By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Black people have long been at the forefront of shaping culture— whether through music, fashion, food, art or sports— yet they rarely receive credit or requisite economic gains for their contributions. Too often, the culture they create is appropriated or exploited without fair compensation.
Entertainment professionals gathered for a panel conversation at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2025 Annual Legislative Conference on Sept. 24 to explore how ownership and economic power can be used to secure social and financial capital for Black creators.
“Today’s panel is about culture and creativity but it also includes commerce,” said California Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. “We cannot let people separate us from our coins. They want all of our stuff for free and ask us to dig even deeper and deeper to share without the appropriate compensation, value and recognition.”
Actor Kris Lofton, of “Power Book IV: Force,” advised Black artists to take ownership of their careers, rather than rely on others to validate their ideas and talent or provide opportunities.
He said that creators could leverage social media applications and other platforms to push out their own content.
“Stop waiting on people. Nobody’s coming to save you,” said Lofton. “Do it yourself because, especially in my business, you’ll be waiting around for that phone to ring for the rest of your life if you’re just sitting there.”
However, Eni Popoola, a New York-based digital creator, warned that Black creators often face a lack of pay transparency and biased algorithms when sharing their content on social media. She explained that these barriers make it difficult for Black creators to expand their reach and grow their audiences.
She encouraged creators to have more open, candid conversations about their earnings and stressed the importance of building a trusted team that can advocate for appropriate compensation.
“A huge factor that has helped me feel like I’m getting my worth is having really good representation— people who are there seeing the big picture, people who are setting the rates and people who are there to call out if you’re not being given what you really deserve,” said Popoola.
Panelists also emphasized that creating culture does not just have the ability to benefit an individual person—it can also advance entire communities. Jermon Williams, co-founder of Broccoli City Festival, explained that his team has been intentional about collaborating alongside community members and local entrepreneurs since they started the music festival.
He noted that in the last 13 years, Broccoli City has helped Black, small businesses in D.C. generate more than $3 million through its marketplaces and vendor opportunities. The festival has also created WeChipN, a social impact platform that rewards people for engaging in their communities.
Participants earn “chips” by volunteering, supporting local businesses and nonprofits or completing other socially-beneficial activities, which can then be redeemed for tickets to concerts and other entertainment events.
For Williams, all cultural events should be investing in strategies to strengthen and empower Black communities.
“If you look at Black-owned festivals, they have local partnerships set up that continue to push that local economy forward,” said Williams. “I think that is the blueprint— looking beyond the festival and using it as a way to keep pouring into our local communities.”
