DEBUT Films: Docs Presented by P&G’s Widen The Screen


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

5:00PM – 9:00PM

GUEST LIST IS CLOSED. RSVP & PREMIER OR EXECUTIVE TICKET REQUIRED.

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.

DEBUT is Blackweek’s culture festival and showcase, dedicated to spotlighting what’s new and next in film. In 2025, BLACKWEEK will feature several film screenings of independent filmmakers, featuring shorts, documentaries and feature-length films.

DEBUT Films is proudly presented by P&G’s Widen The Screen — a content creation, talent development, and partnership platform that celebrates creativity and enables Black creators to share the full richness of the Black experience. Through sustained action and investment, P&G is working to broaden the spectrum of the images we see, the voices we hear, and the stories we tell.


She’s a Career Woman: Being an Executive in 2025


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

3:30PM – 4:15PM

Stage

Impact stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Hemoglobinopathies Commercialization Head, Novo Nordisk

Speaker

Head of Monetization, Zip

Speaker

Global Innovation & Brand Comms Lead, Aveeno Body

Speaker

Global Vice President Marketing, UGG

Speaker

Executive Vice President, Havas Formula

Moderator

Nothing found.

The modern career woman isn’t a title—it’s a movement. She is asked to be visionary and vulnerable, strategist and caretaker, relentless and resilient—all at once. And unlike her male counterparts, she is expected to climb higher while carrying heavier loads: battling bias, navigating inequity, and constantly proving what should already be assumed.

Yet today’s female leaders are proving that true impact isn’t born from compromise—it’s born from redefinition. They are dismantling outdated rules of ambition, showing that purpose and power can coexist. They are transforming boardrooms, brands, and communities by turning ambition into access, values into velocity, and personal purpose into collective progress.

This panel is both celebration and charge: a conversation with women who aren’t just facing greater challenges, but are rewriting the very meaning of leadership in spite of them.

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


Game Changers: How Health Brands are Winning Big in Sports


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

4:15PM – 5:00PM

Stage

Premier stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Chief Brand Officer, WNBA New York Liberty

Speaker

SVP, Sports, Ketchum

Speaker

Managing Director, Health Care Industry Lead, Ketchum

Moderator

Nothing found.

A look at the burgeoning trend of health brands stepping into the sports arena, one of the most powerful stages to break stigma and inspire change. From bold Super Bowl ads, to athletes as influencers, to grassroots partnerships with local athletic organizations, we’ll explore how the industry is harnessing the passion of sports to advance public health and spark conversations during cultural tentpole moments. With the Super Bowl and the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, we’ll look ahead at what’s next: how health brands are pushing boundaries to leave it all on the field.

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


The Next-Gen Effect: Redefining Inclusive Storytelling


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

4:15PM – 5:00PM

Stage

Impact stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Associate Creative Director, VML

Speaker

Associate Director of Creative Operations, Blavity Inc.

Speaker

Director of Talent & Learning Development, North America, VML

Speaker

Global Chief Client Inclusion & Culture Officer

Moderator

Nothing found.

In today’s rapidly shifting landscape, creativity isn’t confined to job titles. At VML, inclusive storytelling is shaped by voices across disciplines — from campaign creators to the builders of ideas, systems, and strategies who are actively opening pathways for talent. This discussion will explore how to authentically reflect underrepresented voices, navigate the evolving role of AI, and design opportunities that empower the next generation. Attendees will leave inspired to view creativity as a shared responsibility and a powerful driver of innovation and growth, with tangible insights into how leaders embed inclusivity into their work and collaborate to shape a more representative, future-ready industry.

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


Is Culture the New Total Market?


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

10:00AM – 10:45AM

Stage

Premier stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Coltrane Curtis

Founder and Managing Partner at Team Epiphany

Speaker

Founder, CHÉ Creative

Moderator

Global Chief Client Inclusion & Culture Strategy Officer, VML

Moderator

Nothing found.

Coming soon.

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.


AI: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

3:30PM – 4:15PM

Stage

Breakthrough stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Co-Founder, Alpha

Speaker

Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of aWLCo

Speaker

Nothing found.

The new era of AI is upon us! It is important to understand what’s Good – all the new things that we will be able to do — productivity for businesses, innovation and facilitation for easier use by consumers. The Bad could displace people and be problematic if not well regulated. The Ugly could be a scenario of computers taking over the world and humans no longer in charge. This pivotal AI trifecta of the Good, Bad and the Ugly, will demonstrate the consequential knowledge required to lead, make better decisions and gain a winning edge

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.


Invisible Beauty


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

7:00PM – 9:00PM

Director & Host

Fashion Industry Icon
Director

Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of aWLCo

Speaker

Nothing found.

Coming soon.

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.


Where I Became


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Tue, Oct 8

Time

5:00PM – 7:00PM

Director & Host

TBD

Director

Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of aWLCo

Speaker

Nothing found.

Coming soon.

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.


From the Continent to Culture: The Women Redefining Africa’s Voice in Advertising & Marketing


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

3:30PM – 4:15PM

Stage

Premier stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Co-founder, Afropolitan

Speaker

Head of Special Projects, Afrofuture and Founder of Harlem to Homeland

Speaker

Founder & CEO, Next Narrative Africa

Speaker

Founder & CEO, Hanahana Beauty

Speaker

Global Chief Client Inclusion & Culture Strategy Officer, VML

Moderator

Nothing found.

Across global advertising, marketing, media, and culture, Africa’s influence is undeniable. From the global rise of Afrobeats and the trendsetting power of African creators on social media, to the athletic dominance of African talent in sports and the infusion of African design, textures, and aesthetics into fashion, beauty, and brand storytelling—Africa is a cultural force reshaping the world.

At the heart of this influence are women across the Diaspora quietly leading strategy, shaping narratives, and driving cultural relevance for some of today’s most impactful brands. Yet, despite their vision and contributions, they remain largely invisible in global industry data and recognition.

This panel brings the Ad-frican Women’s Collective center stage: a newly formed global network of women in advertising, marketing, and business who believe the progression of African culture and influence rests in the powerful, visionary hands of women leaders and entrepreneurs across the continent and Diaspora. Five founding members of the collective will share why this platform was created and why it matters in today’s global and cultural climate.

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.


How Black Creators are Unlocking Brand Growth Globally: Unveiling Trends and Insights


Sponsored by

Oct 8


Details

Date

Wed, Oct 8

Time

12:00PM – 12:45PM

Stage

Salon stage

Address

Spring Studios
50 Varick St,
New York, NY 10013

Speakers & Moderators

Global Chief Diversity & Social Impact Officer at Interpublic

Speaker

Head of Revenue & Strategic Growth, The Shade Room

Speaker

EVP, Growth Analytics, Mediabrands

Speaker

Beauty Editor-at-Large at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Award-winning Storyteller & Brand Consultant

Moderator

EVP, Growth Analytics, Mediabrands

Speaker

Wendi Dunlap, EVP, Business Intelligence & Audience Science, MediaHub WW

Moderator

Nothing found.

Black creators aren’t just shaping culture. They’re shaping the future of brand growth. Drawing from insights in MAGNA and The Shade Room’s Cultural Capital report, this conversation reveals how authentic storytelling, cultural authority, and global influence from Black creators are rewriting the rules of engagement between audiences and brands.

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.