun Dillard

Artist & Muralist

A graduate of Cleveland School of the Arts, artist and muralist Rashaun Dillard knows the power and importance of using art as a platform for messages of hope and change. “I’d like to use my art to share the message of unity, our community experiencing tough times yet coming together in the aftermath to promote a change that we can use to teach and heal each other." A natural introvert, Rashaun knew that he had to use his talent and speak up in this moment. "I feel it’s important to share my voice because it’s a tumultuous time and everyone has a wide variety of emotions we’re all trying to convey. Everyone doesn’t have an outlet. I use my art to let others know I see you and you’re not alone.”

Lauren Pearce

Visual Artist

Lauren Pearce pulls inspiration from her community to create powerful mixed media art, including murals that feature iconic shapes and colors that captivate anyone walking by. She has a passion for expressing her identity, which led her to art school at a young age. At 24, she began her professional career as an artist, where she uses an array of materials in her work and transfers her world and her imagination to her paintings through the use of the colorful language of identity, race and womanhood.

Jerome T. White

Artist & Art Educator

Education is what Jerome T. White is all about. Whether it’s his year of studying art culminating in a Master’s in Art Education from Case Western Reserve University, or his return to his alma mater at Cleveland Heights High School where he has taught art for close to 25 years, sharing his passion and love of art with others is an essential part of his life. Jerome’s art is about connecting with a higher power and connecting with history. Deeply influenced by Cleveland’s important role in the Underground Railroad as “Station Hope,” his involvement in #VoicesofCLE is part of his larger mission to “enlighten the world around (him) with history, culture, the human condition, with our existence.”

#TheLandforLife

Ready to connect with The Land? Start following our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok profiles in preparation of your trip to Cleveland. And, be sure to follow during the convention for special engagement opportunities, contests and more.

2025 NABJ Convention& Career Fair