Black excellence descended upon the Duggal Greenhouses in Brooklyn for CultureCon Oct. 8. The annual networking event brought out the brightest minds in the creative world and a star-studded lineup of Black celebrity panelists, including social justice warrior Tamika D. Mallory, singer and choreographer Tinashe, NPR host and reporter Sidney Madden and world renown clinical psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford among other talent.
Outside of the thought-provoking panels and the immense amount of gems dropped throughout, CultureCon launched its inaugural Creative Career Job Fair this year, a special networking event where attendees had the chance to pitch their work to recruiters and learn about a slew of career opportunities from companies like Spotify, Google, Shea Moisture and NBCUniversal.
This year was my first time attending the annual event. Approaching the Duggal Greenhouses — a 300-acre waterfront property located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard complex — my heart began to pump with nerves and excitement as I pushed past a sea of beautiful Black creatives ready to network, socialize and show off their best couture.
The tantalizing smells of Chef Kwame’s buzzing Patty Palace, Harlem’s famous Charles Pan Fried Chicken and delectable bites from other Black-owned food vendors filled the air as attendees picked up their tickets and strolled about the venue in search of thought-provoking panels or to attend one of the fun workshops packed throughout the “creative homecoming.”
I came ready to CultureCon with my notebook, pen and laptop to learn from all of the amazing talent in the room. As a writer, podcaster and DJ, I’m always looking for new ways to improve and enhance my perspective as a creative.
I’m not afraid to admit that I’m still perfecting my craft in all three industries — at times, I feel far behind than many of my peers. But that is the part of the journey that has kept the fire lit underneath me throughout the twists and turns of my career. There’s so much more to learn and to be in a room filled with Black men and women like myself on a similar creative journey. Well, what more could you ask for?
The power of authenticity.
Tamika D. Mallory kicked off the day’s first “In Conversation” panel. Moderated by the “Gen Z Historian” Kahlil Green, the Harlem native spoke about the importance of maintaining authenticity and why it has helped her to form strong ties with Black community members in the fight for social justice.
“I was sitting at this restaurant one day, and this young lady walked by. I figured she was going to say, ‘Tamika Mallory?’ It wouldn’t be unusual for someone to say, ‘Let’s take a picture’ or ‘I appreciate you, sis. I’m praying for you.’ But instead, she said, ‘You’re the twerk and werk’ girl. And when she said that, I was like, ‘I did it! I finally coined the term,'” the activist chuckled.
In 2021, Mallory spoke about her affinity for twerking and working on Nina Turner’s Hello Somebody podcast.
“I truly do believe that you can twerk and werk at the same time,” Mallory told Green during Sunday’s CultureCon panel.
“I truly do believe that no one should be telling us what is respectable for us to do from day to day in order to make us valuable to this movement and to our society. When I get to any city, I find the hole in the wall. I find the place where Black people have Black joy going on, and I become one with that.”
Maintaining authenticity can be a challenge when you’re a public figure like Mallory, who is often criticized for her groundbreaking work in the world of social justice.
When asked how she handles “public skinfolk resistance” from opponents like Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and Black folks on social media, Mallory admitted that it was a tough challenge.
“When we talk about the skinfolk that I have to fight with every day in order to do my work—that’s a different thing. I don’t put them in the same category as Daniel Cameron. But I know that in our community, there is a lot of fear. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation,” Mallory explained.
“There is a very intentional divide that happens with our people—specifically associated with social media. Social media is a very dangerous tool that we can use to be dangerous in a good way or dangerous in a bad way. And unfortunately, it has created more of a divide between Black women and Black men.”
The Until Freedom co-founder urged Black men and women to come together and use their power at the polls to create change in November.
Burnout is real.
After grabbing a quick Jamaican mushroom patty at Chef Kwame’s delicious Patty Palace, I sat down to absorb a few more knowledge gems dropped by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a clinical psychologist and the host of Therapy for Black Girls.
Moderators Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell had the CultureCon audience rolling with laughter as they discussed themes from Joy’s book Sisterhood Heals – a “how to” on healing trauma and strengthening relationships.
When Beam asked Dr. Joy if there was a secret to balancing work with alone time, the podcast host and authority implored everyone in the audience to prioritize rest.
“I think a lot of times we are so uncomfortable with what will happen if we’re quiet and still that we just throw ourselves into friends. We throw ourselves into projects, but we do need to get quiet so that we can deal with whatever it is that we’re trying to do.”
Dr. Joy encouraged the audience to pick up an activity that could be used to decompress during “solo” time.
“One of my favorite solo activities is journaling. Being able to just freely write what’s coming up. I give myself 10 minutes to just feel whatever it is I’m uncomfortable about,” the mental health advocate said.
Before the panel ended, Obell asked Joy to advise people who may be struggling personally and professionally during this tough recession. The psychologist sent hope and joy buzzing throughout the venue when she encouraged listeners to remain positive.
“I would say times may be tough, but so are you. It’s okay to have difficulties, but don’t let that define your entire experience. You have been through difficult times before, and you can get through this difficult time as well.”
Fight through imposter syndrome.
Singer and actress Tinashe knows how imposter syndrome can trick creatives from sharing their art with fans. During a candid discussion with NPR host and reporter Sidney Madden, the multihyphenate detailed the frustration that can come with learning to trust your creative gut.
“It’s hard. I think it’s a practice. You constantly have to tell yourself and remind yourself that your instinct is the best when it comes to your art and your gut. Your decisions are going to create the most authentic piece of artwork,” the dancer and composer said.
Tinashe advised the sea of creatives in the room to limit the noise and pressure from critics.
“I think that allowing other people in, as much as they may have great intentions, is a very insidious process and can affect how you look at yourself. So, “Know Thyself” is my biggest piece of advice to keep out the noise.”
In September, the 30-year-old star dropped her sixth album, BB/ANG3L. Tinashe told Madden she was stepping into her “unapologetic era” on her latest project.
“I tend to compromise a lot less. And I think that that’s probably one of the layers that I have peeled back here,” the singer gushed.
“I think I’m in my unapologetic era. I think I’m getting really real and really raw, and at the end of the day—that’s the magic. It’s amazing to see how it connects with others.”
How do we combat scarcity in the creative industry?
After the panel, I chatted with Madden — co-host of NPR’s incredible Louder Than A Riot podcast alongside writer Rodney Carmichael.
Madden’s award-winning narrative podcast uses hip-hop as a canvas to tackle issues revolving around culture, misogynoir and race. During season two, she was in the courtroom for Megan Thee Stallion’s intense shooting trial against Tory Lanez. Reporting on the challenging case was no easy feat.
“Interviewing supporters of Megan and interviewing supporters of Tory outside of the courtroom, taking copious notes. Yeah, the arthritis was popping in the courtroom,” she said as we sat in a greenroom backstage.
“Then, also having to negotiate the amount of infotainment and the media whirlwind that was around this case. It was a lot psychologically, mentally, emotionally, but we knew it was the proof of concept that our season needed,” she continued.
“It was just really jarring to see and hear how Black people were so willing and ready and, in some cases, very fervent, to be loud in demonizing someone who originally didn’t even want to come forward with this. It was much more profitable and tantalizing to put a Black woman’s reputation on trial—that was the part that was a little disheartening for me as a journalist.”
Madden’s career in media has taken her to prestigious heights in journalism. Before NPR, she was a freelance writer with Billboard and an editorial assistant at XXL Magazine.
Still, even with all of her decorated achievements, Madden told me that imposter syndrome sometimes rears its ugly head.
“Being in a space like CultureCon is inspiring, but it’s also like, Damn! I’m behind,” she shared.
“I go through waves of feeling like that all the time. The music journalism and culture journalism space particularly. It’s also connected to notoriety. It’s connected to who you know, who you can book, and what type of moment you can make with them. And sometimes, if you don’t have certain connections or put yourself in certain situations where you get that moment—it can feel like you’re behind.”
When doubt creeps in, Madden finds support in her trusted circle of friends.
“I have talks with my best friends daily about this. We reaffirm each other, and they’re also in other industries, too. When I feel depleted, they fill my cup back up.”
Scarcity was another topic covered in season two of the podcast. Madden and Carmichael spoke about how scarcity can breed competition in hip-hop and unravel collaboration. The danger of competition is omnipresent in all industries and can hinder collaboration and progression if left to fester. When I asked Madden if she found a resolution to the ever-growing problem, the beautiful journalist told me that the “antidote is community.”
“Scarcity is really a mindset that gets set in stone with people who are moving in a space that was not created for them. It feels like there can only be one, but I’ve met so many people this weekend who have the same fire that I have and the same drive or have something similar that ignites a new interest in me,” she said.
“We’re not alone in this,” Madden added.
“Everybody’s trying to learn from each other —and that’s the best aspect of this weekend specifically. That gives me so much perspective and so much hope.”
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