When the Girls United Summit began in 2020, it created a foundation of essential conversations, fellowship, and an overall good time. Fast forward two years later, and that foundation has grown stronger and stronger right into a movement. On November 5, 2022, at 10 a.m. EST, Atlanta is the place to be for an immersive experience that young people can sit up for every yr. 

This yr the GU Summit is here to remind Black women that they’re living proof of being #ForeverTheBlueprint. Each workshop is strategically designed to remind us that we’ve all the time laid the blueprint from politics and mental health to content creation and sweetness. 

Now we have so many guests stopping by to drop gems and connect with others that could lead on to lifelong bonds and relationships. Our panels include boss babes resembling our host, Reginae Carter, Jessie Woo, Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd, and Aoki Lee Simmons, and music by DJ Ohso! 

Not only is the registration free, but you get so far more than a straightforward panel discussion. It includes significant conversations through workshops like Slay Your Life: Suggestions and Tricks, where beauty influencer LaToya Perpetually will host a Q&A with Kaleah Slay before a masterclass about all things beauty, The Reel You: Embracing Authentic Content Creation will dive into what it takes to organically grow your brand with the content queen herself Donye Taylor, and I Am The Bar: Cultural Identity, Confidence & Hollywood opens the ground for discussion about embracing your culture within the entertainment industry. 

Some activations assist you to experience recent things and do things you would possibly never do in your on a regular basis life, resembling the gaming activation delivered to you by Cxmmunity, and providing an area for those to release their inner gamer and possibly enter a community where Black people aren’t heavily represented.  “Our purpose is all the time to encourage and support the incoming generations of Black creatives and forward thinkers who define culture and whose impact is important to global culture,” Rechelle Dennis, Co-Creator of ESSENCE Girls United.

Speaking of representation, what higher place where we will see ourselves than Atlanta, where Black business owners, creatives, and mental health advocates can flourish and connect? There can be 13 Black-owned businesses to support and bask in in the course of the summit, including Slutty Vegan, Cereal & Cream, Yellowmat Wellness, and Full Bloom By Lauren.

The GU Summit 2022 is all about coming together and giving one another the space to talk freely and vulnerably about things we, as Black Gen Z’ers, have experienced during the last two years regarding mental health, stress, representation and more. “This summit solidifies how impactful directly connecting with Gen-Z can influence our future thought-starters and leaders,” said Nandi Howard, Content Director of ESSENCE and ESSENCE GU. There’s nothing higher than connecting and bridging the gap; beauty is our major outlet. Our Beauty Supply Store has all the pieces from a nail bar, hair touch-ups, and one-on-one time with beauty and fashion influencers to drop gems and connect. 

Everybody deserves to receive their flowers while they’re here, which is why we’re holding our invite-only Future Makes Awards Dinner hosted by multihyphenate Coco Jones which is able to honor Trinitee Stokes (Education), Chelsea Miller (Activism), Olamide Olowe (Entrepreneurship), and Jayda Cheaves (Content Creation). 

You would like to attend a stellar event with so many great women representing their fields and being an inspiration to the following generation. The Summit may also stream live to tell the tale ESSENCE Studios. For more information and to RSVP through our free registration, visit https://girlsunited.essence.com/gusummit2022/.