Technology and innovation took center stage at the 6th Annual Black to the Future Tech and Entertainment Conference held Sept. 23 in Leimert Park.
Nearly 2,000 people converged on the Black community’s cultural center to enjoy a range of events such as panel discussions, digital activations, musical performances and more.
Sponsored by the nonprofit TEC Leimert, the event was created to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities. As TEC Leimert Co-founder Rasidi Jones explained, “We’re going Black to the Future and in South L.A., we’re preparing the community to participate and benefit from the journey.”
The conference featured experts and entrepreneurs involved in music, gaming, TV, film, fashion and technology, who shared industry trends and strategies to break into those fields. Also, activities included the Young Professionals Brunch, Metaverse Hip Hop VR Experience, and coffee chats with creative industry human resources representatives.
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“These chats gave young professionals, and really anybody for that matter, the opportunity to connect with executives from Shondaland entertainment, Riot Games, Sony Pictures, Cashmere Agency and Microsoft to gain valuable information to compete for opportunities and to build their network,” Jones said.
“Also, the Metaverse Experience celebrated Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary and something new this year was a digital activation with The Music Center called CONFLUX, a hybrid happening built around musical tele-production with participants from all over the world,” he noted, adding that participants were linked in from the Santuri Salon in Nairobi, while being joined online with artists in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, the U.K. as well as the United States.
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(Courtesy Photo)
The sponsors of Black to the Future were Disney, Google, Microsoft, Russell Westbrook’s Why Not Foundation, Riot Games, Serato, Netflix, GOAT Group, Media Monks, One Opp, Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad mentor program, The Music Center, Otis College of Art & Design, Los Angeles Urban League, University of Southern California, 100 Thieves, BCG Digital Ventues, Live Nation, Femme it Forward, Loft & Bear,Color Creative, Harun Coffee and the offices of Councilmember Heather Hutt and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson..
Summing up the impact of the event, Jones added, “The Black to the Future Technology and Entertainment Conference brings out the best and the brightest from tech and entertainment to network and make connections, get exposure to just how impactful our culture is and how to navigate opportunities in the creative economy that are often obscure for youth in underserved South L.A. communities.
“So instead, we bring the industry to Leimert Park to build, create and just bask in the beauty of our beautiful Black culture.”
To learn more, visit TECLeimert.org.
