Copyright Essence
The Black Beauty Roster Creator Summit kicked off for another year with an expanded program, new venue, and re-energized atmosphere. Along with an exciting roster of media personalities on the docket, the itinerary included back-to-back panels that pored over some of the most pressing topics facing beauty influencers in today’s landscape. This year’s lineup, powered by Brown Sugar Babe, boasted a plethora of beauty professionals and digital commentators, from brand founders such as Danessa Myricks and Hannah Diop to media personalities Kayla Nicole and JaNa Craig. Culminating in a fireside chat featuring entertainment and beauty mogul Issa Rae in conversation with media professional Nina Parker, the BBR Creator Summit dug into everything from balancing mental health, finances, self-advocacy, and creative integrity. The atmosphere was a true manifestation of beauty: fashion, hairstyles, vibrant colors, blush hues, and perfume scents—it was a beauty girl’s closet come to life. So much so that a quick bathroom break between panels found every single sink occupied by attendees brushing their hair, reapplying gloss, or adding some blush to their cheeks. It felt like a hub for beauty girls to play in their medium and be themselves. Held in the heart of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, the event saw a large ballroom filled with attendees soaking in the conversations of the day, while the second floor welcomed even more guests to an exhibition room housing a plethora of Black-owned beauty brands showcasing their products and executing live demonstrations. An impromptu booth visit by Danessa Myricks found her quickly surrounded by supporters eager to soak in what she had to offer. The charismatic Monica Veloz, known across digital platforms as “MonicaStyleMuse,” served as the most vibrant host, strutting across the stage to Bad Bunny and setting the energy right for the sequence of events. She kicked off opening remarks by introducing Maude Okrah Hunter, founder of Black Beauty Roster, who gave a warm welcome honing in on purpose, story, and community before handing the microphone to Maekaeda Gibbons, founder of Brown Sugar Babe, to speak additional affirmations over the guests looking back at them. Veloz wove humorous and heartfelt commentary into the room as she flowed through the introductions of nine panels, a morning mindfulness activity, and the culminating fireside chat with Issa Rae, engaging the audience with questions, takeaways, and a fabulous outfit change. A touching reminder she graced the audience with included the importance of talking to your circle to, “get your dreams realized.” Speaking life into yourself and sharing it with a community that can help connect you further down your path will do wonders, and is the very act that brought her the opportunity to host that day. Consistent with last year’s summit, the day commenced with a grounding meditation, led by yogi and mindfulness leader Alicia Easter. The theme for the meditation was “sparking joy in the midst of chaos,” and accepting wherever you may be in your journey—a relevant concept for an industry where constant information, comparison, overstimulation, and visibility is the norm. The first panel that followed saw Headspace Mindfulness Educator Dora Kamau moderate Karen Civil, Obio Jones, and Dexter Mayfield as they discussed striking the balance between pushing forward in public-facing careers while nurturing themselves through the trials of life. The experts emphasized carving out intentional time to be present in their bodies, taking the shame out of setting healthy boundaries, and making space for both grief and gratitude while navigating life’s losses with career success. On the theme of centering intentionality in content and work, four panels delved into the power and art of storytelling, embracing the multi-hyphenate era, grappling with the ethics of AI, and the beauty of collaboration. Digital creator DonYé Taylor moderated a discussion with Sahar Khorramnezhad, Cindy Nwachukwu, and Shantelle Dockett as they discussed how transformative sharing your own personal story can be, and finding the through line of your “why.” Love Island breakout star-turned-media-doll JaNa Craig spoke to the blessings curiosity can lead to as she discussed embracing a career that incorporates her ever-evolving interests (spoken like a true Sagittarius). Her co-panelist, Tanya Marie, shared, “don’t allow the world to put you in a box. Lean into who you are, your personality, your identity. That’s when magic happens.” Danessa Myricks was a consistent favorite of the day, as multiple panelists stopped mid-sentence to greet her with excitement and speak about how impactful her work and presence is to the beauty landscape. With her panel on collaboration, she spoke about the need to see alignment in all that you do: “You can lose your entire community by doing something that’s not authentic to who you are.” Inside of the highly-anticipated panel with media personality Kayla Nicole, she along with beauty and media favorites Julissa Bermudez, Marvella and MakeupShayla, enlightened beauty creators on how to expand your passions beyond the screen for a career that can last past trending moments. Nicole shared a genuine and emotional moment with the beauties in the room to discuss how difficult it can be to be on the receiving end of so much feedback, namely as a Black woman facing bigoted audiences. Through it all, she finds grace and optimism in the impact she sees when she champions mental health and vulnerability. An important yet uncomfortable topic for many marginalized people navigating business includes finances, advocacy, and investments. This can feel all the more true in the influencer economy where there are many factors at play, which is why BBR Summit made a pointed effort to facilitate several conversations focusing on building financial freedom, diversifying income, and taking an inside look at how brands such as Pinterest and Visa build with creators for lasting impact. Executives from such companies and those like WME and Tarte gave invaluable advice on how to best protect your financial health amidst the madness. To close out the day, journalist and host Nina Parker took the stage with Issa Rae for an insightful, inspiring, and timely conversation. The two reflected on Rae’s career from Awkward Black Girl and Insecure to the big screen and successful hospitality and beauty ventures. The way Rae sees all of these worlds coming together? “I love to tell stories. I love to eat. I love community.”
