Pre-conference
Find Black attendees on LinkedIn. Pre-arrange coffee with 3–5 of them. Walking into the conference with allies already lined up changes everything.
The lobby strategy
Don't sit alone at lunch. Pick a table with a mix of attendees. Have three questions ready: "What brought you here?" "What are you working on?" "Who else here should I meet?"
Post-conference
Follow up within 48 hours. Personalize each message. Mention something specific from the conversation.
Affinity groups
Most big conferences have a Black-attendee dinner or affinity meetup. Attend even if you're solo — that's where the real connections happen.