CultureCon 2024 Recap: Cynthia Erivo, Yara Shahidi and More
CultureCon founder Imani Ellis and Tyler James Williams. Photo courtesy of CultureCon
One of the first words that comes to mind when thinking about CultureCon is “community,” and this year’s conference exuded that feeling. Held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard from Oct. 5-6, the two-day conference featured an impressive range of celebrity talent and creators alike, who spanned industries like fashion, television, entrepreneurship and more.
Notable guests included June Ambrose, Law Roach, Yara Shahidi, Tyler James Wiliams, Morris Chestnut, Slutty Vegan’s Pinky Cole and more. CultureCon 2024 was filled with dozens of programming, panels, and activations. The fun-filled weekend wrapped with a special surprise performance from Afrobeats star Tems.
Below, read EDITION’s highlights from this year’s CultureCon.
DAY ONE
4PM: Change of Fashion Presented by McDonalds
This panel highlighted small fashion brands and their journey to success with the help of McDonalds. Featuring VICTIM15 CEO Shareef Mosby and Muehleder founder Larissa Muehleder (and moderated by LaQuan Smith's COO Jacqueline Cooper), it was an inspiring discussion for rising designers in search of guidance. "[Being marketed as] urban is not a bad thing because there's a lot of people that are taking our culture and making a lot of money off of it. I talk to emerging designers all the time and it pains me when they say, 'I have to steer away from this'", Cooper said. "It's not about steering away from anything. This is what brought you to this journey. If you have a viable product, just make sure you fully believe in what you're doing."
5PM: Hot Seat with Imani Ellis
CultureCon's founder, Imani Ellis, always finds ways to integrate herself into the conference, which gives it an authentic feeling. She typically pops in onstage to moderate panels with celebrity talent, but Saturday's "Hot Seat" panel was unique due to her parents being the ones interviewing her. Both of her parents have been in the education and church communities for decades, making the discussion very motivating. When asked by her mom what she learned about herself as a leader, Ellis stated: "You really have to be okay with letting go of the illusion of control. I say 'illusion' because I used to think worrying was active, and it's actually just energy that goes nowhere. Now, I say, 'Can I control it?' Then I'll do something about it. If I can't control it, then I let it go. I used to not know the difference between the two."
5:30PM: The Future of Black Businesses and Creatives presented by SheaMoisture
This panel was a timely one, given the upcoming election and how dependent Black entrepreneurs are on the ever-changing American economy. Led by Simone Jordan—SheaMoisture's Head of Purpose & Partnerships—, the panel included Pinky Cole (founder & owner of Slutty Vegan), Milan Harris (founder, CEO and owner of luxury streetwear brand Milano Di Rouge), and Renae Bluitt (creator of "She Did That" documentary and entrepreneurial platform). The woman not only praised each other for their various accomplishments but stressed the importance of financial literacy and forging a community that can support each other. "Rest is not a reward; it’s something we all deserve," said Bluitt. She couldn't be more right.
Law Roach. Photo courtesy of CultureCon
DAY TWO
Bevy Smith and Anika Noni Rose
11:30AM: In Conversation with Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose hit the main stage, where her panel was moderated by Black culture icon Bevy Smith. Anika took us back to some of the memorable characters that she played in the following: Power: Raising Kanan, where she portrayed a crooked cop who went by the name of Jukebox; Dream Girls and her most talked about role as the first black Princess for Disney's Princess & The Frog. Rose went on to shed tears on her journey as a Black woman, becoming a part of history. She recalls sitting next to her grandmother a year before she passed, watching her as the princess on screen, and it hit her: “She is sitting next to her grandchild, and it let her know immediately this is how long it has taken to see you and finally you are here.”
12PM: Know Your Worth: A Conversation On Monetizing Your Social Brand Presented By Verizon
Kristy Sarah is an influencer, mom, and wife who took to the moment the day she went viral during the pandemic while still working in Tech. She discussed how her first brand deal exceeded her salary in three weeks. She took a break from her 9-5 job to focus on content and has never looked back.
12:30PM: Creative Genius: Cynthia Erivo Presented by Universal Pictures
Cynthia Erivo hit the stage with Scott Evans moderating her panel. She is set to star in the new Wicked movie, out in November. Eviro went on to talk about her childhood experience going into acting. She was involved in theater in her neighborhood and took us back to when her mom used to hear hum when she ate at two. She dove into her character Elphaba Thropp in Wicked; she was very much involved in the character's costuming and wanted her face to be the reflection of her face, with no special effects. She was specific about the hair braids and long nails. “What we are not going to do is make her ugly,” Eviro said, describing how she envisioned her character needed to match her beauty.
Tracy G and Yara Shahidi. Photo courtesy of CultureCon
3:30PM: Creative Genius: Yara Shahidi
Tracy G moderated the panel with ABC’s Black-Ish star Yara Shahidi, who discussed what it was like growing up in her household. The actress was accustomed to watching only an hour of TV every week. She would much rather spend thousands of hours listening to audio and podcasts. Her new podcast, Optimus Project, blossomed from a selfish endeavor where she and his business partner sat down and discussed how they give back and increase the quality of life.
Tems brings the vibes as CultureCon's first ever musical performer during the Closing Campfire Party, Presented by CÎROC. Photo by Xiana Gutierrez