Heritage & Culture
- Keynote
- Iwere identity, language, and the diaspora story
- Breakout
- Cultural workshops · Itsekiri language intro
- Named deliverable
- Heritage programming across all 3 days
§ INC-USA 2nd National Convention · Labor Day Weekend 2026
Bridging and Building
Iwere Land.
Bridge · Build · Belong. Year Two begins the construction Year One’s gains made possible — building together what neither shore could build alone.
N
Hosted by the host regionNorthern California Itsekiri Association
250+Target attendees
3Days · Sept 3–6
4Programming pillars
$149Hotel group rate
§ 01 · What We Build
Four programming pillars. Four named deliverables.
Every session hangs from one pillar.
Full session list
Full session list
Health (Iwere Care)
- Keynote
- Diaspora telehealth and the Niger Delta
- Breakout
- Volunteer physician onboarding
- Named deliverable
- Iwere Care moment + Founding Physician recognition
Horizon · Youth & Future
- Keynote
- The next generation of Iwere leaders
- Breakout
- Youth Leadership track · ages 13–24
- Named deliverable
- Member-app unveil on Day 1
Constitution & Governance
- Keynote
- Article-by-article plenary + ratification vote
- Breakout
- Region governance · committee chairs roundtable
- Named deliverable
- Ratified INC-USA Constitution (Saturday Sept 5)
§ 02 · Schedule
Three days. High-level shape.
Fri governance + welcome reception · Sat plenary + ratification + gala · Sun commissioning + Bay Area Tour
See more
See more
2:00 – 7:00 PMHotel Lobby
Registration
Check-in for delegates. Badges, the Convention Packet, and the Year Two pin. Desk stays open through the reception.
5:00 – 7:00 PMLounge
Welcome Reception · Member-App Unveil
The Year Two opener · live Member-app reveal · Itsekiri DJ (Afrobeats, Afropop, Highlife) · cultural passport challenge · cocktail-hour reception in the Lounge · cash bar (VIP first drink ticket) · networking.
7:00 PM onwardLounge
Hors d’oeuvres & bar
The reception spills into the evening · light hors d’oeuvres · bar service · live music · the room stays open for delegates to mingle, meet patrons, and welcome late arrivals from the East Coast.
Speaker lineup in confirmation.
The Program & Content committee is working through speaker outreach now. We’ll publish names here as each invited keynote signs. The full lineup lands with the Convention Packet 30 days before the event.
§ 04 · Venue & Travel
A waterfront Marriott. Minutes from SFO.
Free 24/7 SFO shuttle · bay views · walking trails
Hotel & directions
Hotel & directions
San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront
1800 Old Bayshore Hwy · Burlingame, CA 94010
A waterfront Marriott in Burlingame with bay views, walking trails, and a free 24/7 shuttle to SFO every 30 minutes. The full conference floor is held for all three days of programming.
Room block rate$149 / night
Room block closesAug 13, 2026
Block size200 room nights
Group codeM-VODAXZV
AirportSFO · free 24/7 shuttle
Parking$18/night self · $34 valet
AccessibilityFully ADA compliant
Saturday evening · Bridging and Building
An Evening of Iwere Elegance.
Saturday evening gala in the Bay Grand Ballroom — red carpet, dinner, awards, cultural performances, and a headline artist (in confirmation). Itsekiri formal attire is welcomed.
- Red carpet and professional photography
- Cocktail reception
- Awards + VIP recognition
- Cultural performances
- Headline artist (in confirmation)
§ 05 · Register
Six ways to show up.
Hotel cutoff · Aug 13, 2026
No refunds after Aug 13
No refunds after Aug 13
Early BirdMembers save $40Ends Jun 1
Tier 01
Kids
★ Member+ Early Bird$60/child$80Best price
Non-member$80/child$100
- Full weekend access
- Saturday children's program
- Language & crafts workshop
- Kids' table at family meals
- Gala access with family
★ Most CommonEarly BirdMembers save $50Ends Jun 1
Tier 02
Standard
★ Member+ Early Bird$100$125Best price
Non-member$125$150
- Friday reception · Saturday full day
- Lunch + welcome kit
- Gala entry (Saturday night)
- All plenaries & breakouts
- Voting rights · 1 Region = 1 vote
Early BirdMembers save $75Ends Jun 1
Tier 03
VIP
★ Member+ Early Bird$175$225Best price
Non-member$200$250
- Everything in Standard
- Sunday Bay Area Tour seat
- Priority gala seating
- Artist meet-and-greet
- VIP reception with officers
Early BirdMembers save $40Ends Jun 1
Tier 04
Gala-Only
★ Member+ Early Bird$60/seat$80Best price
Non-member$80/seat$100
- Saturday evening only
- An Evening of Iwere Elegance
- Cultural performances
- Awards segment
- Headline artist performance
Tier 05 · Table
VIP Table (8)
$2,000/table
- A full table of 8
- Prime gala seating
- Company recognition
- Listed in the program
- Bottle service
Tier 06 · Premier
Premier Table (8)
$3,000/table
- Front-row gala table
- Premium service
- Hosted reception with the Board
- Recognized in the Convention programme
- 4 daytime delegate seats included
Travel & logistics
SFO is the main airport — 3.2 miles from the hotel with a free 24/7 shuttle. OAK and SJC are 40–60 minutes by BART or rideshare. Uber/Lyft from SFO is $15–25.
Preferred airportSFO · 3.2 mi
Shuttle frequencyEvery 30 min · 24/7
BART stationSan Bruno · 1.9 mi
Parking on-site$18/night self (delegate rate)
Rideshare zoneHotel entrance
Before you go
Convention days run long. Plan for cool Bay Area evenings in the 50s–60s, bring a shawl for gala night, and pack comfortable shoes for the Saturday courtyard lunch.
Daytime dressBusiness casual / ankara
Gala dressItsekiri formal / black tie
Check-in opensFri · 7 AM
Weather average68°F / 55°F
Letter of invite?convention@inc-usa.org
When and where is the 2026 Convention?
Programming runs Friday September 4 through Sunday September 6, 2026 at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront, 1800 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010. The hotel block opens Thursday Sept 3 for early arrivals (no formal program). The Northern California Itsekiri region hosts.
What is the theme?
Bridging and Building Iwere Land — Bridge · Build · Belong. Year One made Iwere Land stronger; Year Two begins the construction those gains made possible. We bridge diaspora to homeland — through telemedicine, mentorship, mutual aid — and we build on that bridge: institutions, enterprises, partnerships, programs.
How much does registration cost?
Pricing tiers and add-ons are published on the registration page. Early-bird pricing closes June 1, 2026; final deadline August 13, 2026.
Is there a hotel room block?
Yes — $149/night group rate at the SF Airport Marriott Waterfront. Cutoff to book at the group rate is August 13, 2026. Free 24/7 SFO shuttle, walking trails, and bay views.
What about governance and the constitution?
The final INC-USA Constitution will be distributed to every delegate ahead of the convention. Saturday's plenary is an article-by-article review and formal ratification vote.
Can I bring my kids?
Yes. A children's program runs Saturday — Itsekiri language intro, cultural crafts, supervised play, and a youth leadership track for teens 13–17.
Is there a scholarship?
Yes. We reserve a limited number of fully-funded delegate seats for students, young professionals, and members in financial hardship. Email convention@inc-usa.org with a short note.
The floor opens Sept 4.
See you in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Registration is open. Hotel group rate cutoff is August 13, 2026. Early-bird pricing closes June 1. Reserve your seat.