Breaking Barriers: The Entrepreneurship Journey Through Music, Film & Sports


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Date

Tue, Oct 7

Time

3:00PM – 3:25PM

Stage

Salon stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Co-Founder of Murder Inc. Records

Speaker

TikTok Content Director

Speaker

Emmy-Award Winning Journalist

Moderator

Bethann Hardison

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Coming soon.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by TikTok. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


It Matters What You're Working On


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Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

1:45PM – 2:30PM

Stage

Breakthrough stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Actor

Speaker

President, 8tiv Labs

Moderator

Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of aWLCo

Speaker

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

In today’s hyper-literal world, where media often shapes how communities are perceived, the roles actors choose matter more than ever. Acclaimed actor Wood Harris reflects on the intentional decisions behind his career—from portraying a freedom fighter in his new film One Battle After Another to redefining the Black family dynamic in Netflix’s Forever. In this candid fireside chat, Harris explores how today’s political and cultural climate influences the projects he takes on, why disrupting stereotypes is essential, and how artists can use their craft to perpetuate truth and ensure that powerful, authentic images are represented on screen.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by Shipt. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


DEBUT Films: Docs Schedule


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Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

5:00PM – 9:00PM

RSVP & PREMIER OR EXECUTIVE TICKET REQUIRED.

To RSVP:
1) Download the Blackweek Conference app from the App store or Google Play store.
2) Tap the RSVP tile on the app home screen.
3) Tap on the event.
4) Tap the RSVP button at the top of the event page.

5:00PM

Welcome Speeches

5:05PM

Where I Became

Director

Executive Producer

Executive Producer

South African Scholar

South African Scholar

Under apartheid in South Africa, education and opportunity were scarce, especially for women. When Smith College boldly offered full scholarships to South African women, two accepted. Twelve more would follow, leaving behind everything they knew to pursue education and a better life.

Through interviews with the women, their families, and mentors, Where I Became tells how they escaped a violently divided system and built new lives. Produced by alumnae Jane Dawson Shang, and Tandiwe Njobe, who is one of the fourteen, and directed by Kate Geis, this entirely women-led film is a testament to the power of women’s voices, especially when united.

7:00PM

Invisible Beauty

The essential memoir of fashion pioneer Bethann Hardison, INVISIBLE BEAUTY shines a spotlight on one of the fashion industry’s most influential icons who, as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent and entrepreneur, has pushed the boundaries of fashion culture and has been at the forefront of progress throughout her career. In her lifetime, the singular and unapologetic Hardison has seen the pendulum swing toward and away from the Black model. At every setback, she spoke up and rallied her colleagues and clients in the industry to advance change. Now in her 70s, the Brooklyn native is writing her memoir, taking stock of her own legacy at a moment when the fashion industry is shaken by a racial reckoning. INVISIBLE BEAUTY, co-directed by Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng (Dior and I, Halston), traces her impact on fashion from runway shows in the 1970s to roundtables about the lack of racial diversity in the early 2000s. Featuring intimate interviews with luminaries including Iman, Tyson Beckford, Tracee Ellis Ross, Zendaya, Fran Lebowitz, Pat Cleveland, Naomi Campbell, and Stephen Burrows, INVISIBLE BEAUTY is an absorbing record of the racial evolution of fashion and an original contemplation on the life of an unparalleled trailblazer.


DEBUT Films: Shorts Schedule


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Date

Tue, Oct 7

Time

5:00PM – 9:00PM

RSVP & PREMIER OR EXECUTIVE TICKET REQUIRED.

To RSVP:
1) Download the Blackweek Conference app from the App store or Google Play store.
2) Tap the RSVP tile on the app home screen.
3) Tap on the event.
4) Tap the RSVP button at the top of the event page.

5:00PM

Welcome Speeches

5:13PM

Blue

Dayna Lynn North

Director

BLUE — is a layered romantic dramedy about possibly finding love, maybe losing love, and definitely finding yourself, in an era ruled by devices and emojis. When a heart-on-her-sleeve woman (Imani Cheadle) has a surprise reunion with an old friend, the ensuing roller-coaster culminates in a chance encounter with the love of her life.

5:41PM

The Making of a Matriarch

Vanessa Cruz

Director

This “love letter to grandma” is voiced by a third-generation Dominican-American filmmaker as she uncovers her family heritage by examining the life of her grandmother who immigrated to the U.S in the 1960s.

6:09PM

Ariel Danziger

Director

Despierto

In Mexico City, Juan Daniel García Treviño and Sasha Gonzalez explore their connection as a passage to different dimensions.

Opening up the infinite possibilities of dream states through the lens of real couples, director Ariel Danziger captures Mexican actors Juan Daniel García Treviño and Sasha Gonzalez in a parallel world for short film Despierto. An intimate portrait, told from a different dimension, Despierto journeys deep into Dani and Sasha’s relationship as they marvel at the dreams accessed through their connection, contemplating the profound forces that bring them together in the present.

Letter to Rosie

LETTER TO ROSIE captures an intimate portrait about survival, self worth, self love, and overcoming all of life’s obstacles. Matt’s tormented past sexual and physical abusive life finds its way into this visually depiction. Matt’s last letter he wrote to his deceased mother. Narrated by MATT SANCHEZ. Who at the young age now of 21 has lived through more pain and suffering than most young men. But this story isn’t about MATT The VICTIM it’s about MATT the survivor. Our story is told to help heal others. To inspire, to trigger something within.

6:39PM

Ruby Rose Collins

Director

All the Love I Can Handle

all the love i could handle is a re-imagining of the filmmaker’s mother’s young diary, unraveling the raw complexities of motherhood, artistic ambition, and the enduring sacrifices women have to make as mothers and artists. Based on the true family story of pioneer filmmaker Kathleen Collins (Losing Ground, 1982).

7:11PM

Gaps

Jenn Shaw

Director

GAPS follows the story of Sydney Bailey, a 12-year-old struggling with her self-esteem and obsessing over her two gapped front teeth.

Showing the highs and lows of a Black adolescent navigating loving herself – which is no easy challenge in a world of beauty standards stacked against her. Sydney views her unique smile as a barrier to beauty and seeks out a dangerous method to change her grin. Only through turning to the Black women in her life, does she begin to shift her perspective to accept her gap as a gorgeous trait that’s been passed down through family generations. Through self-acceptance, Sydney begins to love her gap, for it makes her smile real.

7:21PM

Keur Simbara

Sea Armstrong

Director

Keur Simbara is a portrait of women leaders in a small village in the Thies region of Senegal. It explores the way that they have supported one another and their village through generations of care practices and organizing as they confront water scarcity while highlighting dreams for the future of their village.

7:53PM

Bygones

Angel McCoughtry

Director

Bygones is a powerful short film that explores the evolving relationship between a young basketball player, Charissa, and her unexpected mentor, JJ, a former coach with a complicated past. As JJ helps Charissa regain her confidence on and off the court, their bond deepensuntil a painful secret from JJ’s history surfaces, one that’s tied directly to Charissa’s own family.


Building While Healing: The Entrepreneur’s Mental Wellness Journey


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Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

11:00AM – 11:45AM

Stage

Salon stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Founder of Dreka

Speaker

Podcaster

Moderator

Regina Harris

Manager, Digital Brand Architects

Moderator

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

Coming soon.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by IPG and presented in partnership with The Shade Room. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


How to Predict the Future


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Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

4:15PM – 5:00PM

Stage

Breakthrough stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

CEO & Founder, Hero Collective

Speaker

Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of aWLCo

Speaker

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

What if the future isn’t random—but cyclical, predictable, and already unfolding in front of us? In this provocative keynote, Joseph Anthony draws on the Strauss-Howe generational theory to reveal the hidden rhythms of history and the pivotal role Millennials and Gen Z are destined to play as today’s Hero Generation. With powerful historical parallels and urgent modern implications, this talk challenges emerging leaders to break the cycle of power and oppression, police their own influence, and lead from a place of empathy, accountability, and long-term vision. Because the first step to changing the future… is changing ourselves.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by Shipt. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


Building an Empire Online


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Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

2:30PM – 3:15PM

Stage

Salon stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Stephany Faublas

Lifestyle Creator

Speaker

Simi Moonlight

Socialite, Published Model, and Stylist

Speaker

Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Kitchen Table

Moderator

Regina Harris

Manager, Digital Brand Architects

Moderator

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

Coming soon.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by IPG and presented in partnership with The Shade Room. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


The End of the Open Web? Rethinking Advertising in a Conversational World


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Details

Date

Tue, Oct 7

Time

12:15PM – 1:00PM

Stage

Impact stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

President, Cadent

Speaker

CEO Sundial Media Group

Speaker

Chief Executive Officer, Founder at XSTEREOTYPE

Speaker

EVP, Head of Client Inclusivity & Impact, Digitas

Moderator

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

As AI and conversational platforms reshape how people search, shop, and engage, the open web as we know it may be coming to an end. This panel brings together leaders in advertising, publishing, and technology to explore what this seismic shift means for the industry. From the future of programmatic models to the role of diverse data in driving authentic engagement, panelists will debate how advertising can adapt—and what true success will look like—in a conversational world.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by Shipt. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


Creator Upfronts TikTok


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Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

4:30PM – 5:00PM

Stage

Salon stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Pitch #1: 4:30PM - 4:40PM

TAIWO ADEWUNMI (@taiwo.ade)

UX Researcher | Storyteller | Bridge Builder

Taiwo Ade is a UX researcher by weekday, storyteller by weekend, and all-around architect of opportunity. With nearly a decade of experience at tech giants like LinkedIn, Meta, and Etsy, she’s spent her career centering user voices—creators, small businesses, and global brands—to shape products that actually work for the people who use them.

When she’s not influencing product roadmaps, Taiwo’s inspiring the next generation through real talk on career pivots, travel, and what it really takes to break into tech. Recognized as a 2025 Future Leader on the Heroes Role Model List (supported by YouTube), Taiwo is leading the charge to open doors that have been closed for too long.

What She’s Pitching at Creator Upfronts

Introducing: Fifty50 Initiative — a career bridge for overlooked talent ready to make their move into tech. From teachers to retail workers to creators, many have the skills, but not the access. Taiwo’s building a pathway to change that.

The pitch:

  • A structured apprenticeship program placing pivoters into short-term, paid roles in UX Research, Product Ops, Creator Partnerships, and more.
  • Wraparound support like AI-powered coaching, upskilling, and real-world portfolio building.
  • Companies get de-risked hiring. Participants get a foot in the door—and a future.

The vision? To make Fifty50 the go-to alternative to bootcamps and degrees. The ask? Pilot partners, funding for apprenticeships, and advisory support to shape high-impact career tracks. Taiwo’s not just pitching a program. She’s designing an entire ecosystem—where overlooked talent finally gets placed, not just prepped.

Pitch #2: 4:40PM - 4:50PM

ERINA ADJEI-BAFFOUR (@365Binge)

Content Creator & Strategist | Making TV & Film Make Sense

Erina Adjei-Baffour is a powerhouse at the intersection of culture and content. As the mind behind 365binge, she’s carved out a loyal following of 200K+ fans who come for the sharp TV and film takes—but stay for her wit, insight, and trend-driven storytelling. Whether it’s a new streaming drop or a forgotten cult classic, Erina knows how to bring people closer to the stories they love—and the ones they didn’t know they needed.

What She’s Pitching at Creator Upfronts

Introducing: The Next Binge on TikTok — a creator-led, TikTok-native series that reimagines how audiences discover what to watch next. In a world where everyone’s asking “what should I watch?”, Erina’s answer is simple: Open TikTok.

This 10-minute Upfront segment will unpack:

  • The concept of turning TikTok into a launchpad for new shows, films, and even podcasts.
  • Creative formats like skits, green screen reactions, and micro-commentaries to make it scroll-stopping.
  • The unique power TikTok creators have in shaping entertainment discoveryin real time.

More than just a pitch, this is a call to action: to see TikTok not just as where culture goes viral—but where the next big binge begins.

Erina is building the bridge between creators and content ecosystems. And she’s doing it one stitch-worthy scroll at a time.

Pitch #3: 4:50PM - 5:00PM

YUNG ASTROO

Visual Storyteller | Content That Sticks

YUNG ASTROO is a visual storyteller who knows how to keep you watching. Blending razor-sharp humor with crisp, cinematic visuals, his content feels fast, fresh, and effortless—while always pushing a narrative forward. With brand collaborations spanning McDonald’s, Xfinity, Dollar Shave Club, and more, YUNG ASTROO continues to grow his presence, all while building a legacy as a name you’ll know before the logo even hits the screen.

YUNG ASTROO is solving one of the most frustrating pain points in the creator economy: late payments. His vision? A paid service that bridges the gap between creators and the net-30, 60, or even 90-day wait periods they face after a campaign wraps. Here’s how it works:

  • Creator lists the paid service as the recipient of funds on the campaign agreement.
  • Once the campaign video is live, the service pays the creator instantly.
  • The brand/agency pays the service back based on their agreed terms.

This is more than a financial tool—it’s peace of mind. Many creators aren’t full-time, and waiting months for payment can make or break their ability to create. YUNG ASTROO o knows the struggle firsthand, and he’s determined to change the system. He’s not pitching a brand. He’s pitching a lifeline.

He’s looking for a partner to bring this idea to life. No name yet—but the vision is clear, and the mission is personal.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by Urban One. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.


Blackweek X Horizon Meetup


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Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

5:30PM – 7:30PM

RSVP & EXECUTIVE OR PREMIER TICKET REQUIRED.

RSVP & EXECUTIVE OR PREMIER TICKET REQUIRED.

To RSVP:
1) Download the Blackweek Conference app from the App store or Google Play store.
2) Tap the RSVP tile on the app home screen.
3) Tap on the event.
4) Tap the RSVP button at the top of the event page.

Speakers & Moderators

Founder & Creative Director, neuplot

Speaker

EVP, ECD – Razorfish (Publicis)

Speaker

Diversity Media Strategy & Investment, General Motors

Speaker

Mike Tresvant

TBD

Speaker

Bethann Hardison

Fashion Industry Icon

This exclusive event will highlight the next generation of changemakers shaping culture, creativity, and community over cocktails and light bites.

This Blackweek discussion is proudly sponsored by Shipt. We’re grateful for their generous support and commitment to right-sizing industries to help create more opportunity for equity and ownership.