2026 Registration Information
To prepare for registration, please review the following information carefully. This guide includes important details regarding registration fees, lodging, meals, transportation, and attire for all attendees.
Registration Fees
Early Bird (April 1 – April 30, 2026) (Payment must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, April 29th)
$385 King/Queen individual fee (per person)
- Individual King (e.g., Mister Southern University of New Orleans)
- Individual Queen (e.g., Miss Southern University of New Orleans)
$335 group fee (per person)
- King Group (i.e., two (2) or more kings). The official king only qualifies in this category if additional kings attend from his court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class kings.
- Queen Group (i.e., two (2) or more queens). The official queen only qualifies in this category if additional queens attend from her court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class queens.
- NOTE: A single king and a single queen together does not qualify as a group.
$395 Advisor fee (i.e., Royal Court advisor, college/university official, other University administrator)
Regular (May 1 – June 15, 2026) (Payment must be received or postmarked by Monday, June 15th)
$435 King/Queen individual fee (per person)
- Individual King (ex. Mister Southern University of New Orleans)
- Individual Queen (ex. Miss Southern University of New Orleans)
$385 group fee (per person)
- King Group (i.e., two (2) or more kings). The official king only qualifies in this category if additional kings attend from his court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class kings.
- Queen Group (i.e., two (2) or more queens). The official queen only qualifies in this category if additional queens attend from her court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class queens.
- NOTE: A single king and single queen together does not qualify as a group.
$420 advisor fee (i.e., Royal Court advisor, college/university official, other University administrator)
Late (June 16 – July 12, 2026)
$485 King/Queen individual fee (per person)
- Individual King (ex. Mister Southern University of New Orleans)
- Individual Queen (ex. Miss Southern University of New Orleans)
$435 group fee (per person)
- King Group (i.e., two (2) or more kings). The official king only qualifies in this category if additional kings attend from his court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class kings.
- Queen Group (i.e., two (2) or more queens). The official queen only qualifies in this category if additional queens attend from her court, i.e., runners-up, attendants, and class queens.
- NOTE: A single king and single queen together do not qualify as a group.
$420 advisor fee (i.e., Royal Court advisor, college/university official, other University administrator)
Group Rate Details
The group rate is designed to encourage colleges and universities to extend this leadership training to their full Royal Court.
- A group consists of two (2) or more kings or two (2) or more queens
- The official King/Queen qualifies only if additional court members attend (attendants, runners-up, class kings/queens)
- One king and one queen together do not qualify as a group
Advisor Registration
Royal Court Advisors, university officials, and chaperones who wish to attend workshops and conference activities must register and pay the appropriate fee.
Payment Information
To receive Early Bird or Regular rates, payment must be received or postmarked by the applicable deadline. Late payments will result in an updated invoice.
Accepted Payment Methods
-
- Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover)
- Invoice/Check (college/university or sponsoring organization only)
Make checks payable to:
Leadership for Queens (Federal Tax ID: 32-0013781)Mail to:
Leadership for Queens
P.O. Box 16986
Memphis, TN 38186 -
Important Notes
- We recommend mailing checks by June 30, 2026
- After June 30, payments must be made onsite at check-in
- All payments must be made by Thursday, July 16, 2026
- If you submit payment by mail, please keep a copy of your check
Personal Payments
- Must be paid by cashier’s check or money order
- Personal checks are not accepted
- A $25 discount will be applied
- Contact us directly to receive an invoice
Leadership for Queens
P.O. Box 16986
Memphis, TN 38186
Please make sure our current W-9 is correct in your filing system. We recommend mailing all checks by July 7, 2025. After July 7th, payments must be made onsite during check-in as our staff will be preparing for their arrival to New Orleans and will be unavailable to check the mailbox. If submitting payment by mail, we suggest you make a copy of your check and obtain a tracking number in case mail is slow or use advanced mail services to expedite delivery. NOTE: All registration fees must be paid by (check-in) Thursday, July 24, 2025.
NOTE: If an attendee plans to personally cover their registration, they must pay with a cashier’s check or money order. Personal checks will not be accepted. In the case of an attendee personally covering his/her registration, $25 will be deducted from the registration fee according to the advertised fee structure above. Please contact Dr. Michael Rainey at conference@hbcukingsandqueens.org to be invoiced directly.
Refund Policy
- Registration fees are non-refundable
- Fees may be transferred to another participant (same year only)
Full refunds will only be issued if the conference is cancelled.
Additional Information
Lodging
Host Hotel:
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
500 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA
Room Rates (Per Night | Plus applicable taxes and fees):
- Single: $181.00
- Double: $181.00
- Triple: $201.00
- Quad: $221.00
- Additional Person: $25.00 per person
- Suites: $181.00
Booking Information
- Available: July 14–20, 2026 (based on availability)
- Reservation Deadline: July 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM
Rooms are limited, and we strongly encourage early booking so all Kings and Queens can stay together for networking and community-building.
How to Book
Online:
Reserve your room using our booking link:
https://book.passkey.com/e/51230049
Email:
For assistance, contact: NOLAReservations@marriott.com
Phone:
Jeslyn E. Donnell
(504) 681-5468
Important Payment Information:
If paying by college or university check, please be sure to include all attendee names and corresponding reservation numbers to ensure accurate and timely processing.
Travel Information
Airport
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Approximately 20 minutes from the hotel
Transportation
The hotel does not provide an airport shuttle. Ground transportation options are available:
https://flymsy.com/ground-transportation/
Conference transportation will be provided for off-site conference activities.
Parking & Bus Information
- Valet parking is available for cars, trucks, and vans at $55 per day (plus tax)
- Bus parking is not available at the hotel or in the French Quarter
- The hotel provides off-street passenger drop-offs on Canal Street and loading access from Common Street
For bus parking options, please contact us directly
Meals
- Thursday (July 16): Opening Reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Friday (July 17): All meals provided onsite
- Saturday (July 18):
- Breakfast and lunch provided
- Dinner on your own
- Heavy hors d’oeuvres at the Awards & Masquerade Ball
- Sunday (July 19): Ticketed event (must be purchased in advance during registration)
Dress Code
The conference dress code is business casual / business chic. Comfortable shoes are strongly recommended.
Attendees are expected to always present themselves professionally, as they represent their college or university. Kings and Queens should exemplify the highest level of appearance and conduct throughout the conference.
General Expectations
- Attire must be appropriate for all conference spaces, including check-in, meals, and sessions
- Participants should be fully dressed when leaving their rooms
- Photos and videos will be taken throughout the conference
Event-Specific Attire
- Friday Evening (Etiquette Dinner): After-five attire
- Friday Night (Royal Game Show): College/university shirt
- Saturday (Day): Conference shirt provided (no jeans allowed)
- Saturday Night (Awards & Masquerade Ball): Formal attire (semi-formal minimum); masks encouraged. Sashes may be worn during the procession for the Royal Academy Awards (Saturday only), and comfortable shoes are encouraged
Sunday (Closing Breakfast): All-white attire
Get in Touch
For questions or additional information, please contact:
Dr. Michael Rainey
Director of Programs & Conference Registration
Email: conference@hbcukingsandqueens.org
Phone/Text: 804-898-9533
Please note, when submitting your online Registration after 25 minutes, the program will time out. Therefore, for large delegations, we suggest obtaining information for attendees before registering (e.g., name, title, email address, cell number, shirt size, dietary preference/allergies, academic major) so that you do not lose your data and must restart the process. Please call or email us if you have questions, concerns, or difficulties registering.