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You Already Have The Juice, Sis: 9 Powerful Lessons + Sessions From Summit21
Yes, yes, I know. I'm throwing it slightly back with this post. But when life throws you off course sometimes all you can do is show up in your best spirit with the timing that you're given. So despite the nature of the last 6+ weeks or so, I’m back now and ready to dish about the Summit21 conference hosted by Blavity’s black-women centric focused brand, 21Ninety.
In the beginning of June I joined hundreds of vibrant, ambitious, and exceptional Black women to convene in Atlanta for 21Ninety’s conference, Summit21. Over two days, we listened to celebrities, activists and digital influencers pour their knowledge into rooms full of eager women who want nothing less than to thrive and advance their bank accounts, impact, and society for the better. I left with a feeling of camaraderie as I met women from across the country in one place to simply learn from one another. And while pretty much every gem you can imagine was dropped, I came away with 9 powerful lessons and sessions that are permanently etched in my memory from a weekend full of copious amounts of #BlackGirlMagic.
Focus on networking and creating with the woman next to you, not getting noticed by the “big names” on the stage
At conferences, we’re all clamoring to meet the current big name in XYZ.
The Bozoma St. John's. Elaine Welteroth's. Ava DuVernay's. Lena Waithe's.
They’re all on our list of aspiring people who have the job, attention or opportunities that we want, and we’ll rush the mic when Q&A’s happen, hoping that they’ll notice us. But the reality is they all started off as (and still are) regular schmegular like the rest of us. Myleik Teele, Karen Civil and Sevyn Streeter delivered unique yet similar speeches at Summit21 with one message ringing loud and clear: The people that have created some of our favorite music, movies, and TV shows aren’t the ones we should be ruthlessly aiming to connect and collaborate with, but the woman sitting next to us in all of her creative capacity is. She is the next ____ and we’re too busy saying, “I don’t know her” because she’s not Yvonne Orji or Issa Rae. At one point too our faves were undiscovered and in order to prepare for the right moment when we’re supposed to meet (and work with) the big name(s), we have to connect with the smaller name(s) to understand the value and necessity of networking across instead of always reaching up.
Pretty Instagram grids, logos, and websites are great, but nothing beats making sure you really know what you’re talking about
I’ll be the first to admit that aesthetics are my thing. I’ve always been a person who loves a good presentation because it’s easy to forget something that was said, but when you see something distinct or memorable, it’s easier to compartmentalize it in your mind. A dope website is useful and a pretty Instagram feed will keep someone’s attention for a moment but, the reality is anyone can create a nice website, make their feed pop or get affordable graphics made. But at the end of the day doing the research and applying yourself in order to be highly skilled at what you do is truly invaluable. It takes a special process of discipline to spend time not only studying your craft but also relentlessly put it into practice. When people think of your respective industry, you should be aiming to be one of the first people that comes to mind.
It doesn’t help you to just start something, you have to also finish it
First of all, this session was PACKED. I actually didn’t know the speaker beforehand but I wanted to sit in on the topic at hand because with a title like – Maintaining Your Hunger: Cultivating A Career That Feeds Your Soul + Bank Account – I was sold. And GIRL was this worth it. As a creative by nature, it’s not hard to come up with ideas whether big or small that seem like they will conquer the world. But starting and finishing aren’t one in the same, and starting comes more naturally than finishing for most of us. According to Jaqueline Baker, author of Leader By Mistake, remembering that we’re all leaders in some way, shape or form means making a habit of following through with what we start. Constantly planting seeds but never watering them is a waste of your soil. You have to plant, water, apply sunlight, etc. to reap the full harvest.
Start envisioning the life you need by physically creating it
Have you ever thought about going to look at office spaces for where you would want to have the headquarters for your business? What about test-driving a Bentley or Mercedes? These things may seem unnecessary but they are exactly what Myleik Teele did to start getting used to the lifestyle she could have. And here’s the thing, you may think that a Bentley is an extravagance that you don’t need and you’re probably right. But it’s not about what you need, it’s about having access to the resources and creating the habits to earn so that you’re able to get it should you want to. Start looking at that dream high rise condo or the house you want to own one day and you’ll unknowingly instill the mindset and habits to obtain it.
You have to reshape your beauty narrative; stop holding onto false truths
Remember those hurtful comments you received back in High School/College that you still carry with you? It’s time to reshape those. What Sarah told you about your body and how you are either too big, not curvy enough or don’t have the right hair texture - she doesn’t speak truth over your life. Dove representative, Dre Brown, had us watch a video from the new #HourWithHer as part of their Dove Self-Esteem Project and partner up with someone in the room to share our most vulnerable moment that shifted our entire self-beauty narrative. After sharing our stories, we figured out how we could have responded to reshape the harsh criticism internally. The reality is that when we’re being hurt rarely can we respond with grace and confidence to our insulter, but we can do it for ourselves. What someone told you doesn’t define your beauty narrative. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, shades, and colors, and it’s being represented in all of its glory now more than ever.
Living abundantly doesn’t mean you have to live in lack in order to make it
Famous financial experts and millionaires preach habits of living in lack as a prerequisite to obtaining wealth. But just because certain people (Steve Harvey, Oprah, Tyler Perry) have HAD to live in lack it doesn’t mean that it’s a requirement to make it. And it certainly doesn’t mean if you’re thriving or even simply staying afloat financially, that you should feel guilty about it. Pushing the narrative that you have to use cash in envelopes, drive a cash only (barely functioning) car or house, or live on $1 a day isn’t the universal truth to obtaining the wealth you desire. Living on less to get more isn’t the same thing as being financially educated, responsible or conscious of where your coins go. Now if you want to apply financial principles by certain people, by all means do it, but one of the most important things you can do is consider the source of your information and advice; you don’t have to apply the Dave Ramsey habits in order to become wealthy.
Remove the shame from your journey: A Fireside Chat w/Ashley Blaine Featherson and Robin Thede
This one had me in tears. TEARS. One woman stood up during the Q&A and spoke directly to Ashley with a quivering voice to address how meaningful and frankly imperative, it has been to see a beautiful, dark-skinned, Black woman representing those of us who don’t get to see ourselves on TV. And in a role so unapologetically black nonetheless? That was it. All of our emotions were shredded. This is a 4 for 1 because Ashley and Robin dropped GEMS that can’t be contained:
Remove the shame from it – what you do often won’t make sense to those around you. You may have to take on 22 survival jobs before catching your break and you may have to miss certain events or meetups, But when you’re walking in your purpose one day you will understand the importance of your sacrifices.
Find the people who want to do what you want to do as badly as you want to do it – There is NO SHAME in collaborating with people who don’t “have” anything yet because chances are you don’t have anything either. Or if you do, your duty is to network across. Find the people who love the things you're doing, the space you're in and who are striving to make the difference you are and you'll without a doubt find your tribe.
Have reckless confidence – Robin Theade made herself starve until she did what she had to do to be able to eat. She wrote for some of the biggest names in comedy and believed so relentlessly about her vision that no one could tell her anything. No one will have the confidence you need to have but you. Believe in what you’re meant to do even if it seems completely unrealistic to everyone else.
Your community has to support your purpose and your grind – Everyone around you doesn’t need to be doing what you’re doing. They don’t even have to understand what you do. But they do need to offer you support, love and space to grow.
Always, always, always reinvent and reinvest in yourself
A constant renovation of who you are and what you’re doing is absolutely necessary. Nothing lasts forever and nothing can last for a lifetime without any upgrades even if it does work consistently for 15 years. Think about it: we never really make it once we achieve our goals because even if you get everything your heart has been pining after there’s always something else to do. This lifetime journey requires it. Always be willing to improve your process, your goals and yourself.
Know the power in your cultural richness → Capitalizing On Your Blackness As A Means To Defend Against Cultural Appropriation: A Convo w/Alex Wolf
Nielsen told y’all (excluding black women) because we already knew that we’ve had the magic, we’ve been the trendsetters, and we’ve been the move makers. But the tip now is to capitalize on our real tangible blackness and be unashamed about it before people who don’t have it try to make money off of it by proximity or adaptation. (Yes, Kylie Jenner was used as an example.)
Start with where you are – The pressure to invest in fancy cameras and equipment can seem pervasive, but you have everything you need internally. You have the swag, the personality, and the influence, you just need to figure out how to use it wisely.
Don’t underestimate how your realness + blackness will resonate with people – Helloooo Issa Rae + Cardi B. We’ve been waiting for the moment when truly being who you are would resonate with everyone who's been hiding or who wants to be represented in all of our fragile, vulnerable, authenticity on TV or in music. And that moment, which will remain more than a moment, is finally here.
Focus on being relatable, not being better – Nobody is promoting mediocrity but what we are saying is be a human first and foremost. Tell your story in bits and pieces and understand how to create art with who you are and what you create your brand to be. People need to relate to your real story, not the one you create to keep up with the joneses.
Gatherings like Summit21 remind us to keep going. They give us an adrenaline boost that we desperately need in times when we feel hopeless, sluggish, and unfulfilled in our businesses or full-time jobs. They shine a light in what seems to be a perpetually-dark world and help us connect with those who are on a similar path as us. And most of all they remind us that the work will never end and that our power is in connecting, supporting, creating and continuing to grow. Keep flourishing, Queens.
Xoxo,
Sincerely, Ang.
8 Epic SXSW Sessions I Experienced That Will Make You Want To Reach For More
QuirkCon SXSW Pop-up hosted by Quirktastic Media
This event launched the madness that was SXSW on a weekday and the conversation was so good that I couldn’t dip out earlier than absolutely necessary. Bryanda (Creator of Quirktastic Media) moderated three different panels of content creators about their hustle and what pushes them to continuously create. Everyone had words of wisdom for us, but the panel of YouTube/media creators consisting of Evelyn Ngugi, Ngozi Kim and Momo Pixels resonated with me the most. When Evelyn said, “I create what feels good to me and what makes me laugh because at the end of the day this could all go away,” I felt that. We have to create what our audience wants, but it has to come from a place of what we love and want to make, too.
Kamau W. Bell in Conversation With April Reign and Luvvie Ajayi
Naturally, April and Luvvie headed straight into the most important topic of discussion, aka Black Panther, and the massive success of it. They then proceeded to talk about the unfair and often unrealistic expectations of movies, TV shows, and books by POC, as well as the Netflix + Monique controversy and the pay disparities for WOC, and they also tackled #BlackLivesMatter and the Parkland school shooting. Luvvie even tapped into the importance of mental health and not depleting yourself by being reactive to the constant overwhelm of news. I was able to watch two influential women speak on stage at SXSW for simply being themselves, something we're all capable of doing. April recognized the lack of acknowledgment (and awards) for films by POC and started the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag movement, and Luvvie has used her comedic voice to elicit inspiration and emotion for her readers through her blog and book titled I’m Judging You.
The Chi Panel – Moderated by Jim Halterman with Lena Waithe, Jason Mitchell, Common and Jacob Latimore
First things first: Lena Waithe is the very definition of a boss and she further proves that in her Vanity Fair interview. I knew she was a visionary before I sat in the same room as her, but being able to sit in on this panel to soak up just a little bit of her creative magic and how intentional she is with her storytelling process was priceless. To start off the panel, one clip from the Chi was played of each character and afterwards Lena broke down why she wrote the character, and scene, that particular way. One of the deepest connections she made was in reference to Coogie running through the streets in episode 1, how that represents Black people running through the Underground Railroad, and how we haven't stopped running since. *Whew. My SOUL THO.* Lena saw a lack of true and authentic representation for the culture of Chicago, so through storytelling and colorful nuances she set the tone for her home, for the culture and for anyone who follows suit to dispel myths that surround their way of life.
#OscarsSoWhite: What’s next for hollywood? A Conversation With April Reign, Robin Theade and Matthew Cherry
Since I heard April Reign speak earlier with Luvvie Ajayi and Kamau W. Bell, I already knew the power she brought to conversation, so to know that she was teaming up with producer Matthew Cherry (9 Rides, Hair Love) and BET’s Robin Theade for a chat? Giiiiirl I was beside myself. Robin Theade brought the funny and the tea as we talked about everything from the Netflix + Monique controversy (yes, again) to her journey writing for a plethora of famous comedians’ and her struggle to break into the spotlight herself, to Matthew Cherry’s modest transition from former NFL player to Producer. Being in such a small, intimate setting where I could be within feet from these creators, talk to them, and feel encouraged by their stories felt surreal. These are the creators who simply chose to take their vision, their talents, and their love of art and activism to execute so the rest of us can watch, be uplifted and encouraged by their journeys. We got next.
On Doing Better: Evelyn Ngugi in conversation w/ Luvvie Ajayi
When two hilariously-honest women dive into unrestricted candor you know it’s about to be good. Luvvie started the conversation with a brief overview of her career and how the success of her blog has been a long-time coming but the lack of expectation on her early on helped her to find her voice. Luvvie then jumped into calling us all out for our lack of ability to be able to tell the truth anymore because we're so used to silencing ourselves to make people comfortable. When Evelyn asked Luvvie why she uses humor to tell the truth she said, "because humor is an equalizer. If I can get you to laugh then you're more likely to listen." And when it came to not changing her voice once her audience grew she said "you don't have to go looking hard for your voice. I write in the way that I think and I trust my own voice because all I can trust is that." Luvvie is willing to walk into comfortable spaces and shake them up unapologetically with the truth, because it's necessary.
GameChangers: Dell x Create & Cultivate – Women At The Intersection of Fashion x Technology
When Create & Cultivate teamed up with Dell for a brunch and panel during SXSW, the result was a conversation about the modern way consumers are using technology to meet their needs. From the influence that tech has on how fashion is created and distributed to the way that media companies like Blavity and Create & Cultivate have to pull, produce and post content as fast as possible, it was made clear that the fluidity of the user experience has to be prioritized. The panel was moderated by Create & Cultivate founder Jaclyn Johnson and highlighted the fact that, according to Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity, Inc., when it comes to content for her online audience, “they appreciate that done it better than perfect. They want it now.” And when asked what would you tell your younger self about starting your business? The panelists uniformly agreed, “I would tell myself to stop sitting on it, stop stalling and just do it, you HAVE to make a move and go for it.” *noted*
Building a Badass Business Against All Odds
This was what I thought would be my last SXSW panel to end a whirlwind week, and it did not disappoint. Four badass entrepreneurs, Danielle Leslie, Tara Reed, Thomas K R Stovall and Aniyia Williams, talked about how they started their successful businesses and the most important aspects of them – from knowing who your audience is, to researching + utilizing your connections in order to get funding and support, to not undervaluing or underselling yourself. What I loved about this group was how they highlighted the failure of their previous businesses, how it happened, and what they did differently to succeed this time around. Once again I was shown that four ordinary people took an idea, even one that didn’t work the first or the first few times around, and remained persistent and dedicated to their mission to succeed. And succeed they have.
Create & Innovate With Jason Mayden
This was the only session I went to that wasn’t downtown near everything else and I have to say it was a nice break from the large crowds and non-existent parking. This session also happened to be one of the best I heard during my 10 days of SXSW. Jason is a former shoe designer for Nike and has worked with Steph Curry, LeBron James, and countless others, and now he runs his own business to encourage all kids to know they are unstoppable + empowered. His assuredness reigned supreme when he talked about his life and the mission of SuperHeroic and how imperative it is that we focus on “empowering our kids instead of fixing broken adults because that is where we effect change." And even when we feel confused or lost in the shuffle of our mundane lives, Jason's motto is that no job is too small and to get everything you can out of every position. Without a doubt this was the perfect way to close out SXSW.
Did you attend SXSW? What were some of your favorite panels or events? Let me know in the comments!
Xoxo
Sincerely, Ang