Earlier today, I saw a post on Threads strongly encouraging Black and Brown creators to submit a talk/session or panel to a conference. While it’s a bit early for me to be thinking about Summer 2025-there is something that has been on my mind off and on for years. And after seeing this creator expressing some frustration with the lack of BIPOC admissions to the event, and having listened to a recent Hello 7 podcast episode where Rachel Rodgers shares what’s it’s like to create and build a conference or in-person event for underrepresented communities-Rachel lost $700,000 on that event. I realized that I needed to share some thoughts. I’ve hosted an in-person event before and while it was one of my proudest professional achievements, it’s unlikely that I will host a multi-day event again.
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Listen to the Episode
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Show Notes
I attend around 5 events a year as a way to build my business, brand and connections as a digital content creator. Typically, I will attend 3 out of state conferences and 2 in-state. We often hear the talking point that we should “invest in ourselves” normally, that talking point is specifically referencing resources, tools and products. In-person and online events falls in this category. At this point I’ve attended more events than I could have ever imagined as a creative. Leaning into the opportunity to explore professional curiosity, assert my expertise and meet with other amazing folks with similar dreams to mine.
In attending these events I’ve also noticed some issues:
- Lack of diversity on the stages-why is it that this is still an issue in 2024 almost 2025? It’s not just an issue of submissions, there’s a core philosophy around the idea of who’s an expert and which audiences will actually pay for said expertise.
- Events and creators begrudgingly making short-term changes related to diversity, equity and inclusion until we lose focus. Let’s be real, for 95% of those folks taken to task about lack of diversity on their platform-they don’t care. Because if they did, they would have created a Notion workflow template and other systems to make sure that their brands reflected their ethos. Oh, wait, they did.
- The content may be good but the perspectives and stories around the brand sometimes just aren’t relatable.
And because of a lack of seeing ourselves on stages, not being given equal time and being lifted up as creatives and professionals-we design our own spaces. This is nothing new. Just a current iteration of a generations worth of frustration and lack of respect.
It’s clear, however, that many of us take the existence of these spaces for granted. Surely they will be there when we finally feel like going? I keep thinking about the fact that lawsuits are actively being filed to destroy access these spaces, end resources being directed towards underrepresented communities and an overall pull back across industries and spaces from diversity, equity and inclusion focused experiences and spaces.
We shouldn’t be taking these conferences for granted. It’s not enough to just retweet and share a spaced designed with us in mind.
We have to do more.
- Connect event planners with resources to run these spaces well.
- What types of resources?
- Local support
- Tips on who to collaborate with.
- Guidance on how to raise funds outside of ticket sales.
- How to get brand partnerships and sponsors to work with an event. It shocked me to hear that Rachel Rodgers signature event is not sponsored and not for a lack of trying.
- What types of resources?
- Volunteer on the planning committees-Currently, I’m volunteering on the marketing committee of an event and it has been a wonderful way to meet other creatives in the space and uplift the mission of the organization.
- Volunteer at the event-It’s a great way to experience and event, community members and save some money.
- Purchase tickets for other attendees-Gift them as scholarships. You can’t attend? Pay for someone else to go. You can do a mix of registration fees, transit, food, etc.
- Be a sponsor-Too expensive? Collaborate with a group of creators to fund a sponsorship tier or sponsored item like coffee, tea, water service and snacks.
- Curate lists of the many different events that creators are hosting us in. I’ll never forget hearing about Earn Your Leisure for the first time and thinking-did they forget about those of us who live out West?
Attend These Events
Most importantly, make an effort to support these amazing spaces. Some of my most amazing friends, connections and community members are a part of the many communities being nurtured for us, by us (Making sure you were listening). Share the wonderful experiences that you had and how others could have an even better experience at a future event.
Take branded photos while you’re there and share them on social media. Be present. Have fun and fully embrace the experience.
Showing up communicates a number of important details.
- The reach of the event-If an event organizer is able to quantify how large the social reach is of the attendees-that’s a way to attract interest and potential sponsors for next year’s event.
- That we show up to events designed with us in mind.
- We’re willing to spend time and money to experience the event.
By the Way
I’m in no way suggesting that you don’t attend events created by white creators. Instead, I’m encouraging you to thoughtfully add a couple uniquely curated events for Creators of Color a year hosted in-person or out-of-state. The entrepreneurs that I’ve met in all of these spaces have been some of my fiercest allies and supporters.
I’ve also had some pretty significant and important conversations with these friends that have changed the course of my business.
Conversations such as:
- Who is the actual “gatekeeper” to the result that you want within a organization/company or space you would like to be in.
- How to negotiate and ask for better rates
- The best way to design a product that I was thinking about creating.
- What is and is not working and how to navigate around that
- Events to avoid and events to attend-They are not all the same
- People to avoid and people to get to know
- Where the parties reside (if you know, you know)
This year I was the keynote speaker at the Black Podcaster Association Summer Picnic in Brooklyn, attended Nomadnessfest in Charlotte, North Carolina last week and should be heading to Afros and Audio in Baltimore in October. I also want to make it clear that I’m talking about attending and supporting events happening in and near your town as well as in another state or country.
Many of us regularly attend the larger, well-established events in the creator space throughout the year. Often we’re paying for admission that is well over $100 dollars, accommodation over $650, food and other travel expenses.
Surely we can show up for an event designed with us in mind?
I hope this episode has inspired you to rethink the many different ways that we can support Black and Brown spaces. By the way, allies have been at every one of the events that I’ve attended as members of the community, supporters, spouses, industry professionals and other types of close connections. Have you attended a conference or event designed with your particular identity in mind? How was it?
Want to Get Sponsorships?
Check out Justin Moores Creator Wizard resource. Justin has made millions in sponsorship deals and teaches other creators how to do the same. Hate to break it to you-he still sends out pitches. Check out his on-demand Creator Wizard Course today. Go to: https://creatorsgettingpaid.com/wizard to learn more.
