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BABY DONNA was born out of this need and the merge of our Founders two passions. As a mother of two, Dalaise understands the dilemma many parents face of finding non toxic and truly safe products for our children. After countless years of searching for sunscreens that she felt comfortable using on her children, she decided to create her own. Dalaise ‘s other passion and background as a social worker has unfortunately allowed her to see the negative outcomes that children involved in the foster care and juvenile justice system have. When the idea of Baby Donna came to her, it was clear that this was an opportunity to use her company’s platform as an instrument for change and advocacy. As a result, Baby Donna pledges to donate 5% of our profits to non profits that are committed to the work of helping the most vulnerable children and youth. We have developed our three pillars of change strategy to ensure a clear path on how we can do our part.
URBAN GLŌ prides itself on creating products that promote peaceful living from the inside out. Here at Urban GLŌ, we believe that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is more than what you consume, it also includes what type of energy you let into your space. Enhance every room in your home with its own special GLŌ. Our aromatic soy candles can be used to meditate, set up a cozy at-home work area, unwind for the evening, or create a romantic ambiance. Our candles will leave your space feeling tranquil and serene.
AEVA BEAUTY launched in 2018, due to the lack of representation in the beauty industry, Aeva Beauty was created by Francisca Francois a Haitian-American and Professional Cosmetologist with over 10+ years of experience in the beauty industry.
FIFTH & WELSHIRE is designed to appeal to the non-traditional bride, the stylish minimalist, and the modern chic woman that appreciates clean lines, we offer a fashion-forward alternative to typical occasion wear. From simple yet striking dresses to coordinating two-piece separates and jumpsuits, our garments “speak” to your special day, but unlike statement pieces that will only be worn once and put away, our pieces become versatile components for the occasions that follow, stylish and sustainable for the way we live now.
We apply a ready-to-wear approach to occasionwear, offering a range of pieces at an approachable price point, and with styles that can and will, be worn again. This was a frustration she dealt with for years, until finally launching Aeva Beauty. An Inclusive brand, made with under represented deep hues in mind, on a mission to create diversity one beauty product at a time.
BUTTER BY KEBA With more than 10 years of experience Butter By Keba, NYC, offers quality handcraftedm unique personal care products and moisturizing fragrances that are infused with certified aromatherapy and perfumery. Our line of apothecary is formulated with a blend of plant-based ingredients, essential oils and phthalate-free naturally derived fragrances.We apply a ready-to-wear approach to occasionwear, offering a range of pieces at an approachable price point, and with styles that can and will, be worn again. This was a frustration she dealt with for years, until finally launching Aeva Beauty. An Inclusive brand, made with under represented deep hues in mind, on a mission to create diversity one beauty product at a time.
NATURAL RADIANT LIFE was created to not only satisfy our passion to empower one another, but to empower others to take better care of themselves in every area of life, and to share our love for nature-based products that breathe life into your skin.This business venture allows us as co-founders, long-time friends and business partners, to live out our dreams together.hing Aeva Beauty. An Inclusive brand, made with under represented deep hues in mind, on a mission to create diversity one beauty product at a time.
MAYE WILLIAMS is a 100% Black-owned activewear company, founded in 2018 by husband and wife duo Shaun and Mycah Maye-Williams. Their brand’s main mission is to offer high-quality and fun activewear to people who are often overlooked and under represented in the fitness space. Their apparel is created with the intention to represent different skin tones, genders, shapes, and sizes and for all people to feel amazing in their skin on their fitness journey. At Maye-Williams Active™, representation is key and we want go above and beyond to provide the best activewear experience on this journey of inclusion. Our Motto: #StayActive!
SIIKA HERB & HONEY CO. Created by Makuyo, the vision for SIIKA Herb + Honey Co. was given to her while in Ghana in December 2021. In her paternal Ga language, Siika translates to “wealth, luxury, extreme riches or beauty“, and takes inspiration from the sensual and real-world healing properties of honey and herbs, as well as everyday rituals, like tea time or eating.
While wealth is initially thought of in financial terms, wealth is also found in love for self, family, and friendships.
MELANATED WINE was created to decomplicate wineand embody our motto, “uncork the culture.” Founder Lashonda Fort-Modest believed that the minority community had been overlooked in the area of wine.“I often felt that when I went grocery shopping or occasionally visited a wine shop or explored a vineyard, there was nothing that spoke to people like me.”This oversight led Lashonda to ask, what was the wine industry missing regarding people of color?This question would propel her to learn about the industry; growers, grapes, tannins, and all things wine in hopes to decomplicate the complexities of the buying experience. “I believe wine can be fun, educational, delicious, and above everything uncomplicated.”Melanated Wine believes wine can be vibrant, energetic, and fun. But, most importantly, an opportunity for everyone to enjoy delicious wine and gain an understanding of what they are experiencing.
MIJOY NATURALS is a family business that empowers people to take pride in, embrace and love their natural hair. If you have hair, our products are for you. Our products work especially well for those with highly-textured, curly or dry hair. We concentrate the prevention of hair loss, stimulating growth and retaining length, while keeping those wearing protective styles and locs in mind. But what makes us so different? Well, we like to keep it all the way REAL. So many ingredients have been commercialized and are now “trendy”. While some of them do work wonders for your hair, we like to source and integrate only the most effective, high quality ingredients, even if they aren’t popular. Our focus is on finding oils, butters & botanicals that nourish and repair your hair without the unwanted aspects (greasiness, buildup, heaviness, etc).
So welcome to MiJoy Naturals. We truly believe we are not our hair, but embracing, loving and finding joy in our hair empowers us to pour into our self-love!
MARA COFFEE Coffee offers us a way to connect, enjoy new experiences and enables conversations with the people in our lives. This is one of the reasons we created Mara Coffee.
We are two coffee lovers (Hass and Serina) from different parts of the world that share a passion for travelling and a deep connection to Africa. Through our many travels, we have had the opportunity to discover an array of high-grade arabica coffee that opened a door to the abundance of exceptional coffee that has not been enjoyed by many.
Mara means ‘spotted’ in the masai language which resonated with our goal to find and share the best coffee in the world.
Our mission is to create a coffee experience you can’t live without.
SPEAKER TBD
ANTHONY ANDERSON
Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian and game show host who is known for playing Louis Booker from Kangaroo Jack, Glen Whitmann from Transformers, Ray Ray from The Proud Family and Antwon Mitchell from The Shield. He also acted in Blackish, Hoodwinked, The Departed, Agent Cody Banks 2 and Scream 4.
RICK ROSS
With the levying stature of a goliath and the regal standing of a King, Rick Ross has lived up to his prophecy of being the “Biggest Boss.” The Miami Monster Mogul has evolved into not just hip-hop’s most respected and revered MC (in fact he was voted MTV’s “Hottest MC” of 2011), but as a label CEO and business entrepreneur, his resumé is as sterling as one of his platinum plaques.
God Forgives, I Don’t is Ross’ fifth solo album in six years, following in the recent success of five star acclaimed masterpieces Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010) and classic team efforts with his Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 1 and 2. By now, everyone that follows what Ross does, has been conditioned to expect nothing but a prolific output of the highest grade of music.
In a career that reaches new heights every year, God Forgives… is a milestone, the most anticipated rap project of all of 2012, as well as being the LP that will be the definitive work of art of the past decade.
“Without exaggeration, you just don’t hear this high of quality or precision of music,” Ross says about his opus. “I’ve mastered the art of devising classic albums, but this by far exceeds my prior excellence. I owe this to the fans and I owe it to myself to be the undeniable best.”
God Forgives… has a seamless blend of party hits and street certifiable bangers surrounded by Ross’ passionate reflections on life and articulation of his journey to be a billionaire. On one of the lead cuts, “So Sophisticated,” Ross hammers down heavy-handed statements with a delivery as graceful as Michael Jackson’s penny loafers lighting up the streets in “Billie Jean.” Meanwhile “Touch N You” features multi-time Grammy Award winner Usher and caters to the women who have crowned Ricky Rozay as one of the most yearned for sex symbols in all of entertainment.
“Three Kings” feels like Ross’ coronation into legend status as he is joined side by side by the man who has garnered the title of Greatest Rapper of All-Time, Jay-Z and the Greatest Producer of All-Time, Dr. Dre.
Like every up and coming MC, Ross — influenced by Golden Era b-boys that reigned supreme in the late 80s — just wanted to be heard during his introduction into hip-hop in the late 90s. While the desire and the artistry have been Ross hallmarks from career commencement, he had to learn the fine of art of structuring record contracts as well figure out a way to market and promote himself to the public when his former record labels couldn’t.
Ultimately, Rick Ross’ time didn’t come until over a decade after he started professionally. He only needed one song to break through. 2006’s “Hustlin” which went from being a relentless street anthem to a pop culture catch phrase still used today, earned Ross a record deal with Def Jam, and became the catalyst for his debut LP Port of Miami. That album debuted number one on the Billboard charts as did Trilla which came less than two years later.
And while his core fans already were familiar with the superlatives or Rick Ross the artist, in 2009, we got to know how strong of man the music Kingpin was. Highly publicized rap battles and controversy over his street cred that started at the end of 2008, none of it mattered by the spring of the next year when 2009’s Deeper Than Rap dropped. The few that ridiculed had no choice but to jump on the bandwagon, when Ross elevated himself with refined raps and musical soundscapes, all the while never worrying about public misperceptions about his past. While other albums may have sold slightly more, 2010’s Teflon Don overshadowed every LP from any genre that year. It was the album you heard coming out every car, the album that dominated DJ’s playlist and the album that catapulted Ross to international superstardom.
Building on the next level of his fame, Ross’ hunger wasn’t satiated. He knew it was his golden opportunity expand his Maybach Music Group. In late 2010 MMG went from boutique imprint to a full-fledged label, with the signings of Wale and Meek Mill as the cornerstones of the roster. Stalley and Omarion have since joined his core and have helped make MMG the most beloved brand since Jay-Z had Roc-A-Fella records 10 years ago. In early 2012, Ross released a free mixtape containing an album’s worth of new material called Rich Forever. The popularity from the body of work was so fervent, Ross toured in the U.S. and overseas in support of the new set of songs and Rich Forever has since went on to be the most downloaded mixtape ever. Now with God Forgives I Don’t, Ross has his sights set on a brand new goal: to be the biggest boss and artist of all-time.
“When my career is done, people will look back at everything I’ve contributed, and not just speak my name in high regard with the best of the best artists, but they’ll also compare my contributions with the greatest executives ever such as Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Clive Davis and Jimmy Iovine.”
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
4X NBA Champion, Sports Analyst, DJ, Philanthropist, and Investor
Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, Shaquille O’Neal is considered to be one of the most dominant basketball players in NBA history. At 7 ft 1 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality and powerful athleticism have resulted in worldwide adulation and one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment.
Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accolades rival his athletic accomplishments, having found success in acting, music, television, gaming and as an entrepreneur. Currently, Shaq is an analyst on Inside The NBA, on the board of Papa John’s Pizza in addition to being partner and investor in numerous other businesses.
Philanthropically, Shaquille’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of America dates back to his youth in New Jersey. As a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he has been participating in campaigns with the non-profit company for the past 15 years.
