Mannie Alice is here today CEO of Culture Khan. Let me get your title right. She is the founder and CEO of the Creative Collective NYC and the visionary behind Culture Cohn.
Hi hi, Angie, Hey, my love, welcome. Only you can introduce me.
Listen, listen. How did you become this person? How did Culture Khan become this thing? And you were the person to make it.
Happen, Angie? It was so small. I feel like big things start so small. Living room dream. I invited ten friends over.
What is the dream?
Though?
The thing?
It was all about community, and I actually didn't want to be someone to start something. I was like, I want to stop something and it was going to these events that did not have black and brown people in mind. And so I invited some people over and the only rule was everyone had to invite one friend, and that was ten people.
And al So you started this in your home, literally living room.
Was it called Culture Gone, No, it was, It had no names.
It was called Imani's house.
Money's house. Come over, and so then we called that the Creative Collective. It kept growing and finally I said we deserve a conference. And so fast forward six years later, ten thousand people are going to be in Brooklyn this weekend.
That is so dope.
Thank you.
When did it shift? I mean, because everybody has like things at their house, how does it become a thing from your house to I mean, you have marketing experience and background and all that exactly.
My background's in PR. But it really was community because me and my friends all were inviting our friends, and I think that was the secret saw So we think about kind of the creator economy and all of the resources we need. It also is about us not being left behind when it comes to creators and empowering them. And a lot of my friends were talented, but they had no idea about contracts or managers or things like that, and so culture con is the answer to that.
You've really done a good job too. My I went when was that was it? Last year? The year before I was there for the panel, the Intergalactic panel, and it was Kenya Barris and it was the first time I had met Kenya. But it was it was an interesting day because I met so many people at different points of their career. You know, you walk outside, there's the guy with the camera, who's who's got this cool idea for this segment he wants to do on social with you, and of course I did that. It still
comes up on my timeline every now and then. But then also I met Kenya that day. We had great conversation, so of course the spectrum. I just met a bunch of people, all creatives, everybody with the same intentions. It was a good day.
It was exciting, and I think to your point, like, that's kind of the point is we're like disrupting swim Lane. So you have a college you know, student who's coming for the first time, and then you have Tracy Elis Ross who's talking about her journey this year. We've got Morris Chestnut, law Roach, you're a Shahiti.
It's a good I had your line up here. I don't forget anybody because Andy June. Yes, I'm hosting a panel with Jesse Collins, who, by the way, Jesse produces everything we watch on television from every awards everything and Rhythm of Flow is the show, and Dion is producing partner is there. And then Remy's a guest judge, so she's on the panel. So we're gonna have a great panel. Oh yes, so I'm hosting it. Jesse Dion and then Remy.
Any panel that Remy's on is like a good time, yeah, because she's just just's you just don't know what she's gonna say.
And she's a culture con regular. We had her in twenty eighteen.
So that'll be fun. So I'm looking forward to it. So yeah, for sure I'll be there. But also we forgot some people. June Ambrose, my girl, is going to be there. Iconic shout out to June Ambrose. By the way, she just did it like a closet cleaning. Did you see this? Know what you know? Her closet is crazy. June Ambrose has this been the stylist, the best stylist in the game for I don't know how many longs, how many years?
Right? Legendary?
Yeah, yeah, And she she does this yearly closet cleanse and she rents a little place and she puts it's like how we clean our closets and we give it to our cousins and our aunts and whatever. But she opens it to the public and everything is like designer one of one.
From here or this calendar.
Yeah next year you should absolutely mist that was out of town. But I was like, damn, that's like the greatest thrift shop pop up shop in history.
And I love like anything that's been used, especially if June Aambros Has touched it.
Yeah, you know it's fine. Yeah, you know it's fire. Anyway, shout out to June. I'm excited to see her there. What is she hosting, like a style panel or something.
She's going to be with Gucci and the Gucci change Makers. It's all the next generation of like fashion and design.
Anika Nani Rose.
Yes, favorite Disney Princess.
So cute. Anyway, it's gonna be a great day. So how do people So people don't know how they how do they get there? What do they do?
Yes? So it's in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. We're going to have four different venues so it's a huge campus and so you can get there by train. I'm a trained girl. If I can ever choose, I love public transit. But it's going to be workshops. We have two stages and it's not just learning, it's also connecting. So there are so many different surprises that we have coming.
Nice.
There's a block party on Sunday. It's going to be a lot investing, so it's you know, people come to build a life or to build a career. We've had people that have gotten married from meeting a culture con. Just had our first culture com baby, Angie. Should I know a lot of culture comment should initiated that wedding.
You should be the godmother.
Listen. Find a partner, find a business partner. You never know, so cute, you never know?
So how many years has it been our sixty oh six years? Wow? Oh, so there's a baby.
I know.
Don't go. Don't go to culture con trying to find somebody to have a baby with them. I mean you can, but like, yeah, I just don't want creeps come showing up, Like this is not a singles bar. Guys, right, you're coming there to me like minded people you have, you know, who are aspiring to learn or teach, sure.
And building big things together. We had a film that came out, so it's just really inspiring. And I think we're taking the transaction out of networking. I feel like networking gets a rep of just being very what do you do? What do you do? And it's like there's so much more to who we are than what do you do? Yeah?
For sure? And what do tell me about the movie?
Oh my gosh, so I don't have a lot of details. I won't really go there because they haven't announced it yet. But they met at Culture Con. They're going to debut at the Tredebacka Film Festival.
What do you mean they met the people who made this so, like.
The director, like met some of the talent at Culture Con. And so I think that's some of the magic is you're disrupting swim lanes. Like a lot of conferences are for photographers only, or writers only, or publicists only. But at Culture Con, you could be a manager and find talent. You could be talent and find a lawyer. And I feel like that's kind of what makes it special.
That's so great. Yeah, what is the There's a website that everybody here get guests.
So they can go to the CCNYC dot com slash culturecn. We're almost sold out. There's only a few more tickets.
Oh wow, so today I get to it today, and then and then where does all that content live?
Oh my gosh, everywhere cost channels, YouTube. We have become known for the culture Culture Con portraits, so we'll get yours, of course, but it's basically these beautiful editorial portraits. We just want to see black and brown people happy and beautiful settings. We've had a really hard year, so we just want to play. And this year the theme is camp, so it's like we're going to have different bos on fires. You're gonna come and get your patch, choose your own adventure.
A lot of games, I feel like you have to adult so much, so we just want to bring back play and rest and all that fun.
So that's gonna be a good time. Yeah, I had a list here. I wanted to go show you this list. I have a list of some of the past people who have been at Culture Con. Oh, and maybe you can tell maybe you could give us so somebody who's never experienced it, having been, you could give us a what is it like a cheat sheet of what you
learned or maybe some takeaway from from these people. So you've had everybody from well, let's start with Tracy Ellis Ross, who drops gems like no other every time she's she's been twice.
Yes, So the first time she was really talking about pattern and her hair and confidence and she was sharing that growing up she was really kind of insecure about her hair and she's learned to just love it.
How is that pos's daughter. But that's what makes it.
Special because if you're in the audience, you're like, wait, you haven't always been this icon, Like you grow into it. Yeah, so that was amazing. I think that was a great lesson you've had.
Will Smith. What did he talk about?
Oh my gosh, it was one of his films. I feel like he's I can't keep up with all of his films. He was talking about working hard and how kind of like, you've got to be consistent and you've got to work hard even when you're not motivated or inspired. I think a lot of us are like, I'm not inspired, but we just can't wait for inspiration. That was when Will Smith that I that was it. I mean that was you needed to hear my Mount Rushmore.
Yeah, because we look for inspiration and we get yeah, I'm gonna do all the things, and then the day you're not inspired, you want to lay around. You can't do that.
You have to let You've got to be consistent. I feel like he's so consistent.
Yeah, for sure, one of our fave faves. Oh my god, she's a Culture con alumni.
Yes, we had last year. She's such an inspiration to me. I feel like from awkward black girl all the way to the icon that she's become today. I feel like she always just stays so grounded and so like her that audience, it was a standing ovation.
It was was it? What was she talking about?
What was she she came last year? She was talking about being an entrepreneur and balancing that with being creative. And I feel like one of the big things that Lisa says is like, it's not always networking up with the big executives, it's like building with the people around you, which is perfect for Culture Con.
What about Spike Lee? He was there? What did he do?
Spike Lee was our very first ever really creative genius back in twenty seventeen. How did you get him to agree to that blessing and a prayer? I mean, I think he just he's always been for the culture and he heard Culture Con and a friend of ours was working with him and said, Spike Lee will do it. We had an entire Spike Lee room that you could kind of do like a scavenger hunt. It was paying homage to all of his movies.
Wow.
He stayed after he talked to everyone who answered questions, and I remember just standing next to him. Like Spike Lee is at culture con so he's at the bar. Yeah, very high.
That's pretty great. He's really good at that. Like he uh he did a whole masterclass, so he like really chose his whole process. Yeah, he does. Like he does, I think enjoy the process of sharing some of the information. Yeah, especially for like upcoming film directors stuff. Whose who else has been your favorite? I mean you have all types of people.
Oh my gosh. I mean we've had Sterling k Brown, Marseille Martin, Regina King, Regina.
Hall, I just King. What did Regina King do?
Oh? Regina King? Like that was incredible because she was so vulnerable. I feel like that's what culture con does. Is when you look out into an audience there's ten thousand black and brown faces looking back at you, there's something about like we're in a safe space, and so a lot of our creative geniuses are really talking about the not so pleasant days, the days where they wanted to give up. So she was talking about kind of being overwhelmed and how she pushes through that. I love
that kind of conversation. Yeah, where it's just like tell me the truth, please, like please tell me it's not get Yes, help me, and sometimes the prayers just help me. Yeah, and so yeah, she was great.
So what are you most excited about this year?
It's the people. We've got people flying in from London, from Puerto Rico, and they're so excited. And I think what happens is we started Culture Con, but it belongs to the community, and so it becomes a fashion show, it becomes a networking event. We call it the creative Homecoming, and I feel like the people in the community, that's the secret sauce it. Really. I just get so excited kind of walking the campus. Love that, just hearing everyone's experience.
That's great. All right, well we'll be there again. Given the website again so we can.
Yes, it's going to be the c C NYC dot com slash culture Con.
I'm excited.
It's Culture Con on all social handles, Angie. It's going to be great.
But then I know we're in CULTURECM mode because this is happening right now. But don't you you have something else happening. You're getting ready to launch.
Yes, so we're going to take a little break, okay, and then after culture like a vacation, I go on these things called creative residencies.
Everything is creative with it.
It is I'm like, but it's like resting. It's all I do is like rest and get inspiration and it's no work. And so I do that for two weeks.
What does that mean?
You like laying on the beach like Cate an entire itinerary Angie of like playtime and rest time and it's like active. I don't know why explain this.
I need it because I need one of these what.
Is it called the creative residency?
Okay? Please?
Last year I said yes to everything and I got so burnt out that in the middle of the year, I said I can't. And so I said, I'm going to create a creative residency, not just a vacation, but it's time to like fill my cup back up. And I created a two week itinerary. It was inspired by James Baldwin. I went to Paris and so the first six days are play and you literally whatever your inner child wants, you say yes, whatever she wants. And so I was like, I'm on ice cream, but it's eleven,
am I don't care? Yes? Or I'm going to go to a museum. Yes. And then then second part is rest and that's the hardest part for people like us who are always on the go. You have to like really limit your social time and it's just spending time with yourself and just stillness.
What do you mean how much do you limit your social tis?
I could only be on social media for thirty minutes a day, Okay, that was it, and I had a little timer and that was it. And your days get longer, like you just have more time to just be like reflecting. And then the third part is reflection, and so you really go back to play and stillness and you're like, what part of this do I want to take to the next part of my life? And it changed my life. And so now it's mandated that every year after culture con two weeks of creative residency.
Do you go by yourself or is this myself? Yes?
And so for play you can bring friends. And so for my first part, I had my sister. We were having a lot of fun. But for still and reflection, you got to be by yourself.
Love that.
Yeah, So I'll send you the itinerary.
I want it. I want the itinerary immediately absolutely to it.
Yes, we need it because we are not resting'sperate need the.
I love that, and I'm a fan of I'm always telling my friends to go on solo trips because they always like, well, I'm like, no, you have It's the only time you can shut You can't shut everybody out if you got ten people and an itinerary and other people to worry about too much. So you have to have time for yourself at some point. And it doesn't have to be some Paris. So if you can't afford some exotic place, you just need to find some breaks yourself.
You can do literally creative residency wherever you are. You don't have to travel, And so I think that's also the important.
A creative residency because you.
Got to think of it like you're a student, Like you can't.
Just like and it's two weeks.
It's two weeks, because I think a lot of us think rest means sleep, But there's different types of rest, Like you need like soul rest, you need like social rest, not just like going to sleep. That's not enough.
Okay, we'll be freaked out if you're on your retreat And I'm.
Like, hey girl, hey girl, fantastic, Yeah I am. I am preaching the gospel of rest.
I love that for you. Okay. So after call chacn, the retreat happens Creative Retreat, and then.
And then we start all over next year. It's going to be a really really big year. We did Culture Con on campus this year, so we took it to the babies. We're going to bring it all back.
I love that it all back. But I was something else that I heard that you were launching.
Also, we are launching a Creator Summit. Yes, yes, so the big Creator Summit. Thank you. That's going to be a partnership.
I got you girl. I'm like, oh, she's like, what am I doing? You're still in right now?
That is so the Creator Summit. We're partnering with Kensington Gray and it's dedicated programming just for creators. So we're really going to go deep in terms of how do you negotiate with the brand, how do you become brand friendly, how do you make sure that you go past the viral moment. I think we need a lot of just like education in that space, the creative part.
We got that on lock.
But it's like the business side, Like creators are entrepreneurs, they're small businesses, so a lot of them are thinking about the esthetic. We got to make sure they're reading those contracts perpetuity, make sure you know what that means. And so yeah, we're excited to launch the first ever Creator Summit this year.
It's so exciting. Good for you, congratulations. I'm excited about about the event. I will see you in a couple of days.
Oh my gosh.
And Brooklyn And I don't know is anything else you want the people to know or understand.
I think the biggest thing is you can come solo. You know I'm an introvert, surprisingly, or you can know you are not I am. I am I my energy like when I'm alone, not from people.
Wow.
But it's just there's something for everyone, and I think that we all just need to be in community. I read that we're the loneliest generation ever, So.
Is that right? That's so sad. Yeah, we're alone, doesn't surprise me.
Yeah, So we need each other, we need community, and I think that isolation. We got to come together. So I can't wait to see everyone at Culture Con.
Why are we the loneliest?
Because I think we think that technology is bringing us close together because we're seeing things, but it doesn't replace human connection and we're meant for connection, and so I think sometimes we see a lot of people, but we're seeing them through a screen and so we're isolated. So I don't know. I want to bring that old thing back where we're just meeting and the stakes are lower and we're just having fun together.
I love that for you. By the way, before you go, I see you answered our in real life questionnaire and I love that. By the way, way, thank you. We just thought of this and I find it very informative.
It's awesome.
It's like the little things you're like, huh, I'm.
Gonna start taking that on first dates. I need them to fill that out.
We haven't. In real life power questionnaire that we leave in the green room for when people show up and they're waiting to come in the room, we find out your name is the money you. Last thing you ate with some Lamb meatballs, which is bizarre.
It was really delicious at the Ace Hotel.
Okay, that's Zeke Lamb meatballs. Last thing you ate. Your karaoke song is respect absolutely minus since you've been gone.
Yes, respect, that's really good.
So, uh, what's your superpower? Building teams and connection? And you have a photographic memory which has been fascinating.
Well, I didn't realize that that was a fun fact. And so I started realizing that I remember things as I see them, So I can see signs and remember them and like almost like it's yeah, it's so clear in my mind.
Your celebrity crush is Luke James.
Absolutely.
Why don't you just book them, have them come down to Culture Con.
Maybe I will, Kittie Hi, we were.
Wondering if you'd come on shoot on down here to Culture Con. Uh and your bucket list. Your bucket list is to go to Japan, and I would love to go to Japan. I have a story for you because we're talking about these trips and doing. You know, I went to Japan for my birthday last year or the year before last year. Year before, I went to Japan by myself. Oh, first time it was on my bucket list.
I was in dire need of one of my solo trips because I needed some quiet time, and I thought to myself, usually have my solo trips are nearby, right, you know, I go a little breck here somewhere, never like Tokyo. And so I went on one of my solo trips to Tokyo for my birthday. And it's everything.
Oh my gosh, I can't wait.
You have to go immediately. I love this just so much culture, such great food. I said, it's like New York if some of some parts of it felt like New York to me, if we really took care.
Of this city that part. Yeah, I mean, if we if.
We like took care of this city the way we should. There's parts of Tokyo that made me feel like that. It's like so such a respectful place. And you know, there's there's record shops and speak easies that are really cool, and.
I saw that in Japan. They leave umbrellas in different places and the integrity of.
The city, so somebody out, if you need it, you pick it, pick it up, and you go. Yeah, there's a lot of Yeah, there's a lot of that that goes on. And I should say I wasn't completely by myself. I there were people there that people put me with. Okay, so I had a couple of people that showed me around and things like that.
Yet I cannot wait to go.
But I say to you, get to Tokyo, Okay for Japan, to get to Japan.
Right, a creative residency there next year that.
Would be ahead. Yeah, I'll pop in for the first week and then I'll leave you to the rest. Okay, uh and what is your pet peeve?
When people talk really.
Loved, we're best friends, we should just have been, We should just be we should I'm like, come on, you know, I say out with it. I know, please slow drives with crazy too or small talk also even more oursel.
Same, So I go straight from the jugular and I think people were like a little bit of small talk.
Please get to it. And the last thing that sent you down a rabbit hole?
Do we all see the same color? Like when you see this blue, is it the same blue that I see? Because all of our like you know what I mean?
Did you know that a very large group of men percentage of men are colorblind? Okay, eight to ten.
Percent of men are color blind color blind.
When you think about ten percent, that means that there's ten guys in a room. One of them is color blind.
This is color blo.
This is the guy that you're attracted to in the room. It doesn't matter what you have on.
Yeah, he can't have the color. I can wear the black dress or the blue dress anyway.
So there you are, and your favorite moji is a herd. Of course, it is bringing people together. Yes, it was wonderful to have you today. Congrats on Cultchakhan. I will see you there.
Yes, Andrew, you're an icon.
Thank you for thank you for coming. Can we have a one time for a mon