5 Gems My Favorite Celebs Dropped at CultureCon
Curated for multicultural creatives of color, CultureCon was a one-day conference full of inspiration and #MelaninMagic. The event took place on October 12 at the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., — bringing professionals in the media industry together to give advice on how to advance your career or side hustle to the next level. Featured breakout sessions included advice from Tracee Ellis Ross, Sanaa Lathan, Regina King, Keke Palmer, and more. Here are five memorable quotes from our celebrity favorites on their path to success.
1. The Importance of Self-Love
“I do believe in love and I want that for myself, but right now I’m focused on loving myself and the truth is when you start loving yourself, you attract a better quality of situation.” – Sanaa Latham
Actress and producer Sanaa Lathan held a conversation with sports journalist Taylor Rooks on her creative journey. Lathan discussed the lessons she learned throughout her life and her career, including the importance of self-love. Her personal journey ties in with her previous role in the Netflix Original, “Nappily Ever After,” where she plays a woman who struggles with confidence when wearing her natural hair.
The controversial feelings of self-doubt when it comes to natural hair has been an ongoing issue for black women. Usually deemed “unkempt” by the workforce, black women and men have been changing their styles to “fit in” or assimilate with their predominately white workspaces. It wasn’t until this year that laws forbidding racial hair discrimination were passed in California and New York.
During the conversation, Rooks also brought up the “obsession” black women seem to have when it comes to marriage, in which Latham declared, “I’ma choose me first.”
According to Lathan, there is power in daily affirmations and speaking positivity over your life.
2. Being the Best You
“My favorite quote, in general, is this quote by Aristotle and it says: ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit…’ What this means is, all I have to do is try my best every single day and eventually my best will become my norm.” -Keke Palmer
Multi-faceted entertainer Keke Palmer moderated a discussion with Oscar-winning actress Regina King. Palmer quoted Aristotle, explaining her struggle to understand its meaning when she was a teenager. She later turned the quote into an affirmation, proclaiming her goal of bringing only her “best” when it comes to her work.
As an entrepreneur, you should always be comfortable with what you put out in the world. You should never settle with the idea or product you have in mind until it is completely formulated to the best of its ability. When working on a task you’re given, you should always complete it with as much determination and effort you can give. Being the best you includes doing the best work and bringing only your best to the table.
When asked what advice she would give to hopeful entrepreneurs, Palmer told Let Your Voice Be Heard!, “I would just say for them to start small and take it step-by-step — to not look at the overall picture and get too ahead of themselves but understand that they’ll be building blocks. Take each step at a time and to always remain true to whatever it is that they initially love; not to get too distracted by outside things.”
3. Overcoming Fear
“Learning and understanding who I am, what is important to me. That often small ‘no’ is actually a big yes. All of those kinds of things have really helped me to know the path I want to navigate. But everything is a journey, everything is a process. Mistakes of falling — I had to sit with the discomfort and learn from those experiences and it has made me become more comfortable in my skin.” — Tracee Ellis Ross
Award-winning actress, producer, director and activist Tracee Ellis Ross held a conversation with former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, Elaine Welteroth. They discussed Ross’ path to overcoming her fears and the obstacles in her life and how she found a way to become her bravest self. The “Black-ish” star spoke with Welteroth on overcoming the fear of aging and how now at 46, she’s “earned this spot” in her skin.
As a woman, especially as a woman of color, it can be difficult to promote yourself. In a male-dominated society, it can seem overwhelming to think of entering spaces you may not feel comfortable in. These negative thoughts are only obstacles blocking your blessings. As Michael Jordan once said: “Limits, like fear, is often an illusion.”
Ross recalls bringing the cast of “Girlfriends” back for a special episode of “Black-ish.” The show was on when she was 27 years old and she remembers longing for the comfort she has now — speaking on her past discomfort with her hair, face, skin, body and even her personality. For Ross, it took time and a lot of tears for her to get to a better place.
4. Black Representation Matters
“We need to work on more stories that aren’t just around slavery because we’re so much more than that.” — Regina King
In her conversation with Keke Palmer, Regina King shared a snippet of her new HBO original, “Watchmen,” revealing that the show’s opening was a re-enactment of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. In the show, King plays a vigilante superhero in an alternative 1985 America. King exclaimed her love with the script and the costume declaring, “I’m black and I get to get blacker!”
King discussed the need for more black representation outside of slavery movies or roles. As the leading in “Watchmen,” King, herself, illustrates the versatility of characters that black actors can play on-screen.
Though at times there is a lack of diversity when it comes to people of color (POC) in the media, movies such as 12 Years a Slave, Django Unchained, and The Birth of a Nation, are still important to the black community. The history of black enslavement should never be forgotten. As those who’ve experienced segregation continue to pass, it’s important for generations to remember how far the community has gotten and the relevance the past has had on the future. As the saying goes: Forgive but never forget.
5. Understanding Your Worth
“Learn how to negotiate. Learn how to read a contract. Understand what your value is. Do not let the dominant culture tell you your value. Determine it yourself because if we let the dominant culture tell us whether or not we are beautiful or powerful or valuable, we will never be any of those things.” — Sophia Chang
Known as the first Asian woman in Hip-Hop, Sophia Chang is a Korean Canadian music business matriartchitect. During a panel moderated by Janine Rubenstein, Senior Music Editor of PEOPLE, Chang discussed music’s connection with culture. She also talked about the power of knowing your value and your worth. According to Chang, networking plays a major role in where your career can go, especially for women of color. Her advice: mentorship.
Mentorship can help you determine the path you need to achieve your career goals. Receiving mentorship from those who are more experienced in your field can help you gain confidence as you advance in your profession. Finding a mentor you can relate to also adds another connection to your network. Women understand women —and whose better to vent to about stereotypes based on gender and race than another woman whose gone through it all before?
