The Black Conservative Federation rose to national prominence last year when Trump gave a speech at its South Carolina gala.
The Black Conservative Federation (BCF) hosted an event at the Arena Stage in Washington on Jan. 19 to celebrate President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory and upcoming inauguration.
Reps. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears were among the politicians in attendance at the BCF Legacy of Freedom Ball.
“Trump is prioritizing the border, safety, growth, reducing inflation, and making sure our kids are educated,” Owens told The Epoch Times. “Education is probably one of the most important national security issues. We need to teach our kids how to believe in our country.”
The BCF rose to national prominence last year when Trump gave a speech at its South Carolina gala.
Donalds hopes Trump will build a great economy and secure the nation.
“If he does those two things, it will give us what we need to be exceptional like we are,” he told The Epoch Times.
Some 500 people, who were mostly business owners, elected officials, political candidates, lobbyists, and donors, attended the formal affair, where the Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) brass band entertained the crowd.
“President Trump did an excellent job when he was president previously,” Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Timothy Beard told The Epoch Times. “We think economically he was very good.”
In 2019, Trump permanently committed $255 million in annual funding for historically black colleges and universities such as FAMU and MVSU.
Vincent Peters, who worked in compliance for Elon Musk at Space X and Starlink for three years, is looking forward to Trump reinstating “America First” policies.
“America First policies benefit us by ensuring we’re not sending billions of dollars to other countries that could care less about America or black Americans,” Peters told The Epoch Times.
The Miami-based man has since started his own company called Inheritance AI.
Attendees dined on a full-course meal that included oysters, shrimp, brisket, mashed potatoes, pasta, champagne, and various appetizers.
“Housing is going to be very important, but we think workforce housing is going to be even more important,” Karl Cureton, CEO of the Council Exchange Board of Trade, which represents 65,000 minority-owned technology companies, told The Epoch Times.
Norman Brooks, 40, a fireman and business owner, is among black men who uphold conservative values and voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
“I don’t think ‘wokeness’ benefits black people, especially things like diversity and equity initiatives (DEI),” Brooks told The Epoch Times. “DEI benefits everyone but black people. I can’t get down with Democrat programs.”
Los Angeles-based Laverne Cook, 55, founder of the nonprofit organization Light of Life, hopes Trump will prioritize Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) funds.
“I want President Trump to cut the red tape around CDFI funding for conservative nonprofits,” Cook told The Epoch Times. “CDFI funds in California are distributed by Democrats.”
Although only 7 percent of black women voted for Trump in the 2024 election compared to 90 percent who voted for Harris, according to the Navigator poll, several women who attended the BCF event praised Trump and his cabinet appointees.
“I am an American black whose family has been here for centuries and America First means we prioritize whose land this is and that includes black people,” Carson Hicks, 41, told The Epoch Times.
Shana Gray, 40, a business owner who flew in from Milwaukee to attend the inauguration and BCF event, is happy that Trump was elected and is excited about his incoming administration.
“Make America Great Again means something different for everyone,” Gray told The Epoch Times. “For me, it means bringing jobs back to the United States, securing our borders, putting Americans first, and bringing back humanity and empathy for one another.”
