Sunday, October 5th, 2025. Duggal Greenhouse. Flushing Ave., Brooklyn—After an electrifying first day of creativity and connection, CultureCon 2025 returned on Sunday, October 5th, to the heart of Brooklyn for another full day of empowerment, artistry, and purpose.
Attendees arrived supercharged, ready to continue the Take Up Space mission—this time focusing on community, legacy, and creative sustainability. From the opening beats to the final standing ovation, Day Two embodied forward motion, collaboration, and cultural evolution.
Morning Sessions: Money, Influence & Creative Growth
What the Helly?: Money Tips in This Economy, kicked off the morning, hosted by Cinneah El-Amin, who empowered attendees to redefine their relationship with wealth. Her practical insights on savings, investments, and money mindset reminded creatives that financial freedom isn’t a dream—it’s a discipline.
Meanwhile, the Creator 3.0: Taking Your Influence Offline and Creator Summit panels, led by Kensington Grey, explored the shifting creator economy—addressing privacy, partnerships, and sustainability beyond the screen. Later, The Power of the Niche, featuring Jihad Carter, Eden Yonas, Dr. Joelle Burvell, and Crystal Fahey-Jones, reminded creatives that focus and authenticity are the cornerstones of long-term success.
Midday Highlights: Bravo Queens & Industry Titans
The Ladies of Bravo: Unscripted and Unstoppable—Dr. Jackie Walters, Dr. Wendy Osefo, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Ashley Darby, and Gizelle Bryant—brought wit and wisdom to the Culture Stage, discussing how their stories helped shape pop culture and redefine representation on reality television.
Following them, Take Space: A Conversation with Industry Titans gathered Chris Lyons, Asia Bowie, Brandon Blackwood, and Aria Hughes to speak on breaking barriers and building influence on their own terms.
Later, Porsha Williams, TV personality and entrepreneur, filled the room with her signature Georgia charm, blending laughter and legacy as she spoke on authenticity, purpose, and using her platform for advocacy and change.
Afternoon Energy: Fashion, Activism & Music
The CultureCon Fashion Show returned in full force with attendees serving looks — and getting spotted. The panel judges included fashion industry leaders, CEO & Founder of Harlemms’s Fashion Row, Brandice Daniel, Self-care and stylepreneur, Obio Jones, and Celebrity Fashion Stylist and Image Curator, Amiraa Vee, and more. Attendees turned models electrified the runway, flaunting fearless style. One standout creative walked away with the $1,000 grand prize courtesy of The Creative Collective NYC.
At Everyday Activism: Redefining Resistance, Wawa Gatheru and Taylor Cassidy redefined activism as a daily practice—using digital content as a catalyst for awareness and change.
Jesse Williams and Alexys Feaster then took the Chase Ink Creative Genius stage to discuss their documentary Hoops! Hopes and Dreams, offering insights into storytelling, perseverance, and representation.
Music echoed through the afternoon with Lyrics & Legacy: Building Culture Through Music, hosted by Nandi Howard with Ferg, Joey Bada$$, Vic Mensa, and Algee Smith. The panel explored resilience, roots, and remembering where you came from.
Evening Conversations: Storytelling, Transformation & Legacy
As the sun dipped lower over Brooklyn, the cast of HBO’s Original Series, ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’—Chris Chalk, Kimberly Guerrero, and Stephen Rider, moderated by Cori Murray—shared behind-the-scenes stories from the upcoming series. Guerrero’s message on the power of Indigenous and Black storytelling deeply resonated with the audience.
Following that, The Power of the Pivot: Learning to Honor Your Season brought Christian Palmea, Petiri Reed, Diarrha N’diaye, and Shaina Rainford to the stage. The panel explored the art of embracing change, trusting divine timing, and finding purpose in transition.
2 Sparks of Creative Genius: 2 Chainz & Jennifer Hudson
Closing the weekend, EGOT winner and Creative Genius Jennifer Hudson took the stage in conversation with Taryn Delanie Smith, and what followed was a masterclass in grace, growth, and purpose. Hudson opened up about her extraordinary creative journey—from her breakout role in Dreamgirls to navigating the whirlwind of fame and now commanding the spotlight as host of The Jennifer Hudson Show.
Her presence was magnetic yet grounded. She spoke with honesty about the evolution that comes when your dreams finally materialize—the highs, the adjustments, and the inner work it takes to stay authentic in an industry that constantly changes.
Jennifer reminded the CultureCon community that creative genius isn’t just about talent—it’s about what you can translate life into legacy through consistent efforts. She reflected on how personal experiences, heartbreaks, and triumphs have shaped her artistry, allowing her to create work that doesn’t just entertain but heals.
“… and they will understand it better by and by…” Jennifer repeated this culturally religious adage and phrase as an affirmation of faith that she carried in her spirit, reminding attendees of the needed efforts to ‘run your race’ without stopping to explain to everyone who does not understand the vision that you are building. Resilience was the name of the game. Faith was the name of the game.
Learning to work without overly explaining yourself and letting the evidence speak for itself was a message that echoed across Jennifer’s message to the Culture Con attendees. The audience was transfixed—every word felt like both a confession and a call to action. Jennifer’s story became a mirror for every creative in the room: a reminder that art born from truth has the power to transcend circumstance. As the conversation came to a close, the applause felt bigger than a moment—it felt like a movement. Jennifer was gifted the CultureCon 2025 Creator Impact Award and humbly stated, “I’ll put this beside the EGOT.”Jennifer received a standing ovation for perseverance, for creativity with purpose, and for a woman who continues to redefine what it means to take up space with integrity and intention.
CultureCon’s Chase Ink Creative Genius session with Jennifer Hudson wasn’t just an interview—it was a spiritual exchange, a reminder that when art meets authenticity, the result is boundless.
The Final Frontier: A Free Play Session — The CultureCon Block Party
From 5–7 p.m., the Duggal Greenhouse transformed into a full-blown celebration. The Free Play session brought DJs, laughter, and connection as creatives danced, networked, and reflected beneath the Brooklyn skyline.
CultureCon 2025 ended not with goodbye, but with liftoff. Attendees left ready to write, sing, design, and innovate their way into history—each carrying the shared truth that to take up space is to claim your creative destiny.