Issa Rae Set to Hit the Stage Live at Black Enterprise’s Women of Power Summit

If you’re rooting for everybody BLACK like we are, then be in the room when Issa Rae hits the stage to headline BLACK ENTERPRISE’s 2023 Women of Power Summit, celebrating a sisterhood like no other.

Hosted by ADP, the three-day in-person experience kicks off on Thursday, March 9 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. With a full schedule doused in Black Girl Magic, the summit will carry on with celebratory events and a dynamic lineup of conversations for executives and leaders to be empowered.

With her own unique flare and infectious sense of humor, Issa Rae first received attention for her award-winning web series and the accompanying New York Times best-seller, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.”

Among the star-studded roster of confirmed speakers, the actress, writer, entrepreneur and producer, Issa Rae, is renowned for building her own table among old Hollywood gatekeepers. She not only brings her boss energy on set, but she encapsulates a woman of power who is intentional in fostering community and building businesses that thrive.

As a self-described builder, Rae takes pride in sharing the strategies that helped her grow Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, the Inglewood, California, coffee shop that she owns with co-founders Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan, as well as her hair care brand Sienna Naturals, her record label Raedio, and her production company Hoorae Media.

In addition to her mogul mastermind, Issa Rae is a passionate changemaker.

She envisions her lifetime breaking glass ceilings and opening doors for marginalized and underrepresented communities within the entertainment industry and beyond. She once shared that the fear of growing old and losing time ignites the champion in her to continue her work.

Whether she’s vocalizing the changes she’d like to see in Hollywood or supporting Black businesses through collaborative conversations and funding, or “rooting for everybody Black,” the Rap Sh*t creator is an empowered gatekeeper who shares her wisdom and provides a space for people to win.

“I think operating from that scared place is actually really helpful because it makes you impatient about waiting for sh*t to happen. And it makes you fearless about the things you normally might be afraid of, like rejection, embarrassment, or diminishment,” said Rae when she accepted her Equity in Entertainment Award at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Gala.

Rae also created and starred in the Peabody-award-winning HBO series Insecure which garnered her multiple Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominations.

Rae has also made her mark on the big screen, starring in THE PHOTOGRAPH and THE LOVEBIRDS. In 2020 Rae formed HOORAE, a multi-faceted media company that develops content across mediums in an effort to continue to break boundaries in storytelling and representation.

HOORAE is comprised of HOORAE Media for film, tv and digital; Raedio, the music label, music supervision company, and “audio everywhere” company; and ColorCreative, its management division. Via HOORAE’s WarnerMedia deal, Issa has also expanded her Executive Producer slate with the Emmy-award nominated A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, the fan-favorite docuseries SWEET LIFE, and the upcoming HBOMax series, RAP SH*T.

Rae’s commitment to South LA is evident in both her personal and professional pursuits. After planting roots near her childhood home, Issa decided to set up the HOORAE headquarters in the heart of South LA.

Additionally, as co-owner of the Black-owned and operated hair care line, Sienna Naturals, Rae intends to continue to reimagine Black wellness and beauty. Sienna Naturals is a performance-driven vegan hair care line rooted in sustainability and intentionality and was awarded Cosmopolitans “Holy Grail Beauty Award” in 2021.

Be In the Room to Celebrate Womanhood

In celebration of trailblazing women, BLACK ENTERPRISE is hosting its 17th Annual Legacy Awards Gala at the start of the summit to honor those who’ve defied the odds and changed the world for future generations. These include award-winning actress Loretta Devine, Vera Moore, President and CEO of the family-owned business, Vera Moore Cosmetics, Tracey T. Travis,  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Estée Lauder Companies; and Business executive Lisa Wardell who currently serves as a member of the board of directors for Adtalem Global Education Inc.

Throughout her three-decade career, Devine has created some of the most memorable roles in theater, TV, and film including “Lorrell,” one of the three original “Dreamgirls,” and has earned much praise and accolades for her work.

Moore not only broke color barriers onscreen, but as the first Black tenant for 25 years in the history of the prestigious Green Acres Mall in Long Island, NY and the first Black vendor in Walgreens’ select upscale “Look-boutique” stores for 10 years.

Davis boasts an impressive financial leadership background with Ralph Lauren Corporation, Limited Brands, Americas Group of American National Can, and more.

In her role, Wardell brings a successful five-year track record as Adtalem’s former CEO and leader of the higher education sector in implementing new standards in transparency and financial literacy.

During the summit, Black Enterprise will also bring back its second annual Luminary Awards and luncheon to “honor our sisters who are fighting the good fight, creating new paths, and lighting the way for us all.”

While exploring the theme “Our Time, Our Way, Our Power,” those who will receive their flowers include motivational speaker, author, producer Lauren Simmons, three-time New York Times bestselling author, multimedia entrepreneur speaker and podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones, and Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Affectionately known as the ‘Wolfette of Wallstreet,’ Simmons reigns as the second African American female trader to work on the exchange in over 228 years. She advocates for financial wellness and for the financial sector to take steps to increase diversity and inclusion.

Jones has taken the stage at some of the world’s most innovative and disruptive brands to bring culture, media, and business to the forefront. Her newest venture and first picture book, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess, is available May 2, 2023.

Hannah-Jones, also a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, has spent her career investigating racial inequality and injustice, co-founding the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting in 2016.

Confirmed speakers include: Multi-talented actress, producer, author, and business owner Tia Mowry who will grace the summit.

Popularly known for her classic role in 90’s sitcom “Sister, Sister,” the award-winning actress is also churning out inspiration in the food industry. From her second cookbook, The Quick Fix Kitchen and “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix” on YouTube to her “Spice by Tia Mowry” cookware collection, and 4U by Tia, Mowry’s journey inspires millions across social media.

Other speakers to grace the stage are:

Jevonya Allen, Creator and Chief Visionary Officer of Twisted Networking, Carice Anderson, Author of Intelligence Isn’t Enough: A Black Professional’s Guide to Thriving in the Workplace; Jacqueline M. Baker, Principal Consultant and Founder of Scarlet; Karen Taylor Bass, Certified Corporate Wellness Expert; Maria Black, President and CEO of ADP; Lydia T. Blanco, Journalist and Media Consultant at Blanco & Co.; Traci Otey Blunt, Founder and Principal of Blunt Group Strategies; Cynthia H. Bowman, Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Officer at Bank of America; Scarlett Cochran, Author of IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY: A Proven Path to Building Wealth and Living the Rich Life You Deserve; Richada Franklin, Director, Product Solutions of UKG; Dethra Giles, CEO of ExecuPrep; Laurie Robinson Haden, President & Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Counsel Women of Color; Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley; Dr. Kimberly Henderson, Wealth Management Client Health Advisor at Morgan Stanley; Keanna “KJ Rose” Henson,  Author, Artist Development, Performance Director & Founder of The Rose Effect, LLC; Arlene Isaacs‐Lowe, Independent Director of Compass Group, Xenia Hotels and Resorts & Equitable Holdings; Dr. Sabrina Kizzie, Digital Media Consultant/Lecturer at Baruch College; Audria Pendergrass Lee, Vice President, Talent Acquisition & Chief Diversity Officer at FINRA; Cheryl McKissack Daniel, President and CEO of McKissack & McKissack; Monique McWilliams, VP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UnitedHealth Group; Dr. Yasmene Mumby, Founder and Principal of The Ringgold; Watchen Nyanue, Founder and CEO of I Choose the Ladder; Crystal R. Oliver, VP, Memphis World Hub at FedEx; Angela J. Reddock-Wright, Employment Attorney & Mediator at Reddock Law Group; Monica Simmonds, MSPH, Director of Health Equity Program Implementation at Walmart; Olanda Sharp-Buckley, Vice President, Customer/Technical Training at Dell; Dr. Tammy Lewis Wilborn, Mental Health and Wellness Expert, Keynote Speaker, and Author; and Dr. Lauren Young, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Travelers.

Be in the room. Get your tickets here https://blackenterprise.com/womenofpowersummit/