The girls at the Girls United Summit 2022 showed up and showed out this year in Atlanta! From the slayful looks, insightful words, and full-blown support of one another the infectious energy took over the entire Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center. The Girls United Summit had major sponsors from The Coca-Cola Company®, SheaMoisture, Ford, and American Airlines.
With our OG host, Reginae Carter making her grand comeback to the GU stage, the vibes were at an all-time high. We highlighted and spotlighted the girls who do it all! Starting with our TikTok guru Ayana Taylor getting us hyped through her dance using Rihanna’s hit song “Pon de Replay.” Taylor brought the energy to wake everyone up and get prepared for our educational and transparent panels. There were also workshops like The Reel You: Embracing Authentic Content Creation with Donye Taylor sharing all her tips and tricks to successful content creation and Slay Your Life: Tips & Tricks From Slayology CEO Kaleah Slay in conversation with Girls United co-founder Rechelle Dennis.
In the beginning, we heard amazing conversations from amplifying Black women regarding the importance of reproductive rights and the importance of including more women of color in the aviation industry. During our progressive Mind Over Chattermental health panel moderated by GU Associate editor, D’Shonda Brown spoke with Amber Dee about healing and mental health practices and also conducted breathing exercises during the session where guests could release any anxiety, frustration, or anger.
The theme “Forever The Blueprint” stuck harder this year as we saw the many faces behind the culture, such as Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd, Aoki Lee Simmons, Jessie Woo, and Alycia Pascual-Pena during their ‘I Am The Bar: Cultural Identity, Confidence & Hollywood’ Panel leaving everything on the floor when discussing the importance of representation and owning your culture. We also saw the true friendship between Dess Dior and Jayda Cheaves during the DND: Protecting Your Peace Through Black Girl Friendships panel co-moderated by Nandi Howard and Rechelle Dennis.
For the full recap of the Future Makers Awards Dinner, head to Girls United‘s official website. For a full recap of this year’s Girls United Summit, follow us on Instagram @EssenceGU_ and head to our website, girlsunited.essence.com.
About Kenyatta: Kenyatta Victoria is an entertainment and culture reporter passionate about music, pop culture, and marginalized stories. She has bylines in publications such as Chicago Reader, INSIDER, Girls United, TransLash Media, and the Chicago Tribune.
