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:
Networking Mixer feat. Special Guest DJ Kawan Prather
Friday, September 22 | PLC Campus
8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in
9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks
9:45 AM — Opening Keynote // Culture is Currency with Grandmaster Caz
10:15 AM — 50 Deep: Examining the history of hip hop, design, & culture with Hidden Figures
11:00 AM — JEMS by PENSOLE Spotlight: Highlighting the first black-owned shoe factory in the U.S.
11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Rupert Campbell
12:00 PM — Break Out Sessions:
Break Out Session 1: The State of Self Care - Importance of mental, physical, spiritual health (women focused)
Break Out Session 2: Black In Action- Highlighting black leaders in other industries
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
3:10 PM — The Brand of Culture: Conversation about how our identity, expression, & culture sets the trends and consumer behaviors for brands
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
5:00 PM — Bacardi Presentation
5:30 – 7:30 PM — Networking Mixer
8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in
9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks
9:45 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Larry Miller
10:15 AM — This is the Remix: Reinventing yourself and the art of the pivot
11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation with Ruth Carter
12:15 PM — Break Out Sessions:
Break Out Session 1: Black Owned Everything- Providing tips, tools, & resources for black entreprenuers
Break Out Session 2: TappedIn- Navigating corporate while Black; rules of engagement & professionalism
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
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
3:45 PM — Blacklight Awards
4:15 PM — Free Game: Generational Purpose - A conversation and reflection on heritage vs. legacy
5:00 PM — Bacardi Presentation
5:30 – 9:00 PM —Networking Mixer feat. Special Guest DJ Jazzy Jeff
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
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM— Sisters in Sole Brunch Sponsored by Adidas & i.e.: break bread with your sisters in sole.
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.
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.
Thanks to our 2023 Event sponsors!
Friday, September 22 | PLC Campus
8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in
9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks
9:45 AM — Opening Keynote // Culture is Currency
10:15 AM — 50 Deep: Examining the history of hip hop, design, & culture
11:00 AM — JEMs by PENSOLE Spotlight: Highlighting the first black-owned shoe factory in the U.S.
11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation
12:00 PM — Break Out Sessions:
1:00 PM — Lunch/Networking Break
2:15 PM — Women In…
Highlighting women in leadership
3:10 PM — The Brand of Culture: Conversation about how our identity, expression, & culture sets the trends and consumer behaviors for brands
3:50 PM — Blacklight Awards
4:10 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
5:00 PM — Bacardi Presentation
5:30 – 7:30 PM — Networking Mixer
8:30 AM — Breakfast & Registration Check-in
9:30 AM — Welcome & Remarks
9:45 AM — Black Genius Conversation
10:45 AM — This is the Remix: Reinventing yourself and the art of the pivot
11:30 AM — Black Genius Conversation
12:15 PM — Break Out Sessions
1:15 PM — Lunch/Networking Break
2:15 PM — The Art of Sampling: Exploring & discussing the intersection between music, art, and design
Sponsored by: Amazon Music
3:00 PM — The New Guard: Blacklighting the new generation of leaders
3:45 PM — Blacklight Awards
4:15 PM — Keynote Session // Generational Purpose: A conversation and reflection on heritage vs. legacy
5:30 – 9:00 PM — Cocktail Mixer
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM — R&B Yoga : sponsored by adidas and i.e.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM— Sisters in Sole Brunch: sponsored by adidas and i.e.
1:00 PM- 2:30 PM — SEED Leadership Workshop : sponsored by adidas and i.e.
3:00 – 5:00 pm
PLC Footwear and Apparel Workshop
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX, 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit*
For students from MERIT's FATE Program
6:00 – 7:00 pm
PLC Alumni Career Panel
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX, 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit
For Design Connect Students, Hosted by D'Wayne Edwards
7:00 pm – Midnight
PLC Panel + Sneaker Art Showcase & Mixer by Champion
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX, 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Panelists: StockX, Bedrock, Sydney James, Detroit Artist. Live Sneaker Art on Canvas. Panel discussing how art and culture is helping to shape Detroit aka “Caring for the Community”
2:00 – 4:00 pm
Kids Are Ready For Design Elementary School Workshop by A Kids Company About
Featuring Jason Mayden, College of Creative Studies graduate, award-winning designer, entrepreneur, author, and educator
4:30 – 6:30 pm
S.E.E.D. SOLES: Breaking Barriers, Planting Seeds & Charting Pathways Women’s Panel by adidas
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX | 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit*
Featuring Cheresse Thornhill-Goldston, College of Creative Studies graduate, Director, Design Education & Growth | S.E.E.D, adidas. 10 women from the Detroit Community will be selected to attend the adidas S.E.E.D Creator Camp on Sunday
7:00 – 10:00 pm
VIP Dinner by Detroit Pistons: Thank you to BFF Sponsors, Speakers, Staff and Guests
7:00 pm – Midnight
BFF Homecoming Detroit Mixer by BFF Detroit
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX | 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit*
8:30 – 9:30 am
BFF Detroit Breakfast & Mixer by BFF Detroit
Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design | PLC Icon Building | 200 Walker Street, Detroit**
9:50 am – 7:30 pm
Black Footwear Forum by Our Sponsors
Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design | PLC Icon Building | 200 Walker Street, Detroit**
9:50 – 10:20 am: 845 Days Later… A Conversation with Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd
10:25 – 10:45 am: DETROIT
10:50 – 11:20 am: BLACKLIGHTS | Hometown She-ros
11:25 – 11:55 am: TAPPEDIN | The "L" Word
12:25 – 12:40 pm: Black Genius
12:45 – 1:20 pm: Storytellers
1:25 – 1:45 pm: The Creator at the Center
1:50 – 2:20 pm: Kitchen Table | The Power of Empathy
2:20 – 4:00 pm | Lunch by BFF Detroit
4:10 – 4:45 pm: TAPPEDIN | Career Pathways
4:50 – 5:30 pm: BLACKLIGHTS | The Industry
5:30 – 5:50 pm | Intermission
5:55 – 6:20 pm: BLACKLIGHTS | Awards
6:25 – 7:15 pm: FREE GAME!
7:20 – 7:30 pm: CLOSING REMARKS
8:00 pm – Midnight
BFF Detroit Dinner & Mixer by BFF Detroit
Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design | PLC Icon Building | 200 Walker Street, Detroit**
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Black Women in Sneakers Brunch: Sisters in Sole
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX | 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit*
2:30 – 4:30 pm
adidas S.E.E.D Women's Creator Camp by adidas
PLC|FDRA|BFF Lounge by StockX | 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit
© 2023 FDRA