HBCU Summit Sets Its In-Person Microfestival At Howard University; Charles D. King And Ryan Coogler To Appear

EXCLUSIVE: The fourth annual Macro HBCU Summit is underway Tuesday in-person again this year at Howard University in Washington, DC. The microfestival is hosting panels, food trucks, giveaways and a film screening.

The inaugural summit debuted at Howard in 2019 with the mission to engage and educate students on careers, opportunities and paths in the media and entertainment fields.

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Confirmed to appear this year are Naturi Naughton, Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler, M88 partner/talent manager Oronde Garrett, UTA talent agent Yasmine Pearl, journalist/TV host Gia Peppers, managing director and Chase Sapphire GM Marleta Ross and Macro founder and CEO Charles D. King, along with a virtual appearance by director Ryan Coogler.

The event is open to students and alumni from Howard University.  All attendees must register to attend here.

This year Chase Sapphire will be joining MACRO to support and uplift the microfestival.  SheaMoisture returns as a sponsor of The MACRO HBCU Summit, continuing the brand’s commitment to celebrating culture, championing Black businesses and advocating for justice. Beats, LiveNation and Amazon Studios will also sponsor the event that will close with a screening of the upcoming psychological horror film Nanny from writer/director Nikyatu Jusu.

Below is the full listing of the schedule of events for the day (all times ET):

11 a.m.
Doors open. Music by Howard University alum DJ Kidd Fresh.

Noon
The Playbook: What I Wish I Knew Before Getting Into Hollywood.

This panel will educate attendees on the strategies, skills and the mindset needed to get a foot in the door and will get advice on what to do and what not to do when building a personal network, how to make a great impression and learn the skills necessary to survive and thrive in media and entertainment will all be discussed.

Moderator: Gia Peppers, Journalist and TV Host
Panelists: Oronde Garrett, Partner/talent Manager, M88
Yasmine Pearl, Motion Picture Agent, UTA

1 p.m.
Redefining Storytelling: A Conversation with Academy Award winning Production Designer Hannah Beachler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Moderated by: Academy Award nominated Producer Charles D. King, Judas And The Black Messiah. Virtual Greeting by Director Ryan Coogler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

This intimate discussion introduced by director Ryan Coogler focuses on utilizing skills that are often undervalued and/or overlooked and turning them into incredible careers.  Hannah Beachler will discuss redefining what it means to be a storyteller in this business, creating her own lane and manifesting dreams by activating her unique skills, gifts and interests.  Beachler is a prolific production designer best known for her iconic work on Beyonce’s stunning visuals for Lemonade, On The Run II and The Gift as well as making history as the first ever African American to be nominated for and win an Oscar for her work on Marvel’s Black Panther directed by Ryan Coogler. She previously collaborated with Coogler on Creed as well as the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury winner Fruitvale Station.  Beachler has also collaborated with director Barry Jenkins as the production designer on the Best Picture Oscar-winning film Moonlight.

2 p.m.
Fireside Chat: A Macro Conversation featuring Managing Director & Chase Sapphire General Manager Marleta Ross and actress/director/producer Naturi Naughton. 

Moderated by: Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer, MACRO.  

Attendees will hear from  two women who have made it their business to break boundaries and defy expectations.  The audience will gain knowledge on the elements, mindset and the vision it took to build their incredible careers.

3 p.m.
Beats Black Creators: A Conversation on Black Futurism. 
Moderated by: Astor Chambers, Lead, Global Influence and Social Actions, Beats.

Attendees will learn firsthand about Black Futurism—what it is and what it looks like and hear from current Howard University students from the Beats Black Creators Cohort 2022 on how this storytelling project challenged them to build that world and take us there.

3:30pm
We See You: Creating Opportunities for HBCU Students.  Powered by SheaMoisture.

This panel will feature the debut of “Watch Them Work,” the digital docuseries featuring two HBCU student-entrepreneurs.  Executives from SheaMoisture will discuss how they find and amplify talent where they are and how they create lanes and opportunities for young storytellers and creatives.

Moderator: Gisselle Ruiz, Vice President, People & Culture, MACRO
Panelists: Moussa Bathily, Head of Experiential Marketing, Sundial Brands
Rachel Motley, Multi-Disciplinary Artist, Howard University, Class of 2022
Darris Rushing, Celebrity Stylist, Clark Atlanta University, Class of 2022

4 p.m.
Food Trucks, Music, Gifting and Styling by SheaMoisture

7 p.m.
Film Screening: Howard Entertainment Program presents Nikyatu Jusu’s award-winning Nanny.  Powered by Amazon Studios. 

In this psychological horror fable of displacement written and directed by Nikyatu Jusu, Aisha (Anna Diop), a woman who recently emigrated from Senegal, is hired to care for the daughter of an affluent couple (Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Spector) living in New York City. Haunted by the absence of the young son she left behind, Aisha hopes her new job will afford her the chance to bring him to the U.S., but becomes increasingly unsettled by the family’s volatile home life. As his arrival approaches, a violent presence begins to invade both her dreams and her reality, threatening the American dream she is painstakingly piecing together. The film will be released globally in more than 240 countries and territories on Prime Video on December 16, 2022.

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