CultureCon is one of the top conferences for creative people of color to attend to meet fellow changemakers. The event, which is presented by the Creative Collective NYC, has attracted some of our favorite entertainers as keynote speakers such as Tracee Ellis Ross, Chloe x Halle, Michael B. Jordan, and many more.
Attendees get to interact with other creatives and engage in panel discussions that cover an array of topics from entrepreneurship to branding. This past weekend, CultureCon took over Atlanta with some big names such as Kat Graham, Stacey Abrams, Kandi Burruss, and Insecure star Jay Ellis.
xoNecole caught up with CultureCon founder Imani Ellis to share her self-care routine, her tradition before every CultureCon, and advice for creatives.
How CultureCon Founder Imani Ellis Prioritizes Self-Care
Imani on Her Self-Care Routine
“My self-care routine [has to include] sleep, at least eight hours. Coffee because we need to make sure we’re awake but also water so we can make sure we’re hydrated. And then for me, I just love to eat and I know that’s not a traditional self-care but I think that you should just have lazy days where you can just eat fried catfish and grits.”
Imani on Her Tradition Before Every CultureCon
“I started this recent tradition where about a month before CultureCon, I will go on vacation for a week just clear my mind, release the stress and really prioritize everything. Then when I come back from that vacation, I hit the ground running executing everything but it just become a moment to look forward to. It’s like the calm before the storm.”
On the Best Advice to Give Creatives During Times of Struggle
“I think to just remember that there’s hills and valleys and the valleys make the hills so much more important because you had to fight and go through something to get there. I think for me whenever I’m having these moments where I cannot see how I’m gonna get through, I remind myself that the only way out is through. You can’t stop in the middle you gotta keep pushing and so the vision pulls you through it.”
CultureCon’s next stops are Los Angeles June 16-18 and New York City October 3-7. Visit their website theccnyc.com for more information.
Featured image by Derek White/Getty Images