Black Beauty Was The Main Character At CURLFEST 2026
MN On The Scene: Black Beauty Was The Main Character At CURLFEST 2026 - Page 2
Hundreds of women of color descended upon Randall’s Island to attend the return of CURLFEST. The annual festival spotlights Black beauty with panels, interactive brand activations, a robust vendor marketplace and various food spots. It was golden hour every hour at CURLFEST.
As media partners, MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful were in attendance to experience all the festival had to offer. Editorial Director Shamika Sanders and Danica Daniel, Managing Editor of MadameNoire, moderated two panels on the Empowerment Stage.
HelloBeautiful Presents The “Future of Beauty” panel, featuring panelists Kadijia Dosso, Jaleesa Jaikaran, Candace Bullock, and Gabrielle Zalina, focused on identifying upcoming beauty trends, the state of beauty culture and how Black women are demanding transparency from the industry.
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A key takeaway from the candid conversation was about restoring community and getting to the roots of the products we use.
Danica Daniel’s panel was titled, “Beauty Without Borders.” “Because beauty has never existed in one place or looked one way. We are such an example and reflection of how many different variations of beauty there is,” said Daniel introducing the panel.
The Return Of CURLFEST
CURLFEST took a year ofd and returned with a bang this time around. Not only was it the main festival, the CURLFEST team heard the feedback from attendees who said they wanted more. There were events around the city leading up to the main day on Saturday.
“What we did with CURLFEST is basically a reflection of ourselves,” said CURLFEST co-founder Melody Henderson on the main stage. “There’s a magic that happens when we all get together.”
After the panels, Danica visited the marketplace to chat with Black women business owners. Stay tuned for that package in August.
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