Dreka Gates
Dreka
Gates
Gates
Speaker 2025
Dreka Gates is an entrepreneur advocating for love and wellness who is converging culture, technology and intentional living. With over 3.2 million Instagram followers and 40+ million monthly views through her social media and including gaming. She’s cultivated a global audience drawn to her authenticity, empowering lifestyle content and commitment to holistic self-care.
As the founder of ventures spanning into Dreka wellness, eyewear and gaming into Fortnite with Envy, the Reality Tycoon Fashion game, she is pioneering new experiences that inspire balance, creativity and sustainable success. Her projects have sparked collaborations and product launches with musicians, celebrities and influencers.
While working on sex and love certifications, VITA Sex, Love & Relationship Coaching Certification, she, alongside her Fr8qu8ncy team and partners, has created her own augentic AI metahuman, DrekAi and is actively integrating her into emerging tech spaces and gaming. DrekAi is the first celebrity agentic AI, a type of autonomous artificial intelligence system designed to emulate, extend, or collaborate with Dreka’s persona, brand, or creative output — often in real time and across multiple platforms.
During Blackweek, Dreka is expected to share her journey of building impact-driven brands and experiences, empowering the next generation to lead with purpose, innovation and emotional intelligence in a rapidly evolving digital world.
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Nigel Sylvester
Nigel
Sylvester
Sylvester
Speaker 2025
Nigel Sylvester is a professional BMX athlete, creative visionary, entrepreneur, and philanthropist from Queens, New York. Known for pushing boundaries through his progressive riding style and viral content, Nigel made history as the first BMX rider signed to Jordan Brand, with instant classic sneaker collaborations including the March 2025 AJ4 “Brick by Brick” release and August 2025 AJ1 low “Better with Time”. He serves as the Creative Advisor for New Era and has worked with brands like MTA, McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz, Saratoga, David Yurman, Moncler, and Fendi, where he designed the brand’s first BMX bike. Nigel founded the GO brand, hosts GO Ride, an annual transnational bike ride, and launched the Nigel Sylvester Foundation to empower underserved youth through bikes, recovery spaces, and after-school programs. Recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, Creative Collective, HYPEBEAST 100, Nice Kicks, and featured in ESPN’s Body Issue, his influence spans sports, fashion, and culture, with appearances on the covers of Footwear News, Wonderland, TMRW Magazine, Numéro, and PREME. He has also walked runway shows at Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week for Kid Super, Casablanca, Willy Chavarria, and Hermès.
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Mara Brock Akil
Mara
Brock Akil
Brock Akil
Speaker 2025
MARA BROCK AKIL has written and produced over 400 episodes of television, leaving her mark on Hollywood. She’s received Essence Magazine’s Visionary Award and the prestigious Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award by NATPE, and has been named in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter’s Showrunner Power Lists, as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment Power100” multiple times. In 2020, Brock Akil entered into a deal with Netflix to exclusively produce television shows for the streaming platform under her new banner, story27 Productions. In 2021, she launched her own digital Dézine (i.e. digital magazine), InTheLandOfMara. Her credits include writing and producing the hit show Girlfriends (2000-2008), The Game (2006-2015), Being Mary Jane (2013-2019), and executive producing Netflix’s STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING which was on the Academy Awards® Documentary Feature Shortlist. Brock Akil’s most recent project was the critically acclaimed Netflix series adaptation of the 1975 Judy Blume novel FOREVER, starring Karen Pittman, Wood Harris, Lovie Simone, Michael Cooper Jr., and more. The series was renewed for a season 2 and premiered to rave reviews.
In 2021, Mara expanded her passion for non-profit work and started her very own non-profit writing residency in Los Angeles, the Writers’ Colony. The mission is to support up-and-coming underrepresented writers/creatives. The impact of the Writer’s Colony is something Mara’s very proud of. She is delighted to continue the colony’s commitment to nurturing emerging writers, and providing them with exposure, access, and the tools they need to continue on their journeys.
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Mathew Knowles
Mathew
Knowles
Knowles
Speaker 2025
Meet Mathew Knowles, the global leader in sales & marketing, brand development, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
With over $5 billion generated across multiple industries, over $100 million in sales and acquisitions, and the development, recording and distribution of some of culture’s most notable careers such as Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Solange, and many more; Mathew Knowles is widely regarded as the best in the world at what he does and is a sought-after speaker, consultant and trainer for some of the world’s largest organizations and conferences.
He has led some of the most successful marketing campaigns in history, working with organizations like Pepsi, American Express, L’Oréal, Samsung, and House of Deréon Apparel to name a few.
Knowles’s professional insights and expert digital content have been recognized by organizations like LinkedIn, where he’s been named a “LinkedIn Top Voice,” a distinction reserved for the world’s foremost authorities in their fields such as Bill Gates, Arianna Huffington, and Richard Branson. He is also the recipient of the prestigious “Master of Influence Award” from the National Speakers Association, honoring his exceptional impact and excellence in public speaking.
Knowles shares his extensive experience and knowledge, inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators worldwide. Beyond his groundbreaking accomplishments in business and entertainment, he serves as a Global Brand Ambassador for Zero Prostate Cancer, passionately advocating for health awareness and the importance of early detection. His breadth of knowledge and strategic insight have also positioned him as a sought-after advisor to numerous organizations spanning a wide range of industries.
Academically Dr. Knowles has undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Economics from Fisk University, MBA and Ph.D. from Cornerstone Christian Bible College and earned Professional Development Certifications from Harvard University in Ethical Leadership and Developing Cultural Intelligence. Additionally, Dr. Knowles is the author of five books, two of which are best sellers on Amazon and has published a white paper at West Virginia University titled “Strategic Partnerships at Walmart”. Knowles is currently on the faculty at London College of Contemporary Music and Pepperdine University.
Whether he is developing some of the biggest brands in history, inspiring global audiences, or helping businesses and entrepreneurs achieve their goals, Dr. Mathew Knowles’ unmatched talent and experience make him a true business and industry icon.
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Roslyn Young-Daniels
Roslyn
Young-Daniels
Young-Daniels
Speaker 2025
Roslyn Young-Daniels is the founder and CEO of both the for-profit and foundation arms of Black Health Matters (BHM), the leading platform dedicated to eradicating health disparities and advancing health equity in Black communities. A seasoned health strategist with over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural health education, Roslyn has built BHM into a nationally recognized change agent in patient education.
Under her leadership, BHM’s digital platform and signature events reached more than 7 million people in 2024, delivering 1,497 health screenings, 82 education sessions, and impactful programming in partnership with 15 hospital systems, 162 community organizations, and 317 healthcare providers across 28 U.S. markets.
Roslyn’s contributions have earned widespread recognition, including the Community Impact Award from Women of Color in Pharma, the AIMM Gold Award for Black-Focused Media, and honors from The Links, Incorporated and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The City of New York has also proclaimed April 17th as Black Health Matters Day.
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AF Cortés
AF
Cortés
Cortés
Speaker 2025
A.F. Cortés is the founder of NEUPLOT, a Brooklyn-based content studio bridging music, film, and brand storytelling. Known for his emotionally driven visual style, Cortés has led award-winning work for clients like Google and Chevrolet, while collaborating with underground legends and labels such as Sub Pop, Ipecac and Sacred Bones.
He is the creator and showrunner of KID PAMBELÉ, an 80-episode scripted drama based on the life of boxing icon Antonio Cervantes, and previously directed the fashion and culture series MANIFESTO! for Turner Television. Earlier in his career, he cofounded The Vox Collective, one of the top multicultural ad agencies in the U.S.
Cortés is a four-time nominee for the Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards — the most nominated artist in the award’s history — and has been recognized by American Photography (AIAP), the ADC Awards, and The One Show. He has been featured on the covers of magazines in the U.S. and Europe, and his photography has appeared in editorial features for Rolling Stone, Creem, Revolver, among others. He directed many music videos that bridge underground music and cinematic storytelling. He is currently producing and directing a feature documentary film on Brooklyn’s underground music scene and expanding NEUPLOT’s European presence.
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