TPCCON is a cultural reset. It redefines rest, power, and outdoor luxury for women everywhere. Hosted
by The Patio Chic Foundation, TPCCON serves as a sanctuary where women come to be seen, supported,
and celebrated.
The Patio Chic Conference (TPCCON) returned to the Loews Hotel & Convention Center in Arlington, Texas for its most powerful year yet. Created by outdoor living visionary Tara L. Paige, TPCCON is a national movement centered on empowering Black women to reclaim their spaces, elevate their voices, and nurture their whole selves—throughout luxury, culture, and community.
Themed “Where Healing Meets Home: Breathe. Bloom. Belong.”, this year’s TPCCON features a dynamic mix of thought leadership, healing rituals, high-style events, and entrepreneurial innovation. With over 300 attendees expected, three major ticketed events, a sold-out VIP experience, and a show-stopping gala honoring iconic women leaders, TPCCON 2025 is the lifestyle experience of the summer.
“This is BIGGER than patios and pillows.”
Tara L. Paige, founder of The Patio Chic Foundation.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is sponsoring this year’s Business Executive Suite, a dedicated space within TPCCON designed for networking, learning, and resource sharing among women entrepreneurs and professionals. The initiative, which has supported thousands of small businesses nationwide with education and access to capital, brings credibility and opportunity to attendees. The Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau has come on as a key sponsor, helping to anchor TPCCON in the heart of a business community that values innovation, inclusion, and regional impact. These partnerships not only enhance the experience for guests but also speak to the growing recognition of events like TPCCON as important cultural and economic convenings.
THE BLOOM GALA
Elegance meets impact at the black-tie Bloom Gala, honoring five trailblazing women. This red-carpet evening
included a curated dinner, awards presentation, live entertainment, and a silent auction benefiting The Patio Chic
Foundation.
While on The Bloom Gala’s pink carpet, honorees shared life lessons and expounded on the weekend’s theme. Dr. Jill Wagonner told The SMG Report how she battles the “brainwashing” of physicians to remain on their feet and see about others while neglecting themselves. “As physicians, we’re trained not to take care of ourselves. We are trained to make everyone else a priority, both men and women, and it’s almost like a sign of weakness if you take a few minutes for yourself. So the first thing you have to do is recognize the brainwashing that you’ve got to always be on your feet and then do everything you can to make yourself a priority. The bottom line is this: if you are not well, everything, every assignment, everything that you have to accomplish falls or stops. So, if you are going to take care of those things that you are here to do, then you have to be well to get them accomplished.”
Dr. Cinetrea Grace Williams told us how she rests by retaining her connection to the earth. “Sometimes, you get a little tired, but when you’re doing the will of God, when you have a purpose, there’s always some inspiration that’s going to come and keep you going. That’s why I love Mrs. Tara. I’m an outside person, too! I love nature. I’m a pescatarian and I eat very healthy. I believe in herbs and growing your food. That garden is so important. We have to get back to gardening like did back in the day, we’ve got to bring it back. It’s time. We have to get in touch with nature. We come from the soil. God gives water. We have to water ourselves and absorb nature. It’s all part of healthy living.”
You wouldn’t know that Cheryl Polote Williamson is living with a heart condition. She told us on the pink carpet that her mindset is her superpower. Her overcoming the dire diagnosis is credited to much more than her mindset, but it is the driving force behind her drive to bloom and belong! “When I walk into a room, I disrupt the room with my presence. When I walk in with that feeling, I think I give other women the same permission to be everything that they’re supposed to be. I think we spend so much of our time shrinking to make other people feel comfortable, I don’t shrink anymore. I walk into the room like I’m supposed to be in the room. I walk in the room like God set me in the room because I know He did!”
Desoto Mayor Rachel Proctor enjoys the confidence of citizens in her city, mainly because she works so hard for them. Working as hard as she does requires ample rest and the occasional reset. When asked how she reclaims her time with rest, Mayor Proctor told The SMG Report that she makes sure that she establishes strong boundaries in each people group. “People pull you in so many directions and I have a big heart and oftentimes, I give, give, give and before I realize it, I am depleted. So, for me, reclaiming my time, reclaiming my space, reclaiming all of those things looks like setting firm boundaries with those that I love, those that I work with to make sure that I make time not only for the work but making time deliberately for the rest as well.”
2025 HONOREES:
● Dr. Opal Lee – Grandmother of Juneteenth & Medal of Freedom recipient
● Mayor Rachel L. Proctor – Visionary civic leader, Mayor of DeSoto
● Dr. Jill Waggoner – Wellness expert and educator
● Anita Hawkins – Philanthropist & Advocate
● Dr. Cheryl Polote Williamson – Mindset coach, bestselling author, and movie producer
● Cinetrea Grace Williams – Nonprofit pioneer & community strategist
