For too long, menopause has been treated as a taboo—a silent passage every woman experiences but few openly discuss. Actress and entrepreneur Naomi Watts takes the stage to shine a spotlight on the “Meno Economy,” where women over 50 in America hold a staggering $15 trillion in spending power. What unites this powerful demographic is a universal life stage too often dismissed, minimized, or hidden. In this groundbreaking talk, Watts explores how normalizing menopause can unlock not only women’s health and dignity but also enormous cultural and economic opportunity. It’s time to bring menopause out of the shadows—and into the marketplace, the media, and the mainstream.

When brands retreat from their diversity commitments, communities take notice—and take action. In this fearless talk, activist and Until Freedom founder Tamika Mallory unpacks the power of boycotts in today’s climate, where Black consumers are mobilizing to hold corporations accountable and remind them of the undeniable strength of their dollar. With clarity and conviction, Mallory explores the history, impact, and future of economic resistance, asking whether boycotting is just a momentary disruption—or a long-term strategy to force real change.

We’re hearing a lot right now about a crisis of masculinity, the ‘male loneliness epidemic’, and the issues impeding boys’ growth and progress. Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, shares with the Blackweek audience why this matters in marketing, especially for marketers whose target is women; the opportunity for brands to help solve this as good business; and the new cultural channels for doing so (including streaming – get the inside track on Cindy’s experience teaching as a professor at Kai Cenat’s Streamer University).

From neighborhood stages to Saturday Night Live’s iconic platform, Kenan Thompson has built a career defined by both longevity and authenticity. In this inspiring talk, he reflects on how Black creatives can expand their influence without losing the essence of where they come from. With warmth and wit, Kenan shares lessons from his journey—how to navigate bigger stages, balance mainstream success with cultural responsibility, and ensure your voice remains your own. This is a story about resilience, ownership, and the power of staying true to your roots while speaking to the world.

The microphone is no longer reserved for the few—it belongs to everyone. In this provocative talk, cultural commentator Charlamagne Tha God unpacks the explosive rise of podcasting and the democratization of media, where everyday voices compete with legacy institutions for our attention. What happens when everyone becomes a pundit, a personality, a platform? With humor and sharp insight, Charlamagne explores the power and pitfalls of this new ecosystem—how it’s amplifying diverse perspectives, reshaping influence, and redefining truth in real time.

Corporate Board Director and Former Teradata CMO Jacqueline Woods, C-Suite Executive, Investor and Board Director Kimberly Paige, M&C Saatchi CEO Nadja Bellan-White, and VP of Global Marketing & Media at The Procter & Gamble Co. Eric Austin join Jerri DeVard, Founder and CEO of BECA, for a candid conversation on driving growth in a climate where language is shifting, DE&I is under fire, and the corporate lexicon itself can become a battleground. How can today’s leaders stay authentic, resilient, and impactful while navigating these high-stakes changes?

In a world where headlines travel faster than facts and algorithms often reward outrage over accuracy, how do we hold onto truth? Journalist Don Lemon takes the stage to explore the urgent challenge of navigating misinformation in our hyperconnected era. Drawing from his own experiences covering pivotal moments in history and confronting falsehoods in real time, Lemon reveals why truth-telling is both more difficult—and more necessary—than ever.