Black Art and Creativity is the seed from which the entire world has grown. From the intellect and ingenuity that constructed the pyramids to the swagger and acumen that inspired the latest internet sensation; our ideas transform the globe! In support of the advancement and transformation that have come as a result of Black ideation, we celebrate Black creatives raising the bar!
6:00PM DOORS OPEN
Make an entrance! Enjoy a welcoming reception featuring specialty cocktails commemorating Black Creativity.
7:00PM EVENT BEGINS
Learn from the successes of Black entrepreneurs in various industries as our honorees receive their awards and share their remarks on their journey as a creative!
Most recently named one of the ‘One Hundred Greatest Business Minds’, Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy is the definition of a mogul. Starting his career as the director of A&R at Uptown Records, he was integral in launching the careers of Mary J. Blige and Jodeci, and later founded his own label, Bad Boy Records, which has fostered talent that includes Mariah Carey, Method Man, Boyz II Men, Lil’ Kim and more. Combs’ solo music career began in 1997 with his first single, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, quickly followed by a No. 1 debut album that has gone Platinum seven times.
Vy Higginsen, noted author, playwright, radio and TV personality, has garnered an excellent reputation and won many awards for providing excellent products and services to African-American audiences. After a decade of being behind the microphone and on major New York stations (WBLS-FM, WWRL-AM, WRKS-FM), Vy published and edited Unique NY, a lifestyles magazine designed for African-Americans and tourists. Vy continues to write and produce original work as the executive director of the Emmy Award-winning Mama Foundation for the Arts in Harlem, New York.
As Chief Marketing Officer of AQUAhydrate, Ericka Pittman spearheads and oversees the company’s marketing and sales functions, while also developing and implementing the marketing strategy to meet revenue and profit goals. She brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to the organization, having produced successful strategic, brand building campaigns for some of the country’s largest media and consumer brands. Prior to joining AQUAhydrate, Ericka was the Vice President of the Chairman¹s Office at Combs Enterprises, where she was responsible for developing and streamlining business process and communication across all executive divisions.
Karen Hunter is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, professor, publisher and one of the “100 Heavy Hitters in Talk Radio,” according to Talkers Mag. She is co-author of eight New York Times bestsellers and publisher (under her eponymous imprint at Simon & Schuster) of bestsellers with Janet Jackson, Kris Jenner and E. Lynn Harris.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Williams is recognized as one of New York’s highly respected choreographers and dance training principals. Performing abroad and throughout the United States, Ms. Williams was a principal dancer with Dancer Theatre of Harlem's Ensemble, Gallman's Dance Theatre, Nanette Bearden's Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Ballet Long Island. Her most rewarding performance to date, however, is fulfilling the dreams of young people everyday at the Uptown Dance Academy which she founded in May 1996.
On the red carpet of the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, Issa Rae, creator, writer and star of HBO's hit show Insecure proudly proclaimed that she was rooting for everybody Black! While mainstream America went into frenzy, we saw Rae giving voice to a mantra we have known our whole lives. For centuries, we have seen the products of Black creativity undervalued and over-looked. Like many others before her, she used her platform to center the work of Black talent in white-dominated industries that deserve to be recognized by the world. So whether you're #PaintingWhileBlack, #DrawingWhileBlack or even #DirectingWhileBlack, your outstanding work is fighting to change the culture and we're rooting for you!
Since its founding in 1980, the Harlem Business Alliance (HBA) has been a force of advocacy for the development and empowerment of Harlem’s small business community. We believe local businesses create better communities and through our work, we strive to inspire new ways of thinking about what’s possible for our entrepreneurs.