As a media maven in NYC, attending events can become redundant after a while. You tend to see the same people and hear the same stories. However, what attracted me to Culture Con this year, aside from the immense star power, was that there were many Journalists whom I have featured, worked with, interviewed that were on the bill. (Danielle Young, Kela Walker, Jamila Mustafa, Jessie Woo & much more). With beautiful advancements in their careers, respectively, they have shown that it is possible to defeat all of the obstacles that black women face in this industry daily.
Panels have slowed down within the media community in recent years. Let’s be honest, NO ONE is going to sit in front of a room and spill all of their secrets to success. The real ones are very far and few between, especially within the Entertainment industry. Which brings me to my Caribbean brother, Kerby Jean-Raymond , who brought his entire Pyer Moss team to the Center Stage following his oped exposing the fashion industry. He solely addressed questions from attendees and displayed what true diversity looks like. Regina King also spread genuine energy as she expressed her gratitude for being able to be apart of something like this conference. In her conversation with KeKe Palmer, she revealed some of her hardest challenges and praised the Creative Collective for providing something that was non -existent during the early stages of her career. Tracee Ellis Ross served just what we expected, REALNESS. Sharing her battle with self doubt and Entertainment politics, she proved that even with having an iconic mother in the business, the journey for the black woman is difficult across the board, no matter who you are.
The overall experience was definitely my favorite aspect of the conference! Powered by Target, HBO, Bumble, Netflix and so much more, Activation Alley was the highlight of my day! As a digital editor, I appreciated the level of interactive activities the CC created! My favorite activity? Writing down our fears, leaving it in a box, and exchanging it for a dare that would force us to network throughout the day.
Though I have sworn off events, I have to admit that Culture Con is the number 1 space for Black Creatives to truly connect and celebrate our culture. Yesterday felt like a mini family reunion, between colleagues and college friends, the atmosphere was filled with love. As far as the actual programming, I would’ve enjoyed hearing from people who genuinely wanted to be there versus, celebrities who were just picking up a check. Trust, it is way too easy to tell (i.e. The Renaissance Man: Exploring Black Masculinity panel). I also enjoyed the Creative Stage and wish that I had more time to sit in on those informative sessions.
Will I attend next year? We shall see what that line up will look like.
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