The ARAD microgrant helped Lauren Williams, ARAD ’19, attend Culture Con, a one-day conference hosted by the New York Creative Collective in New York City highlighting creatives of color.
Read more about Lauren’s reflections on love, light, and her creative goals!
Describe the opportunity you participated in and how it aligns with your career aspirations.
On October 13, 2018 I had the opportunity to attend CultureCon. As described on the conference website, CultureCon “brings together inspiring creatives & entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of world-changing doers.” As a person of color, an aspiring entrepreneur, and a creative professional this conference was extremely impactful for me.
Attending this conference aligned well with my career aspirations because in the future I plan on starting my own creative business. For some attendees, the conference offered workshops with investors and business leaders. During the conference I had the learned from speakers like John Legend, Nick Cannon, Remy Ma, and Charlamagne the God about how they launched their creative careers and the paths they took to make their ideas and dreams a reality. They spoke about topics ranging from where they get inspiration, business tips, and even the power of love within creative industries.
The conference also allowed me to connect with designers, entertainers, and photographers of color that reside in New York City. Having created new connections with other creatives in the city will translate into valuable relationships in the future.
What were the most important takeaways from your experience?
One of the most important takeaways from the conference was the importance of community. We are truly our brother and sister’s keeper and we must support, empower, and encourage one another. One of the speakers spoke about the mastery of love. He said, “When you’re a light you have to use your light to light the next person’s flame.” I have always had a desire to serve as a bridge to other people’s success so this statement really touched me and inspired me to continue to give to others.
How has the microgrant helped to enrich you professionally?
CultureCon aims to inspire creative entrepreneurs and world-changers of the future. The conference enriched me by providing inspiration to continue to pursue my business ideas. As of now, I am in the process of taking all of the necessary steps to launch my creative business in 2019. I will be keeping the advice and contacts from the conference in mind while building my business.
Wishing you the best of luck with your goals in 2019, Lauren!
Arts Administration 