Teyana Taylor , BET’s Connie Orlando and more were honored at the eighth annual Culture Creators Innovators & Leaders Awards Brunch on Friday (June 28) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hosted by journalist Gia Peppers , the exclusive fête brought industry icons, influencers and thought leaders together to pay tribute to extraordinary individuals who have left an indelible mark on Black culture across various sectors, including technology, business, sports, fashion, music and more. It also benefitted The Culture Creators Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to bridging the gap between high school and college as well as college to graduation for underrepresented students in industries lacking diversity.
The foundation empowers these students to thrive academically and professionally by providing resources, curriculum supplementation and membership. Funds raised during the brunch will support the 2024 Academic School Year Scholarship Program for the Campus Changemakers, the foundation’s inaugural cohort of students across 35 colleges and universities. Taylor was honored as Innovator of the Year with a celebratory video montage that highlighted her incredible career in entertainment, from choreographing Beyoncé ‘s “Ring the Alarm” music video and signing to Pharrell Williams ‘ Star Trak Entertainment when she was only 16 years old (when the world also watched her epic birthday bash on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 ) to later signing to Ye ‘.