Event Schedule

DAY 1

Thursday, September 21 | PLC Campus

4:00 PM - 8:00 PM — Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Sponsored by Pepsi

7:00 - 10:00 PM —  Opening Night Mixer by Bacardi and Art Community Engagement Panel- Open to ALL registered attendees

Art Community Engagement Panel featuring:

• Moderator: Dion Walcott, Founder of MARTK'D and Director of Partnership for PLC
• Tracey Allsbrook, Asst Brand Marketing, Champion
• Gary Bushrod, Global Head of Diversity Equality & Inclusion, Amazon Music
• Micah A. Shumake, Detroit Artist Dictator of Taste

Networking Mixer feat. Special Guest DJ Kawan Prather

DAY 2

Friday, September 22 | PLC Campus

8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in

9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks

• D'Wayne Edwards, Founder, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design
• Matt Priest, President & CEO, FDRA
• Astor Chambers, Host/Co-Founder of Culture Raises US

9:45 AM — Opening Keynote // Culture is Currency with Grandmaster Caz

• Moderator: Astor Chambers, Host/Co-Founder of Culture Raises US
• Grandmaster Caz, Hip-Hop Legend & Pioneer

10:15 AM — 50 Deep: Examining the history of hip hop, design, & culture with Hidden Figures

• Moderator: April Walker, CEO, Walker Wear & A. Walker Group
• Elena Romero, Assistant Chair and Assistant Professor, Marketing Communications at FIT
• Shara McHayle, Co-Founder and President of Hoop 88 Dreams
• Kianga "Kiki" Milele, Creator of K. Milele
• Sybil Pinnex, Owner of GR8FULLGIRL, Zeitgeist of the 90’s

11:00 AM — JEMS by PENSOLE Spotlight: Highlighting the first black-owned shoe factory in the U.S.

• Moderator: Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, Founder, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design
• Bill Jordan, President, Designer Brands

11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Rupert Campbell

• Moderator: Sheena Butler-Young, Senior Correspondent, The Business of Fashion (BoF)
• Rupert Campbell, President, Adidas North America

12:00 PM — Break Out Sessions:

Break Out Session 1: The State of Self Care - Importance of mental, physical, spiritual health (women focused)

Reserve your seat

• Moderator: Katara McCarty, Public Speaker, Coach, and Founder of Exhale App
• Monique Shekarchi, Key City Marketing Manager, Lululemon
• April Dinwoodie, Head of DEIB, Steve Madden
• Daziah Green, Assistant Footwear Designer, Adidas

Break Out Session 2: Black In Action- Highlighting black leaders in other industries

Reserve your seat

• Moderator: Darrell Booker, Corporate Affairs Specialist, Microsoft
• Michael Ford, Hip Hop Architect and Educator
• Merrie Dudley, Owner & Creative Director, merriexmas toys & merried xo
• Brian Thompson, Senior Journeyman Banknote and Product Designer

1:00 PM — Lunch/Networking Break

Sessions with the Sneaker Lawyer - Stop by attorney and Sneaker Law author Kenneth Anand's table during the lunch break for free legal consultations and advice courtesy of Jayaram Law - Lawyers for Innovators™️. Consultations will be first come first serve and limited to 10 minutes.

2:15 PM — Women In… : Highlighting women in leadership

• Moderator: Carmen Andrade Hardaway, Global Director, Energy Collaborations & Social Purpose Product, Reebok
• Jennifer Ford, Founder & Owner, Premium Goods
• Tamra Lewis, VP, Merchandising, Planning & Inventory Management Caleres
• Deirdre Roberson, Founder and Creative Director of EUMELANIN and Cofounder of The Lab Drawer and Motor City STEAM Foundation
• Reham Habib, VP, Brand Partnerships, Target

3:10 PM — The Brand of Culture: Conversation about how our identity, expression, & culture sets the trends and consumer behaviors for brands

• Moderator: Jazerai Allen-Lord, Consultant, Founder, True to Size
• Alexander-John, Designer/Creative Director, Alexander-John Design
• John Wiggins, VP, Organizational Culture and Inclusion, Toronto Raptors
• Cheresse Thornhill-Goldson, adidas / Director - Design Education & Growth, S.E.E.D
• Kris Wright, VP, Jordan Footwear, Product & Merchandising, Nike

3:50 PM — Keynote Session // The Real DEIL (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Leadership): Raw discussion about the struggles of DEI at corporations featuring former and current position holders

• Moderator: Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, Founder, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design
• Jarvis Sam, Founder and CEO, The Rainbow Disruption and former Chief DEI Officer at Nike
• Amber Cabral, Inclusion Strategist, Author
• Michelle Marshall, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, PUMA
• Todd Corley, SVP, Inclusion, Sustainability & Community, Carhartt

5:00 PM — Bacardi Presentation

5:30 – 7:30 PM — Networking Mixer

DAY 3

Saturday, September 23 | PLC Campus

8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in

9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks

9:45 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Larry Miller

• Moderator: Jason Mayden, Chief Executive Officer & Creative Director, Trillicon Valley
• Larry Miller, Chairman, Jordan Brand

10:15 AM — This is the Remix: Reinventing yourself and the art of the pivot

• Moderator: Charis Marquez, Vice President, Global Fashion, eBay
• Darius Billings, Vice President, Marketing and Community Engagement, The Athlete's Foot
• Chris Dixon, Senior Footwear Designer, Timberland
• Jessica Smith, CEO & Founder i.e. & Co-Founder adidas S.E.E.D.
• Angela Medlin, Founder, FAAS

11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Ruth Carter

• Moderator: D'on Lauren Edwards, Footwear Designer, Michael Kors
• Ruth Carter, Academy Award-winning costume designer

12:15 PM — Break Out Sessions:

Break Out Session 1: Black Owned Everything- Providing tips, tools, & resources for black entreprenuers

Reserve your seat

• Moderator: Stephen Green, Founder, PitchBlack and Angel Investor
• Donald Dudley, Senior Manager of Marketing LEED, Footlocker
• LaToya Williams-Belfort, Executive Director, Fifteen Percent Pledge
• Kenneth Anand, Co-Founder & Author, Sneaker Law

Break Out Session 2: TappedIn- Navigating corporate while Black; rules of engagement & professionalism

Reserve your seat

• Moderator: Damien Hooper- Campbell, Chief Impact Officer, StockX
• Sharifa Murdock, Entrepreneur, Chief Impact Officer, Kith
• Amy Hunter, VP, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Caleres
• Daniel Cherry, SVP, General Manager, Adidas
• Tai Neal, VP, Strategy, Foot Locker

1:15 PM — Lunch/Networking Break

Sessions with the Sneaker Lawyer - Stop by attorney and Sneaker Law author Kenneth Anand's table during the lunch break for free legal consultations and advice courtesy of Jayaram Law - Lawyers for Innovators™️. Consultations will be first come first serve and limited to 10 minutes.

2:15 PM — Music Fuels Culture: Exploring & discussing the intersection between Music, Art, Sneakers and Design

Sponsored by: Amazon Music

• Byron Merritt, VP of Design & Creative for Amazon Music
• Kelley Walton, Global Head of Brand and Integrated Marketing for Amazon Music
• Karim Wazani, Director of Partnerships for Amazon Music
• Hosted by Blacklights Podcast Hosts, Dion Walcott & LaShae Boone-McCray

3:00 PM — Claim A Seat: Emerging leaders in Sneakers: Providing a platform for the new generation of industry leaders to share their story and POV

• Moderator: Bimma Williams, Co-Founder, Claima Stories
• Jae Tips, Designer & Artist

3:45 PM — Blacklight Awards

4:15 PM — Free Game: Generational Purpose - A conversation and reflection on heritage vs. legacy

• Moderator: James Whitner, Owner of streetwear boutiques: Social Status, A Ma Maniere, and A.P.B.
• June Ambrose, Creative Director & Designer
• DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ, Producer, & Hip-Hop Icon

5:00 PM — Bacardi Presentation

5:30 – 9:00 PM —Networking Mixer feat. Special Guest DJ Jazzy Jeff

DAY 4

Sunday, September 24 | PLC Campus

Cultivating the Dreamer Within – a day for Her sponsored by adidas & i.e. [industry education] 

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM — Adidas Community R&B Yoga: a unique and inclusive yoga experience that combines music with beginner friendly techniques hosted by Lauren Spearman 

Register Here

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM— Sisters in Sole Brunch Sponsored by Adidas & i.e.: break bread with your sisters in sole.

Register Here

1:00 PM- 2:30 PM — Adidas Community Leadership Workshop powered by i.e.: Dismantling Perfectionism & Reframing Failure for Women in Footwear is a leadership development workshop focused on reframing our missteps as powerful tools that drive creativity and innovation.

Register Here

Men's Leadership & Wellness Workshop – The Game Behind the Game

9:00 AM- 11:30 AM — Men only session hosted by Jason Mayden, Kenneth Anand, Sneaker Law and Trevor Edwards, former Nike President. This session will unpack nuanced topics that impact the mental well-being of Black and Brown men in the industry. This session will also provide free legal guidance for topics such as: employment law and protections, IP, negotiating employment agreements, documenting and reporting wrong doing as a person of color in corporate America, and more.

Register Here