CultureCon 2025: Taking Space, Claiming Voice

This year’s CultureCon, held at the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, opened with a bold theme: “Take Space: The New Frontier.”  Over the two-day cultural summit, actors, musicians, creators, entrepreneurs, and storytellers filled the venue—each seeking not just inspiration, but a blueprint for ownership, innovation, and self-definition.

Day 1: Ciara, Taraji & Claressa — Ownership, Confidence, and Breaking Barriers

Ciara: Betting On Herself

When Ciara appeared on stage with moderator Imani Ellis, the energy shifted. What began as a conversation about her artistic journey evolved into a manifesto on ownership, risk, and creative sovereignty. 

Ciara opened candidly: “I was exhausted with the process, but I’ve always bet on me.”  She reflected on her decision to leave the traditional label structure and build Beauty Marks Entertainment, emphasizing the need for creators to control their narrative: to own not just the art, but the infrastructure behind it. 

Another standout moment came when Imani Ellis framed a principle that seemed to underscore Ciara’s mindset:

“Ready is a decision, not a feeling.” 

Throughout the session, Ciara underscored the tension between comfort and growth, and the hard work behind the illusion of “overnight” success.

Taraji P. Henson: Reclaiming Power and Legacy

Taraji P. Henson’s session drew one of the biggest responses from the crowd. After being introduced with a clip from Hidden Figures, she entered to standing ovation and dove straight into a story of reclamation. 

Taraji spoke vulnerably about her journey to gain full control over her beauty brand, TPH. “Y’all didn’t see the tears… but I fought for my baby,” she told attendees, making clear that her fight was personal and often unseen.  She further affirmed:

“You are the prize. They need you.” 

Her narrative also wove in lessons of faith, self-worth, and discernment — choosing partners who see value, not just currency. At the close of her segment, Taraji was honored with a CultureCon Icon Award, a symbolic full-circle moment for a speaker who preached ownership as legacy. 

Claressa Shields: Confidence as Championship

In a powerful moment from the Sports Summit track, Claressa Shields, the multi-world champion boxer, graced the stage alongside Deja Kelly and Shana Stephenson.  Shields spoke to the isolation she felt growing up “the only girl in a gym full of boys” — and how doubt fueled her resolve. She recalled:

“They told me I wasn’t supposed to be there… I outlasted and outdid all of them.” 

Her segment dove into mentorship, balance, and the challenge of being both an elite athlete and a public figure shaping the next generation. 

Day 2: Morris Chestnut — Longevity, Craft, and Reinvention

Day 2 brought one of the most anticipated sessions: a Creative Genius conversation with Morris Chestnut, joined by his Watson co-stars Rochelle Aytes and Tika Sumpter. 

Chestnut’s discussion was rooted in honesty about Hollywood’s pigeonholing and the labor behind sustaining a decades-long career. One of his most resonant lines:

“I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with being typecast. When I was first starting out, I just wanted to be recognized, so I would have the opportunity to work again.” 

He framed typecasting not as failure, but as a phase one must work through — pushing to expand, take risks, and demand opportunities beyond the assigned mold. 

Chestnut also touched on growth over time. From roles like Ricky to Lance, he reflected:

“It’s never just about the character, it’s about the growth.” 

His presence on stage was less about star power and more about the work — the continuous craft, the shifting stakes, and the mission behind reinvention.

Making Space: The Mission Beyond the Stage

Across both days, a throughline emerged: making space—for Black creators, for multifaceted identities, for stories not yet told. The lineup gathered actors, musicians, content creators, entrepreneurs, and visionaries — united by the goal of not just participating in culture, but shaping it.

CultureCon’s theme, “Take Space: The New Frontier,” is not mere rhetoric. It’s a call to action: to occupy rooms, to claim equity, to build infrastructure that outlives trends. These conversations weren’t about fleeting inspiration — they were about legacy, equity, and shared uplift.

In those two days, you could see the many faces of creative possibility — from a singer-turned-CEO, to an actress demanding ownership, to an athlete rewriting paradigms, to a veteran actor pushing against industry limits. All of them standing in the same space, exchanging courage, conviction, and a collective vision.

Perhaps the lasting image of CultureCon 2025 is this: a room full of makers, listeners, and believers — all knowing that space is not given; it is taken.