ESSENCE Girls United and Kensington Grey Host Second Annual Creator Mixer During ESSENCE Festival of Culture
Photo caption: Guests Attend the 2026 ESSENCE Girls United and Kensington Grey Creator Mixer • Photo Courtesy of Sundial Media & Technology Group
ESSENCE Girls United and Kensington Grey hosted their second annual creator mixer during the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, bringing together creators, media professionals and industry leaders for networking and collaboration.
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NEW ORLEANS, July 10, 2026 (FASHION BEAUTY SCENE) – Sundial Media & Technology Group's ESSENCE Girls United and talent agency Kensington Grey hosted their second annual creator mixer during the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, bringing together creators, media professionals and cultural influencers at Common House New Orleans.
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Held on July 4, the event featured creators from industries including beauty, fashion, wellness, entertainment, entrepreneurship and lifestyle, providing opportunities to network, exchange ideas and build professional relationships. Attendees included Alexis Alston, Dr. Joel Bervell, Patti Roberts, Sahar Khorram, Carrie Snipes, Nita Danielle and Donyae Taylor.
The gathering was part of ESSENCE's broader creator-focused programming during the festival, which also included the ESSENCE Creator & Podcast Festival, designed to connect digital creators, podcast hosts, audiences, collaborators and brand partners.
"ESSENCE Girls United is committed to creating spaces where young Black creatives can be in community, build relationships, and feel supported as they navigate a rapidly changing creator economy. Partnering with Kensington Grey during ESSENCE Festival of Culture® weekend gave us the opportunity to do that in a way that felt intentional, celebratory, and grounded in the future of Black storytelling," said Rechelle Dennis, Director of ESSENCE Franchises.
"The mixer has become such an integral part of the creator experience at ESSENCE Festival of Culture®. It's important to us to cultivate intentional spaces where Black creators can come together, be celebrated, and build real connections with one another," said Shannae Ingleton, CEO, Co-Founder, and President of Kensington Grey.
According to the organizers, conversations throughout the event focused on topics including creator sustainability, brand partnerships, entrepreneurship, ownership and building long-term businesses beyond social media platforms.
Sundial Media & Technology Group is a media and technology company whose portfolio includes ESSENCE, Refinery29, AFROPUNK and Beautycon. Kensington Grey is a talent agency specializing in influencer management, brand partnerships and creator strategy.
For more information, visit www.sundialmg.com.
Source: Sundial Media & Technology Group
