Lettuce Celebrates Juneteenth with Ellavate Solutions
A federally recognized holiday since 2021, Juneteenth is an occasion of reflection and celebration of the day the last enslaved Black and African Americans learned of their freedom in 1865. Lettuce Entertain You is proud to recognize this important date in our country’s history.
Lettuce is honored to amplify a Black entrepreneur based in the D.C. Metro area who is making an impact in the Black community, academic institutions and businesses.
In keeping with Lettuce’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Program pillars of Community Engagement and Vendor Engagement, we are proud to partner with and introduce you to our DEI consultant, Dr. Ella Washington. Dr. Washington is the CEO & President of Ellavate Solutions and management faculty member at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.
Dr. Washington, who holds a Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business, is an instrumental source of learning and development for Lettuce leaders and the company’s DEI Program. Her expertise and passion for guiding leaders to manage inclusivity is both inspirational and transformational. As a DEI consultant across all industries, she encourages people to be the change they hope to see in the world.
On Friday, June 17, Dr. Washington held her second annual Ellavate Juneteenth celebration. Joined by members of Lettuce’s leadership team, this event brought family, friends, colleagues, and clients together to educate, uplift and revel. Ellavate speakers included Camille Lloyd, Director of Gallup Center on Black Voices, and a keynote from Michelle Ghee, CEO of Ebony & Jet, plus music from The Legendary Future Band D.C.
During the event, Dr. Washington provided information about her new book, A Necessary Journey: Making Real Progress on Equity and Inclusion, available now for pre- order. Additionally, she honored her annual pledge for corporate social responsibility by sharing a $5,000 donation to GOODProjects, a non-profit organization in Washington D.C. committed to providing resources to families to overcome obstacles induced by poverty.
The event culminated with Dr. Washington’s inaugural donation of $15,000 to the Ella F. Washington Elevating Excellence Scholarship. These funds are intended for a student embarking on a career in DEI at her alma mater, Spelman University, a Historically Black College for women in Atlanta, Georgia.
During Juneteenth weekend and beyond, Lettuce leaders continue to engage with entrepreneurs like Dr. Washington and amplify their stories to improve our workplaces and communities.
Interested in learning more about Dr. Washington? Follow Dr. Ella Washington and Ellavate Solutions on social Instagram- @ellafwashington and @ellavate_solutions or LinkedIn Ella F. Washington, Ph.D.
