Menu
Terms & Conditions
The hours for Chase Presents: Black Entrepreneurs Day Curated by Daymond John at The Apollo Theater in New, York, NY (“Event”) on October 22, 2022 will be from 6:00 PM ET to 9:30 PM ET on October 22, 2022. In order for the purchaser and/or holder (hereinafter referred to as you “You” or “Your”) of a valid wristband or ticket (“Ticket”) to enter Event, You must possess a valid Ticket that permits access to the Event and check in at marked locations during specified time periods. Please allow ample time to check in.
ARTICLE 1: YOUR TICKET
Please be advised, the purchase and/or use of a Ticket to, and/or entry into, Event shall constitute Your unconditional acceptance to be bound by any and all of the terms and conditions contained within this agreement (this “Agreement”) between You and Medium Rare Live, LLC (the “Company”) to attend all or part of the Event.
For safety reasons, Company reserves the right to, without any prior notice or compensation to You: postpone, cancel, interrupt or stop the Event; provisionally keep visitors on the Event site at the end of the Event; totally or partially vacate the Event site; and deny access to the Event site regardless of the possession of a valid entry ticket.
Subject to the limitations of this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to change, modify, or alter any aspect of the Event (including, without limitation, the appearance of any performer or artist, and/or the order of performance of any performer or artist), at any time, for any reason whatsoever, without any prior notice or compensation to You. You understand that the speakers, artists, and/or lineup for the Event may be changed and that such occurrence shall not, under any circumstances, entitle You to any claim whatsoever, including, but not limited to, a refund for Your Ticket.
You understand, acknowledge, and agree that the names of any speaker, artist, act or performer contained in any Event promotional material is intended for informational purposes only, and does not, in any way, represent the importance or headline status of any single speaker, artist, act or performer, and is subject to change without prior notice.
EXCEPT AS EXPLICITLY OTHERWISE PROVIDED HEREIN, YOU UNCONDITIONALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL. THERE WILL BE NO TICKET REFUNDS AND/OR TICKET EXCHANGES. THE EVENT IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT.
If the Event is cancelled in whole, or in part, due to a Force Majeure Event (as defined below), You will not be entitled to a refund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may issue, at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, a partial or full refund of Your Ticket, by accounting for, among other considerations, the extent and nature of the cancellation. A “Force Majeure Event” shall mean an act of God, act of terrorism, flood, tsunami, strike or other labor condition or dispute, an order or injunction of any court or administrative body or any other act of public authority, severe weather threatening the safety of Event attendees or similar contingency or unexpected event, and any such occurrence beyond the reasonable control of Company.
You understand that in all instances, the maximum remedy You may receive for any cancellation of any part of the Event, if any, will be the face value of Your Ticket, excluding all fees and/or service charges paid by You in connection with the purchase of Your Ticket.
By entering the Event, You assume any and all risk and/or danger, known and unknown, foreseeable and unforeseeable, resulting from, or incidental to, the Event, whether occurring prior to, during, or subsequent to, the Event, including, but not limited to, any death, personal injury or loss, damage or liability whatsoever. You understand that Your use of Your Ticket is contingent upon Your voluntary assumption of the risk and danger that may result from, or be incidental to, Your presence at the Event, whether occurring prior to, during or after the Event, including, but not limited to, any actions or omissions of the Company Parties.
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is believed to spread mainly by person-to person contact. By entering the Event, You (a) acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and knowingly and voluntarily assume the risk that You may exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending the Event and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and/or death to You or any other party, (b) voluntarily agree to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury, illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, actions, causes of action, suits, sums of money, costs or expenses, of any kind, including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs (“Claims”), that You or any party may experience or incur, and (c) hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless the Company Parties, and any vendor(s), from any and all Claims of any kind arising out of or relating thereto.
You acknowledge and understand that the Ticket is a revocable license to attend the Event for which it was issued, which is subject to revocation and denial of admission without compensation for any reason, including, but not limited to, Your attempted or actual violation of any of the rules set forth herein, policy or regulations and for any other action taken by You in violation of any local, state or federal law, or that may endanger other ticketholders.
ARTICLE 2: TICKET AND PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED
In order to enter into the Event, You must have Your own valid Ticket. One Ticket is required per attendee and will only be valid on the day(s) of the Event and area(s) of the Event as indicated on the Ticket.
Your Ticket is not redeemable for cash. There will be no replacements for Tickets that are lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged and You unconditionally accept the risk of damage to, loss of and/or theft of Your Ticket.
In no event will forged tickets be honored or eligible for a refund.
The following original forms of identification are ACCEPTABLE:
The following forms of identification are UNACCEPTABLE:
ARTICLE 3: SECURITY CHECK
Access to the Event site is PROHIBITED and refused to, but not limited to, people who:
Please note all ticket holders will be searched upon entering the Event site. Security guards will inspect all objects brought onto the Event site including, but not limited to, clothing, luggage and other personal items in order to detect objects that may disrupt the course of the Event, jeopardize the safety of other ticket holders, or disturb the peace. Security guards may search any persons and property on the Event site at any time, including, but not limited to, storage lockers, and confiscate any prohibited items, in their sole discretion. Given the volume of attendees, all confiscated items or any items will not be held checked or returned. For that reason, please read Article 4 carefully.
ARTICLE 4: FORBIDDEN OBJECTS PROHIBITED ITEMS FOR THE EVENT:
If You bring any of the items on the above prohibited items list into the Event, such items will be confiscated and discarded and You will be subject to removal from the Event based on the sole discretion of Company. Under no circumstances will Company hold any prohibited items for You.
ALL PERSONS AND PROPERTY ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH AND MAY BE REQUIRED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES DURING SEARCH. COMPANY HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. THE USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS AND UNDERAGE DRINKING IS NOT PERMITTED. ANYONE FOUND WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS AND/OR UNDERAGE DRINKING WILL BE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL FROM THE EVENT AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACK IN.
ARTICLE 5: CONDUCT AT THE EVENT
At the Event, it is forbidden to:
You must heed the directions of Event organizers and security personnel at all times whilst on the Event site. If You fail to comply with such directions, You will be removed from the Event site, and, if necessary, Event staff may call on the police for assistance.
Company reserves the right to, without any prior notice or compensation to deny entry, at its discretion, to any person who is not properly dressed.
ARTICLE 6: RE-ENTRY
You may not exit and re-enter the Event. You will have to purchase a new Ticket to re-enter the Event.
If You are removed from the Event, Your ticket shall not be refunded and You will be denied re-entry, even if You are in possession of a new Ticket. If You have a new Ticket, Event staff may seize that Ticket and You shall not receive a refund.
ARTICLE 7: UNAUTHORIZED SALE OR USE OF TICKET
Anyone caught forging entry tickets or any other special admission tickets in order to access or sell such tickets to the Event will be prosecuted without exception. Counterfeit tickets will not be honored or refunded by the Company and Your purchase of such ticket(s) is not binding on the Company whatsoever.
Anyone caught tampering with or sharing their Ticket will be immediately ejected and banned from the Event.
Tickets may not be resold without prior explicit permission from the Company. Tickets which appear to have been resold without permission from the Company will not be honored or subject to a refund.
The resale, attempted resale, or purchase of Your Ticket at a price higher than the official purchase price from the authorized ticket agent TIXR, is grounds for seizure and cancellation of Your Ticket without compensation. The only valid tickets are those purchased and/or redeemed through TIXR or other Company-authorized sale channels listed on the official Company website.
Tickets may not be used in association with any giveaway, sweepstakes, contest or similar activities, including, but not limited to, as a prize or incentive, without the Company’s prior written consent. Any Ticket so used will automatically become void at the Company’s sole discretion with no refund to You and/or the ticketholder.
ARTICLE 8: RECORDINGS
By attending the Event, You understand, agree and acknowledge that (i) You may be photographed and filmed, (ii) the event is being filmed for broadcast and (iii) You hereby provide the Company with Your absolute, express consent to be photographed and filmed. You further understand and agree that these images and/or recordings can be registered, stored, transmitted, broadcast/streamed, rebroadcast, and sold for archival, promotional, and/or commercial purposes, in any manner, and in any media, now known or hereafter discovered, without any compensation to You. Your name, image and/or Your likeness may be captured as part of and/or used in connection with any broadcast/stream, audio, visual, or audio-visual recording, photograph, or other reproduction or other publication of the Event (the “Footage”) and may also be used by or on behalf of the Company or any of the Company’s parent entities, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, sponsors, officers, shareholders, successors, licenses or assigns for any purpose, including, but not limited to, archival, promotional, and commercial purposes, without any compensation to You. You waive all other rights in and to the Footage, including, but not limited to, all claims of so-called moral rights. This Footage may be used as a means to identify and facilitate the prosecution of illegal or impermissible conduct.
At the Event, there will be camera surveillance for the purpose of ensuring the safety and proper operation of the Event. The Footage may be registered or stored by the Company or governmental authorities for the purpose of ensuring the security and safety of Event attendees and the
enforcement of and compliance with the safety regulations on the Event site.
Any recordings made by ticketholders on or near the Event site may not be used for commercial or public purposes, unless consented to by the Company (including, without limitation, having ads run on or beside such videos on YouTube and other video sharing websites). Non-professional grade cameras are allowed at the Event site.
ARTICLE 9: MERCHANDISE
Official T-shirts and other Event souvenirs are only on sale within the Event site.
Unless you have received written permission from Company, You may not sell any items at the Event. Unauthorized sale of goods at the Event may result in your removal from the Event.
ARTICLE 10: PARKING
The Company disclaims all responsibility from losses or damages to vehicles parked on or near the Event.
The Company is not responsible for losses or damage to any vehicle towed from the Event site.
ARTICLE 11: REFUSE
You must maintain the cleanliness of the Event site and dispose of refuse properly. The collecting points for garbage and recycling on the Event site will be clearly indicated.
The bathroom facilities at the Event are free of charge. It is forbidden to use any other location as a bathroom facility.
ARTICLE 12: ZERO TOLERANCE DRUGS POLICY
The Company has a zero tolerance policy regarding illegal drugs. It is forbidden on the Event site to: (i) use, distribute, sell and/or to be in possession of illegal drugs; and (ii) distribute, sell or improperly use prescription or over-the-counter drugs. You understand and agree that Your use of the Ticket is contingent upon Your unconditional and voluntary acceptance to be searched for the presence of drugs, weapons, objects that may disrupt the peace or jeopardize the safety of other ticketholders, and/or other prohibited items prior to Your admission to the Event site, and/or at any time thereafter. If any of these items are found, this License for admission shall be immediately revoked, such items will be seized by security personnel and forfeited by You, or You will be immediately removed from the Event. Notwithstanding the foregoing, You are permitted to bring into the Event prescription drugs if You have a valid prescription and such prescription drugs are in the original container with the prescription details from the pharmacy, with Your name clearly listed on the prescription, provided that you may only bring into the Event the quantity required for that day for Your particular prescription, as detailed thereon. You will only be allowed to carry the dosage of medication required for the duration of the Event.
If You are in violation of this rule, You will be immediately ejected from the Event site. The Event staff will closely monitor any potential illegal or prohibited drug activity, relying in part on security cameras placed throughout the Event site.
By entering the Event site, You consent to be searched by Event staff. If You refuse to submit to a search by Event staff, You will be denied entry to, or ejected from, the Event site.
ARTICLE 13: ADA ACCOMMODATIONS
If You would like additional information about available ADA accommodations, please email the Company [email protected]
ARTICLE 14: EVENT SAFETY
Due to weather or other conditions, the floors and/or Event grounds may in whole, or in part, slippery.
ARTICLE 15: MEDICAL CARE
You hereby consent to medical care and transportation in order to obtain treatment in the event of injury as Event staff, security, police or medical professionals may deem appropriate in their reasonable discretion. You understand this waiver extends to any liability that arises out of, or is in any way connected with, the medical treatment and transportation provided in the event of an emergency and/or injury.
You hereby agree to release and hold harmless the Company Parties from any liability arising out of or in connection with the actions or omissions of the Company Parties related to Your medical care.
You recognize and acknowledge that there are hazards and risks of physical injury or illness and that not all such risks can be fully eliminated. By entering the Event site, You voluntarily agree to assume the full risk of death, bodily injury or property damage, regardless of severity, that may sustain as a result of attendance at the Event or while on the premises, except to the extent caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Company Parties.
ARTICLE 16: INDEMNIFICATION
You hereby indemnify and hold harmless the Company, Shark Branding, Corp., Daymond John, Authentic Brands Group, LLC., their parent, affiliate, and subsidiary companies, and each of their respective representatives, officers, directors, owners, members, trustees, agents, employees, successors, licenses and assigns, designated ticketing agent, Event sponsors/promoters, venue, and the performing artists, including, but not limited to, their respective management, their agents, their staff and their designees (collectively, the “Company Parties”) from any loss, liability, damage or cost in any way arising out of, or related to, Your actions and omissions at, around, or while traveling to and from, the Event.
You hereby waive, discharge, hold harmless and covenant not to sue the Company Parties from any and all liability arising out of, or in connection with, the Event, for any claims, causes of action, obligations, lawsuits, charges, complaints, controversies, damages, costs or experiences of whatsoever kind, nature, or description, whether direct or indirect, in law or in equity, in contract or in tort, or otherwise, whether known or unknown, arising out of, or related to, the Event, Your attendance at the Event, or Your travel to and from the Event, except to the extent caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Company Parties.
IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY PARTIES OR THEIR SUPPLIERS, ADVERTISERS AND SPONSORS, BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR, AND YOU HEREBY KNOWINGLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS TO SEEK, DIRECT, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS, REVENUES OR
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY TYPE, AND ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED, ARISING OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, THE EVENT OR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE PURCHASED AT THE EVENT, EVEN IF THE COMPANY PARTIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CLAIM IS BASED UPON ANY CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHER LEGAL OR EQUITABLE THEORY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THE COMPANY PARTIES WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR (a) ANY FAILURE OF ANOTHER ATTENDEE OF THE EVENT TO CONFORM TO THESE RULES, (b) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT, RESULTING FROM YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THE EVENT, (c) ANY ERRORS, MISTAKES, INACCURACIES OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT, OR (d) ANY LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED TICKETS, OR FAILURE OF EVENT STAFF OR SECURITY TO HONOR YOUR TICKET. YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE EVENT IS TO LEAVE THE EVENT. THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS ARTICLE 16 SECTION 3 WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANY LIMITED REMEDY FAILS ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. THE ALLOCATION OF RISK BETWEEN US IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN US. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF DAMAGES, SO THESE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, THE COMPANY PARTIES’ LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. IN NO EVENT WILL ATTORNEYS’ FEES BE AWARDED OR RECOVERABLE BY YOU.
ARTICLE 17: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
In no event shall the Company Parties be liable for any claim unless written notice is given within six (6) months from the date of the loss. No suit for any cause may be maintained against the Company Parties unless it is commenced within one (1) year after the Event.
YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE, YOU KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY, INTENTIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT YOU MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY DISPUTE OR CONFLICT IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.
These terms shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of law. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to these terms shall be brought only in the state courts empowered to enforce this Agreement located in New York County, or the federal courts located in New York County, as applicable, unless otherwise specified. The parties hereto specifically consent to personal jurisdiction of said courts, and hereby waive any objection thereto on the basis of personal jurisdiction or venue. Each of the parties also agrees that any final and non-appealable judgement against a party in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction, either within or outside of the United States.
You understand that the Company Parties and all other related parties, including, but not limited to, each of the Company Parties and the related parties’ management, employees, and agents, will not be held responsible, financially or otherwise, for any items that are left, lost, stolen, destroyed, confiscated, damaged or misplaced anywhere at the Event site regardless of fault or reason, so act accordingly. Any and all losses incurred by You under this Article 17, Section 4 shall be subject to Article 16, Section 1 above. The Company recommends that You do not bring any valuables to the Event.
You unconditionally agree that the terms and conditions contained herein and/or referenced herein represent the entire agreement between You and the Company with respect to its subject matter, and shall supersede and replace all prior contemporaneous understandings, communications, and agreements, written or oral, regarding such subject matter which contradict these terms, including, but not limited to, the text contained on the back of the actual Ticket and/or any contrary understanding or agreements between You and the Company. You further confirm that there are no other agreements between You and any of the other Company Parties. You unconditionally agree to be bound by any and all of the terms and conditions contained herein and/or referenced herein and any additions, changes and/or modifications thereof, which may be made from time to time without prior notice to You. Any updates to our new terms and conditions will be posted to this website address.
If any provision of this Agreement is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent possible so as to affect the intent of the parties hereto, and the other provisions contained herein will remain in full force and effect. Company’s failure to insist upon or enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any provision or right.
ANIKEI ALLEN
Community Program Manager, Build Black with Shopify
Anikei has numerous years of experience in the e-commerce and tech space, and is known both professionally and personally for her dedication to the Black community. She is the Community Program Manager for Shopify’s Black Entrepreneurship team (Build Black), and serves as the Community Engagement Lead for Shopify’s Black Employee Resource Group.
Also an entrepreneur, Anikei founded BLKYUTE – a growing clothing brand with a philanthropic approach that works to support and uplift the Black community.
Graduating from the University of Windsor with a double major in psychology and criminology, Anikei has always had a passion for exploring and understanding mental health as well as the disproportionate overrepresentation of Black people within the criminal justice system.
When not immersed in the preceding, Anikei enjoys traveling, watching crime docuseries, writing poetry and engaging in conversations aimed at destigmatizing the discourse of mental health issues and promoting therapy within the Black community.
KENNY THOMPSON
Kenny Thompson, Jr. is the Vice President of External Affairs, North America at PepsiCo. He applies his experience with social impact, corporate responsibility, sustainability, advocacy, and communications to generate new business, amplify PepsiCo’s business partnerships, and grow PepsiCo’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
In 2020, Thompson was selected to serve as the Private Sector Liaison for the Biden – Harris Transition where he provided strategic and management oversight of the interaction with the private sector while managing relationships with Fortune 500 CEOs, Wall Street firms, venture-backed enterprises, and industry groups.
Before joining PepsiCo, Kenny held several positions in the Obama-Biden White House, including Director of Message Events for then Vice President Joe Biden, Senior Advisor to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and Special Assistant and Advance Lead for President Barack Obama.
Kenny currently serves on the boards of the Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, the International Franchise Association, and Sandy Hook Promise. He is also a Commissioner on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships.
A native Texan, Kenny completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University, where he was a proud member of the Horned Frog baseball team. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University.
KILLER MIKE
Born in Atlanta, GA, Grammy-winning artist and songwriter Michael Render aka Killer Mike, is part of the popular hip-hop super duo, Run The Jewels. Alongside his partner, EL-P, he has released four studio albums. Their most recent, RTJ4, soared to the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and was met with widespread critical acclaim, landing at #1 on NME‘s The Best 50 Albums of 2020 list. Named the 2020 Spin Magazine Artist of the Year, Run The Jewels have won eleven Libera Awards, including the 2021 A2IM Humanitarian Award, took home four Clio Awards, including two Gold-winning Music Marketing campaigns, and received a 2018 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song.
Beyond his work with Run The Jewels, Killer Mike has been an active solo artist for over 20 years, releasing studio albums and mixtapes, while also collaborating on projects by some of the biggest names in hip-hop including Outkast, Jay-Z, Big Boi, T.I., Black Thought, and more. Killer Mike secured a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance Duo or Group for his collaboration with Outkast, “The Whole World,” and also featured on “Poppin’ Tags” off Jay-Z’s #1 and triple-Platinum album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse.
In addition to his success as a musician, Killer Mike has gained wide recognition beyond the industry. He acted in several films, including Baby Driver, Idlewild, and ATL. He also provided voiceover for the 2021 Netflix film America: The Motion Picture and is the host of multiple series including PBS’ Love & Respect with Killer Mike, Facebook’s Roll’N with Killer Mike, and Netflix’s Trigger Warning with Killer Mike.
Killer Mike is an advocate for the disenfranchised, a business owner, and a frequent public speaker on politics, race, and inequality in many communities. In 2020, his extensive work as a social justice activist earned him the first-ever Billboard Change Maker Award.
GAYLE KING
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
Tracee Ellis Ross is an award-winning actress, producer and CEO. She recently starred in ABC’s “black-ish,” which ran for eight seasons on ABC. Ross won a Golden Globe Award for her role on the series and garnered five Emmy nominations. Previously, Ross starred in “Girlfriends” for eight seasons. Ross has won nine NAACP Image Awards for “black-ish,” “Girlfriends,” and BET’s “Reed Between The Lines,” which she starred in and produced. Recently, Ross starred in the feature film “The High Note,” for which she recorded five original songs.
Ross has a multi-year overall deal with ABC Signature under her production company, Joy Mill Entertainment. The company is committed to amplifying multilayered stories that reframe assumptions about how people see themselves and each other.
The production company’s debut project, “THE HAIR TALES,” is a docuseries about Black women, beauty and identity through the distinctive lens of Black hair. Ross will serve as executive producer, along with Michaela angela Davis and Oprah Winfrey, and as the series narrator. The docuseries will premiere October 22, 2022 on OWN and Hulu in the US, on Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ internationally.
Additionally, Ross will serve as executive producer alongside “Insecure” executive producer Grace Edwards on MTV Entertainment Studios’ adult animated film, “Jodie.” “Jodie” is a spinoff of MTV’s iconic “Daria” franchise in which Ross will voice the title character, Jodie.
To add to her many endeavors, Ross will be producing a 10-episode podcast, “I Am America,” alongside Dear Media. Each episode of the podcast will highlight a person of color and their contributions to their community. Dear Media is known for highlighting the stories of women in entertainment. The podcast will debut in 2023.
Ross is CEO and Founder of PATTERN Beauty—the award-winning haircare brand she created in 2019. It is the #1 Black-owned brand and #2 curl brand at ULTA Beauty and is also sold at Target in the US, at Sephora throughout the US and Canada, at Boots throughout the United Kingdom, and on Amazon, Thirteen Lune, and Cult Beauty. PATTERN serves as an active space for the celebration of Black beauty and supports organizations and programs that empower women and people of color.
Ross advocates for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity. In 2018, she became the first Black woman to open the TED Conference. Ross was recently awarded “Changemaker of the Year” at the Women’s Wear Daily Beauty Inc. Awards for her work as ULTA Beauty’s DE&I Advisor and her thought leadership in the space and was also named the 2022 Racial Justice Trailblazer by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Ross utilizes her platform and reach to create an ecosystem that allows Black women to feel seen and celebrated. Ross’ larger mission is to create fundamental change that allows safety, equity, and freedom for everyone, with a particular emphasis on supporting and uplifting Black women and girls, and to dispel the myth that Black haircare is a niche market.
Ross received an honorary Doctorate degree from her alma mater, Brown University, in 2015.
VENUS WILLIAMS
With 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships and 4 Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports.
Beginning her rise to the top at the age of 14, Williams quickly took the world of tennis by storm rising to the top-ranked position, breaking countless records, and winning numerous championships.
Encouraged by her mother at an early age to explore her creative side, Williams enrolled in fashion school where she was instantly drawn into the world of fashion and interior design. True to her bold spirit, Williams parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit into two successful design ventures.
In 2002, after obtaining an Interior Decorator certification, Williams founded V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm. Continuing with her love for design, Williams obtained an Associate of Science in Fashion Design and in 2012 she launched the fashion-forward activewear brand, EleVen by Venus Williams. In May 2020, Venus partnered with Credo Beauty to debut an award-winning line of clean, mineral-based SPF products under the EleVen by Venus umbrella. Her entrepreneurship in the health, wellness and beauty space also includes her role as Chief Brand Officer to Asutra and in December 2020, Williams launched her plant-based protein company, Happy Viking.
Sticking to her entrepreneurial spirit, in 2009 Williams along with her sister, Serena became the first female African Americans to have a stake in an NFL franchise after joining the ownership group of the Miami Dolphins. The following year, Venus published her motivational book, “Come to Win” which reached No. 5 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Most recently, Venus served as Executive Producer on the Academy Award-winning Warner Brothers biopic King Richard, which detailed the influence her father and coach, Richard Williams, had on her childhood and careers as she became a tennis icon and changed the sport for generations to come.
Throughout her career, Williams has been a steadfast advocate for equality. In 2006, UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization, titled her as the first “Promoter of Gender Equality.’ In 2007 it was her unwavering fight, which led Wimbledon to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts and most recently, she launched an awareness initiative called the #PrivilegeTax in conjunction with EleVen to bring attention to the wage inequality and unveiled a platform of resources for young women to get inspired and address the issue on a grassroots level.
Williams’ achievements throughout her legendary career have merited her a plethora of additional accolades, including being honored as Variety’s “Power of Women”, Glamour Magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year,’ CARE Impact Award for Gender Equality, ESPN’s ‘WTA Player of the Year,’ and Forbes’ ‘Celebrity 100’ among others. In September 2009, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) honored Williams with the Americanism Award for publicly speaking up for Israeli player Shahar Pe’er who was barred from the Dubai tennis tournament.
Williams holds Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University East and an Associate of Science in Fashion Design from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
DAYMOND JOHN
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip consequat. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. hello world
TIKI BARBER
Tiki Barber is a successful entrepreneur, co-founding Julius, Inc., and Thuzio, Inc. – both now a part of Triller Entertainment Co. Julius is a SaaS solution for influencer search and procurement. Thuzio, a networking and content company, produces live events around sports and entertainment.
Tiki has had an extensive media career, working for Fox News and NBC’s The Today Show, among others, and currently serves as co-host of WFAN’s (New York) Midday Show, Tiki & Tierney.
Philanthropically, he is a board member of Kulture City, an autism acceptance and inclusion organization based in Birmingham, AL. He also contributes his time to United for A.L.I.C.E. (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed), a United Way of Northern New Jersey program focused on helping a growing number of families face the often-hidden world of financial struggle.
Tiki is a 1997 graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce (Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society), with a concentration in Management Information Systems.
After graduating, Tiki spent 10 years playing professional football for the New York Football Giants. He retired in 2007 as the team’s all time leading rusher, and in 2011 was an inaugural member of the Giants Ring of Honor.
He has also co-authored, with his twin brother, Ronde, three successful children’s books and nine young-adult novels.
EARL “BUTCH” GRAVES
Earl G. Graves Jr. (Butch) is Chief Executive Officer of BLACK ENTERPRISE. He joined the company in 1988 after earning his M.B.A. from Harvard University. During his tenure at BLACK ENTERPRISE he has served in many positions, including VP of Advertising & Marketing, and Chief Operating Officer. In 2006 he was promoted to his current position.
Under Butch’s guidance BLACK ENTERPRISE has grown from a single-title publication into a robust multimedia company. Today, the company delivers content across five platforms, including magazine publishing; two nationally syndicated television shows; professional development events; digital and social media.
In 2000, he co-founded the Black Enterprise/Greenwich Street Corporate Growth Fund – A unique private equity firm seeking to finance the growth of established minority-owned or – managed businesses across various industries. Mr. Graves is also an active Partner in S & C Robinson, LLC – an Airport Concessions Enterprise formed in 2016.
Butch received his B.A. in economics from Yale University in 1984, distinguishing himself both academically and athletically. As a four-year starter and Captain of the Yale basketball team, he graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer and the second leading scorer in Ivy League history. He was drafted in the third round by the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers in 1984, and enjoyed a brief professional basketball career with the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 2002 Butch was inducted into the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Achievement. In 2006 he was awarded the Jack Avrett Volunteer Spirit Award from the Boy Scouts of America, and in 2009 he was honored with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Butch serves on the board of directors of AutoZone, Bermuda Tourism Authority, and is a Trustee for The Committee For Economic Development. In addition to serving on numerous non-profit Boards, Mr. Graves is a strong national advocate for the importance of education and athletics, and served as an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) head basketball coach for more than 15 years.
BRIAN LAMB
Brian Lamb is a Managing Director and Segment Head for Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries (MMBSI) covering the Northeast (Delaware, New England, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) for JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking. He is responsible for leading the region’s commercial banking teams who deliver the firm’s global capabilities to local clients – including credit and financing, digital payments, treasury services and international banking – and growing the MMBSI business.
Starting May 1, 2022, Brian has assumed this role, leading a key region for a critical part of the MMBSI business and bringing his passion and talent to another leadership position at the firm.
Previously serving for two years as the firm’s global head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, he collaborated across lines of business to build a world-class, business-led DEI organization at JPMorgan Chase. He also has been instrumental in propelling the firm’s $30 billion commitment to racial equity, including work related to our Global Supplier Diversity Strategy and establishing the new DEI Centers of Excellence.
Brian brings extensive business experience gained during 13-years with Fifth Third Bank — including national roles leading Wealth & Asset Management, Retail Banking and Securities, Middle Market and Business Banking. He was also responsible for the comprehensive strategic framework of the Bank’s civic commitments, including Corporate Communications, Ethics, and Diversity & Corporate Social Responsibility.
Brian serves as Chair of the Florida State University System Board of Governors and after serving as a Board Trustee, is now Chair of the National Urban League’s Audit Committee.
Notably, Business Insider named him as a DEI Trailblazer in 2021. He’s also been recognized as a 2020 Person of Vision by Preserve Vision Florida, a 2019 Man of Honor in Cincinnati, Savoy Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America in 2018, and he was named to the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame in 2016.
Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, an MBA from the University of South Florida and is also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate Banking School at the University of Pennsylvania.
He lives in New York with his wife Paulette and three children.
MINDELYN ANDERSON
For 21 years, Dr. Anderson has researched social inequality and stratification, race and migration, education and social mobility, and health. Prior to founding Mirror Group, Mindelyn served as the Program Director of the Masters of Science in Measurement and Evaluation at American University, Honors Faculty in Residence and Assistant Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Northeastern University, and Marilyn Yarbrough Fellow at Kenyon College. Her scholarship has been supported by sponsors including the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Institutes of Health. Dr. Anderson has also held fellowships at American Institutes for Research and Mathematica Policy Research. She has conducted evaluations with and provided technical assistance and training for philanthropic, community-based, regional, national and international non-profit, for-profit, and educational organizations. Her utilization- focused, participatory evaluation practice is informed by Culturally-Responsive and Racial Equity Evaluation and values equity, systems change, and transformation as integral components of high-quality consulting. In addition to leading evaluation, learning, and strategy at Mirror Group she currently serves as Program Co-Chair of the American Evaluation Association Independent Consulting Topical Interest Group, Washington Evaluators’ Co-Coordinator of Evaluators Without Borders, and Reviewer for the American Journal of Evaluation. Mindelyn’s happy place is co-creating the art and science of making data and information meaningful, accessible, and actionable with learning organizations and the communities we at Mirror Group love!
MORGAN DEBAUN (BLAVITY)
Morgan DeBaun is a serial entrepreneur and corporate advisor. As the Founder & CEO of Blavity Inc., the leading digital media company for Black culture and millennials, Morgan has grown the company into a market leader for Black media, reaching over 100 million readers per month through a growing brand portfolio which includes: Blavity News, 21Ninety, AfroTech, Travel Noire, Shadow & Act, BlavityU and Blavity TV.
DeBaun is a proven impact-focused and purpose-driven brand builder, and her contributions to the media industry have fundamentally shifted the paradigm for the representation of Black people and culture. Under DeBaun’s leadership, Blavity has launched several leading consumer summits, including AfroTech, the largest tech conference for Black innovators and founders.
DeBaun acts as an advisor to influential global brands and companies including American Airlines and Pepsi Co. She is also an angel investor in various startups such as Golde, Ness, and Public, which has a $1B+ valuation.
RYAN WILSON (THE GATHERING SPOT)
Ryan Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, a private membership network that serves as a hub for collaboration, connections and experiences; the Chief Community Officer of Greenwood, a digital banking services platform for Black and minority individuals and businesses; and a principal at A3C, a music, tech and film conference and Festival.
At the age of 24, with a mission to create a world where opportunity is the byproduct of community and collaboration,
Ryan and his business partner raised capital to open their first Gathering Spot location in Atlanta. The club has since established itself nationally as a home for creatives, business professionals, and entrepreneurs, and regularly hosts notable and culturally impactful events. Responsible for the company’s overall management and strategic vision, Ryan has led the club’s physical expansion with location openings in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, and launching of membership communities in New York City, Detroit, Charlotte, Houston, and Chicago; as well as the digital expansion of the company’s platform TGS Connect.
In 2022, The Gathering Spot was acquired by Greenwood, Inc, creating the largest fintech and community platform for Blacks and minorities with a combined community of over 1 million people. The companies share a mission of closing the wealth gap for minorities through community building, entrepreneurship, group economics and wealth building. This partnership represents a historic move as one of the few black-on-black M&A transactions at scale.
Ryan has been honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, was selected as one of the 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under Forty honorees and one of their 100 Most Powerful leaders, was named
one of Goldman Sach’s Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2021, and was selected for the inaugural class of Shea Moisture’s Social Justice Coalition. The Mayor of Atlanta honored Ryan and his business partner with the prestigious Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor. Atlanta Magazine named him one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders” and he has also been named one of the country’s most influential African-Americans in The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100.
Ryan has been featured in notable national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Inc, The New York Times, Revolt, Black Enterprise, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Huffington Post, and USA Today. He is a trusted speaker and regularly moderates conversations with thought leaders and notable individuals ranging from political figures like President Joe Biden and Leader Stacey Abrams, to business pioneers like Thasunda Duckett and Ben Chestnut, as well as leaders in the entertainment industry including Will Packer, Gunna, Kelly Rowland, and Gabrielle Union. His work has led to several keynote presentations for various companies including Goldman Sachs, Delta, Google, Meta, Ford Motor Company, and Nike.
A native to Atlanta, Ryan is currently an active participant in several Atlanta civic and community organizations. He
proudly serves on the boards of Usher’s New Look, The Woodruff Arts Center, The Atlanta Business League, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Peace Preparatory Academy and The Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the 100 Black Men, Atlanta Rotary Club and has previously served as Co-Chair for Black Men Count Initiative of Fair Count. Ryan graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center where he proudly serves on the Board of Regents. He currently resides happily in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children.
EJ REED (SLIM & HUSKY’S)
EJ Reed, one third of the Slim and Husky’s trio is a true entrepreneur. He and longtime friends turned business partners, Clinton Gray and Derrick Moore have worked together to build several successful businesses. EJ, along with his two partners graduated from Tennessee State University and he went on to get his MBA from Belmont University.
The trio opened their first entrepreneurial venture, The Green Truck Moving Company, in April 2010. The serial entrepreneurs went on to create other ventures including a logistics and federal contracting company. In early 2017 the team sold their first business and by March 2017 the first Slim and Husky’s Pizza location opened in historic North Nashville affectionately known as “Out North.” Slim and Husky’s has grown to ten locations over the last five years with stores in Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Sacramento. They developed a retail frozen pizza and are currently working on the continued growth and expansion of their concepts. They use the motto, PREAM, originally standing for Pizza Rules Everything Around Me but have since removed the P for Pizza and replaced it with Progress Rules Everything Around Me. This is an ode to their purpose-filled mission which centers around empowering underserved youth by way of financial literacy, educational, and entrepreneurial programs. The team also understands the importance of the arts in and highlight some of the dopest local artists and musicians throughout their Slim & Husky’s Unplugged Music Series and the art located within their stores. Their goal is to grow S&H into a global brand and hold true to their core values and principles of giving back and representing their culture in a true and authentic way.
SPEAKER TBD
EWURAESI THOMPSON
Sr. Strategic Operations Manager, Build Black with Shopify
Ewuraesi Thompson is a multifaceted professional with a passion and commitment to building strong communities and developing streamlined processes and operations to support business growth. She has a decade of experience focused on the intersections between technology and the empowerment of underserved people. Ewuraesi has built and led communities and teams that support national initiatives. She has partnered with multinational organizations like Amazon, Unbounce and YWCA to do her advocacy work.
Since joining Shopify in 2020, Ewuraesi has worked on both commercial and non-commercial sides of the company. She’s currently operating as the Sr. Strategic Operations Manager of the Build Black team. In this role she’s in charge of creating and executing on programmatic and marketing strategies that help support, highlight and amplify black entrepreneurs.
She’s often sought out for her strategic expertise, showing up in many digital publications and community panels. When she’s not finding new ways to support others, she can be found exploring and adding to her collection of teas.
EVA JANE BUNKLEY
Eva Jane Bunkley is an Atlanta-based Makeup Artist who earned Emmys for her work in news and specialty broadcast in 2001 and 2002. Eva Jane has worked almost 30 years as a beauty professional on sets for television, film, editorial, commercial, music videos, print media etc… and for 20+ years in both the local and national TV news market for with the Atlanta NBC and Fox television stations. Her anointed hands have touched many celebrity faces including President Jimmy Carter, Usher, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jennifer Holliday, Charles S. Dutton, Cicely Tyson, Jamie Foxx and Kobe Bryant and served several years as personal makeup artist for several years as well to Creflo & Taffi Dollar and Judge Glenda Hatchett. Eva Jane considers herself a creative that doesn’t limit her artistic endeavors. She is an award winning filmmaker with two first place documentary film projects to her credit through her production company “Eva-Lution Studios.” Eva Jane loves to give back, frequently mentoring young artists in the business and was a recipient of the “Maqui Award for Philanthropy” by the Atlanta-based Professional Makeup Artist Conference. Eva Jane presently holds four active patents and trademarks. Her book “Innovative Beauty – Keys to an Inventor’s Success” tells the story of how she created “The Makeup Bullet®” and launched it into the international marketplace. Eva Jane earned a bachelors degree from The Ohio State University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is wife to “Terence” and together they are raising with two amazing young men who will take the world by storm some day!
MATT JONES
Over a decade of experience in the retail industry led Matt Jones to found The Crease Beast in 2021, providing sneaker enthusiasts with the most comfortable products for crease protection. Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business/Managerial Economics from California State University-San Bernardino.
MELONIE PARKER
Melonie Parker is an HR executive committed to innovative, relevant, and contemporary HR leadership. She is an advocate for change and a passionate thought leader. Parker is responsible for advancing Google’s employee engagement strategy across Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Prior to this role she served as the Vice President of Human Resources & Communications at Sandia National Laboratories. Parker was responsible for the leadership and Labs-wide management of human resources, health, benefits and employee services. She was also responsible for Sandia’s communication efforts, which include planning, strategy, executive communications, media relations, external branding, community affairs and internal communications.
Prior to joining Sandia as the VP of HR and Communications, Parker extended expertise from a career spanning over 17 years in a variety of Lockheed Martin business areas, locations, and progressive leadership roles. During her time at Lockheed Martin, she has held responsibility for employee relations, staffing, EEO/Affirmative Action, diversity programs, compensation, benefits, and K-12 outreach initiatives.
Parker received a B.A. in Mass Communications from Hampton University and an M.A. in Human Resources from Villanova University. She was named the 2016 HR Professional of the Year by the New Mexico Society of Human Resource Management. She was recognized with a Special Recognition Award at the 2014 Women of Color STEM Awards, and in 2012 graduated from Lockheed Martin’s Executive Assessment & Development Program.
MARVIN ELLISON
Marvin Ellison is chairman and chief executive officer of Lowe’s Companies, Inc., a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company with more than 2,200 stores and approximately 300,000 associates in the United States and Canada.
Marvin has more than 35 years of retail leadership and operational experience within Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining Lowe’s, Marvin served as chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney Co., where he delivered positive sales growth, reduced debt and generated positive adjusted earnings per share.
He has extensive experience in the home improvement industry, having spent 12 years in senior-level operations roles with Home Depot Inc. Most notably he served as executive vice president of U.S. stores from 2008 to 2014, dramatically improving customer service and efficiency across the organization, as he oversaw U.S. sales, operations, installation services, tool rental and pro strategic initiatives. Prior to Home Depot, Marvin spent 15 years at Target Corp. in a variety of operational and leadership roles.
Marvin earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Memphis, where he currently serves on the board of trustees. He also holds an MBA from Emory University. Marvin serves on the board of directors for FedEx Corporation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Marvin’s professional and civic leadership has earned him many accolades. Most notable are multiple appearances on Barron’s annual list of “Top CEOs”; inclusion on Fortune’s “Most Inspirational CEOs” and “World’s Greatest Leaders” lists; and being named “Father of the Year” by the National Father’s Day Council, “Corporate Executive of the Year” by Black Enterprise and one of Savoy’s “Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.”
Marvin and his wife Sharyn are committed to being of service within their faith and community, primarily through the support of organizations that promote higher education, self-empowerment, and excellence for minority youth.
BARBARA RHODEN, PhD
Barbara Rhoden joined Primasun, a joint venture between ResMed and Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences) in December 2021 as the Head of Marketing. Prior to Primasun, she served as Vice President, Marketing at Siemens Healthineers where she led the growth strategy for the Advanced Therapies portfolio across the US and Canada. As executive sponsor of the Siemens Employees of African Descent (SEAD) Employee Resource Group, she created Siemens Sisters in STEM in partnership with Girls Inc of Philadelphia and New Jersey to expose middle school girls to STEM careers and led a free virtual health fair in NY in partnership with Black Health Matters to dispel myths about COVID-19.
Barbara has more than 15 years of experience driving growth and productivity in regional and global markets. At GE Healthcare, she held positions of increasing responsibility in Service, Product Management, Sales and Product Marketing. In her role as Director of Marketing and Sales at GE Healthcare’s Women’s Health business, she received the GE Chairman’s award for best Product Launch. Barbara served on the board of Girls Inc, Washington DC and led the creation of GE Girls DC to expose middle school girls to STEM careers. She began her career as a Research Scientist and is Six Sigma Black Belt Certified.
Barbara was born in Kingston, Jamaica and holds a degree in Chemistry from Howard University and a PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University.
DR. UCHÉ BLACKSTOCK
Dr. Uché Blackstock is a physician and thought leader on bias and racism in health care. Dr. Blackstock founded Advancing Health Equity in 2019 with the goal of partnering with healthcare organizations to dismantle racism in healthcare and to close the gap in racial health inequities.
In 2019, Dr. Blackstock was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of “10 Diversity and Inclusion Trailblazers You Need to Get Familiar With”. In 2020, she was one of thirty-one inaugural leaders awarded an unrestricted grant for her advocacy work from the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund.
Dr. Blackstock’s writing, including numerous OpEd’s, has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Scientific American, the Washington Post and STAT News for the Boston Globe. In June 2020 she became a Yahoo! News Medical Contributor and appeared regularly on radio and cable news programming to discuss the Coronavirus pandemic and to raise the alarm about racial health inequities.
In April 2021, Dr. Blackstock became an exclusive MSNBC medical contributor. In June 2021, she signed a book deal with Penguin Random House Books for her generational memoir, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine. Legacy is due to be published in 2023.
Dr. Blackstock received both her undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University.
VANESSA BROADHURST
Vanessa Broadhurst is executive vice president, Global Corporate Affairs, at Johnson & Johnson, leading its global marketing, communication, design, and philanthropy functions and overseeing J&J Health & Wellness Solutions. Previously, Broadhurst was company group chairman, Global Commercial Strategy for Pharmaceuticals, focusing on commercialization and launch strategies across Janssen’s product pipeline, where she earlier led several businesses. Broadhurst originally joined Johnson & Johnson to lead global commercial strategy for the pharmaceutical group’s anemia and oncology supportive care. She has also held senior leadership roles at Amgen, Novartis, and Abbott. SAVOY magazine named Broadhurst one of “2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.” She was recognized as “Healthcare Champion of the Year” by the National Association for Female Executives and among “Top Blacks in Healthcare” by Blackdoctors.org.
ARIEL LOPEZ
Ariel is a career coach, entrepreneur, and public speaker in technology. She’s the Founder and CEO of Knac, recruiting software that ensures companies don’t miss out on top talent. With over a decade of recruiting experience, she’s helped startups and leading brands like Nike, Google, Spotify, Ebay and others build great teams.
She’s coached thousands of professionals to help them accelerate their careers and find high growth opportunities. She’s been featured in publications like Forbes, FastCompany, Refinery29, BusinessInsider and others to share her advice.
She’s passionate about the future of work and making the job search more human.
In her workshop for Magenta Edge, Ariel talks about the importance of talent for a business to grow. She breaks down:
Creating sourcing strategies to attract the right talent
Keeping your employees happy
How to foster DE&I
NATE EVANS
Nathan Evans Jr. has accomplished many things: first-generation high school graduate, first-generation college graduate, a #1 best-selling author, and a highly requested speaker.
He also is a youth mentor, educational consultant, mental health advocate and podcast host. Nate is on a mission to eradicate the stigmas around mental health amongst youth and young adults. Nate’s charismatic speaking and inspiring testimony allows him to relate to teens and young adults while also educating them on the importance of emotional intelligence and sense of self-worth through his workshops.
In the spotlight series, Nate knows that to be a trailblazer, he has to build a legacy for his family and his business. For a business to have longevity, he shares that it requires:
Reflecting and accessing your current situation to grow
Being intentional with how you growth
Making an impact in your community
VISIONARY THE POET
Emily “Visionary The Poet” Doñe is an award-winning poet, entrepreneur and legal scholar. She leverages the art of poetry to create streams of consciousness and nurture community. Her company, Visionary The Brand (“VTB”), is a mindful brand committed to cultivating wellness. VTB offers an ethically sourced apparel line and writing workshop services, both of which are designed to inspire the inner work.
Visionary’s featured performances include a Rutgers University commencement ceremony and the Wawa Welcome America Festival, in partnership with NBC and Telemundo. She’ll soon be gracing the WAN Poetry stage as a featured performer!
In the spotlight series, Visionary shares what she has learned in order to succeed as one of the only people of color in her law school. She believes in:
The importance of networking across to build social capital
Reaching back to help those behind you
Saying no to generate value for yourself
ALEX TSAI
Alex is the head of strategic partnerships at Alibaba.com for the Americas region. He is responsible for driving growth of Alibaba’s B2B business in Americas through development of innovative partnerships and commercial solutions to meet the evolving business needs of B2B wholesale buyers and sellers in the region. He is focused in helping and enabling local entrepreneurs, small and medium size companies to grow their businesses through the Alibaba.com e-commerce platform, and its various sourcing, sales distibution, and business services.
During Alex’s career Alibaba, he has served as director of marketing and business development leading the market entry of Alibaba.com into the Latin America region and helped build the market presence in the region from the ground up. He has also served as the Head of Licensing and Partnerships for Alibaba Group’s Digital Media and Entertainment business, spearheaded media entertainment licensing and commercial partnerships in US and Europe region.
Prior to joining Alibaba.com, Alex spent more than 5 years managing PayPal global digital marketing strategies, analytics, and operations for both domestic and international markets covering 120 countries. And prior to PayPal, Alex worked at HSBC Bank as an analyst and product marketing manager focusing in growing the company’s financial service business.
Alex is an University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) graduate with double degrees in economics and sociology.
METTA WORLD PEACE
Born Ronald William Artest Jr. on November. 13, 1979, in Queensbridge, New York, Sandiford-Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace from September 2011 to May 2020 in an effort to encourage dialogue over physical violence and promote good will toward all. He is the father of four children.
Founder of Artest Management Group, Metta looks to build his management company piece by piece. His business ventures include XvsX Sports, an app that connects athletes of all levels to games and leagues, The Panda’s Friend, a lifestyle brand that promotes balanced and healthy living, and Meta Panda Club, a procer of web3 collectibles.
Metta played professional basketball for 19 years. In his career he played for 6 NBA teams, winning NBA World Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2010, and receiving the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award – the NBA’s highest citizenship and community service honor – in April 2011. He was selected to the 2005-06 NBA All-Defensive Team, won the 2003-04 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and broke Michael Jordan’s NBA record for number of steals in a player’s first two seasons with 271. His autobiography, “No Malice: My Life in Basketball” was released in May 2018 with Triumph Publishing and a documentary on his life in basketball, “Ron Artest: The Quiet Storm” was released on Showtime in May 2019.
Metta is also a prominent mental health advocate, pop culture personality, and media favorite. He raffled off his 2010 NBA World Championship Ring with the proceeds going to his nonprofit, Xcel University (now known as Artest University). The online ring raffle raised more than $650,000. Funds were donated to nonprofits that provide mental health therapists and mental health services to their communities and to provide scholarships to underprivileged youth in the New York City area.
AMENA AGBAJE
Program Lead, Build Black with Shopify
Amena is a seasoned ecommerce and tech exec with over 12 years of experience in the space. Starting her career working with some of Canada’s biggest retailers in the ecommerce space; Amena has helped buy and build online catalogs, develop and execute online promotional strategies and push marketing campaigns and merchandising initiatives for past companies like Hudson’s Bay Company, Well.ca, and DSW Canada.
In 2016, Amena moved from the merchant side to the product side, working with design and development agency partners for the Shopify Plus revenue org. Amena has now stepped into work she is incredibly proud to do, leading the Build Black program at Shopify. Working with an amazing team; their goal is to make successful entrepreneurship more accessible for Black businesses.
Outside of this incredible work, she is a multi-hyphenate with a plethora of experiences, side hustles and entrepreneurial endeavours to her name. Above all else, she is a mother, fitness enthusiast and a creative artist specializing in watercolour and gouache.
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.
