CultureCon NY 2023: Issa Rae and Teyana Taylor Join Hollywood Stars and Influencers at 'Creative Homecoming'

Issa Rae, Teyana Taylor, Jharrel Jerome, Ziwe, Tinashe, Candiace Dillard Bassett and Marsai Martin were among the big names who stopped by the weekend-long event in Brooklyn

CultureCon 2023 welcomed another star-studded list of Hollywood names, influencers and tastemakers.

The weekend-long event — most recently held at the Duggal Greenhouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard — has been dubbed “the ultimate creative homecoming” for good reason. The young creatives in attendance were given many opportunities to gain career insight, ranging from valuable networking opportunities to fireside chats with industry pioneers.

Issa Rae, Teyana Taylor, Tinashe, Marsai Martin, Jharrel Jerome and Tamika D. Mallory were among the big names who took the stage over the weekend. Other featured talent includes Candiace Dillard Bassett, Imani Ellis, Kollin Carter, De’Arra Taylor, Jayda Cheaves, Terrell Grice, Aaliyah Jay, Shan Boodram, Jessica Rich, Jana Fleishman, Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche and Faith Jenkins.

Deandre Brown (aka The Corporate Baddie), Hot 97’s Miabelle and Destiny Mabry hosted the reunion presented by Max.

Teyana Taylor, Tinashe, Marsai Martin and more stars will take center stage at CultureCon in New York 2023.

Teyana Taylor attends CultureCon NY 2023 on October 7, 2023 in New York City.

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Minutes before his own “Creative Genius” panel on Saturday, Jerome told PEOPLE it was “beautiful” to see attendees “still getting up to support each other, experience art, share and connect” despite the day’s rainy weather. He also believes that events of this caliber are still needed in 2023, even with the many strides that have been made to allow black and brown creatives the opportunity to excel.

“Art is medicine. Art heals and saves… We’ve made progress, but we still face endless amounts of struggle and lack of opportunity,” said the Emmy winner, 26. “So when you can go under a building and feel like it’s about us and our love for what we do, it just sends you home with positive energy, a positive attitude. Hopefully we all leave here and go create something and try to create peace and happiness with the things that happen in our lives.”

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The When they see us the actor’s panel focused on his creative journey through music as he releases a four-part project Someone who isn’t me under Sony Music.

“I’m finally playing all my music,” he explained to PEOPLE. “I’ve had a passion for rap for a long time, my whole life. And so, I’ve finally taken that step in my career where I’m just putting out music that I love. And I’m excited to share that information today and let people know a little bit more about who I am as an artist.”

(LR) Bimma Williams and Jharrel Jerome speak on stage at CultureCon NY 2023 on October 7, 2023 in New York.

Arturo Holmes/Getty

Further teasing the four-part project, Moonlight the actor added, “So it’s going to feel like an album, but it’s not an album. It’s more like four separate mini-projects that just all have different styles and tastes. And I’m doing different cadences and flows, and I’m just trying to be an artist that it wasn’t immediately boxed.”

Issa Rae says she’s ‘proud to show what’s possible’ in her career — and shares what’s still ‘chasing’

As Rae took the stage Saturday for her “How to Find Your People” panel sponsored by American Express, Uncertain alum spoke with moderator Glenda McNeal about the recent success of female endeavors — namely Rae’s Barbie film, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour — means the future of female creatives and female-driven storytelling.

“Every time something women-led is successful, we say, ‘Oh, we hope this opens doors,’ and we know we need it. And somehow the doors close again and people forget. I feel like this industry is amnesia all the time , and it’s always a surprise, like, ‘Oh, women watch movies? Okay, well, we should get them to make more movies,'” she explained. “And then, they make one and say, ‘Oh, women don’t watch movies. ‘ Then they find that there’s just no audience anymore.”

Issa Rae at the “Barbie” Celebration at the Museum of Contemporary Art on June 30, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Don Arnold/WireImage

Rae, 38, noted that “success and money will drive interest and drive what the industry ultimately produces.” And due to the current challenges facing the entertainment industry amid the ongoing Screen Actors Guild strike, Rae admitted: “Honestly, I fear for the industry right now and I fear for so many of the strides we’ve made in terms of the strike.”

“With all these changes that we’ve been fighting for, they’re all going to ultimately lead to less stuff being produced. And those are the demands that we need. Those are the demands that the writers, the actors absolutely need to be able to have a stake in this industry and longevity in this industry, but sometimes at the expense of our stories,” she continued, specifically talking about black-led projects. “Whenever there’s a need to cut costs, whenever the industry is in conflict, we’re the first to do it. So I think it’s absolutely necessary that we keep an eye on it so it doesn’t happen again.”

As a proposed solution, Rae suggested that “we need people in higher positions to hire people in these positions of power” to help green-light the necessary projects.

“I don’t want to be disappointed because I’m optimistic in general,” she added, “but it’s really up to us to hold you people’s necks to make sure our stories get told.”

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a look at the atmosphere during CultureCon NY 2023 on October 8, 2023 in New York City.

Arturo Holmes/Getty

In addition to the many stars in attendance, The Creative Collective NYC — which founded the event — also recruited major brands to participate in the two-day experience: Max, American Express, SheaMoisture, Prime Video and Freevee, Clinique, Google, CÎROC, Bulleit, Seedlip, Patreon , Paramount, Kickstarter, NBCUniversal, Spotify, Walmart, Tubi, Adidas, Ben & Jerry’s, Coca-Cola, Smart Water, LTK, Visible, Dotdash Meredith, Foot Locker, TikTok, Getty Images, Nielsen, #CultureTags , Raedio, NPR, When We All Vote, Tillary and Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Crystal Cartwright — Senior Director of Creator Success & Support at LTK (formerly rewardStyle & LIKEtoKNOW.it) — told PEOPLE before the “Monetize Your Brand with LTK” panel that the company takes a “creator-first” approach, unlike many of its competitors. brands. Right now, they’re “creating spaces for creators of color, especially” to thrive, which is why the brand was eager to make its debut at CultureCon.

“That’s why we’re at CultureCon,” Cartwright said. “This is where we need to be. This is how we can talk to creatives of color and make sure they get the bag. It’s really just an educational piece.”

(L-R) Eric Jones Jr. and Teyana Taylor speak on stage at CultureCon NY 2023 on October 7, 2023 in New York City.

Arturo Holmes/Getty

Cartwright urged creatives to continue to “be who you are authentically” in order to stand out – although she acknowledged that creatives of color can find it particularly “difficult” to avoid feeling like they need to “fit into some kind of box”. But “authenticity and then just showing up in the community” will ultimately lead creatives to success.

Attendees of this year’s event also had the opportunity to mingle with prominent companies at the Creative Careers job fair. At the end of the weekend, creatives in attendance were invited to Sunday’s CultureCon Block Party with American Express, where they could enjoy sets from local DJs, as well as explore local restaurants, support black-owned entrepreneurs at the American Express Shop Small Business Market and socialize with other participants.

“It’s such a beautiful thing for our people to come together and do,” Jerome told PEOPLE about this year’s event. “So I’m here just loving the moment and the spirit, and I feel like everybody’s family, even though we don’t even know each other.”

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For more information, visit the official CultureCon website.

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Source: HIS Education