Panelist
speaker
Moderator
conference Team

Barkue Tubman Zawolo

Chief of Staff & Diasporic Engagement, ESSENCE Ventures
Barkue Tubman Zawolo

Barkue Tubman Zawolo is a serial entrepreneur and entertainment executive focused on bridging the gap between sub-saharan Africa and the United States. Now in her current role, she serves as the Chief of Staff, Diasporic Engagement and Talent Relations at Essence Ventures, a portfolio of brands that aims to activate a boundary-less and frictionless global Black economic ecosystem.  Acknowledged by Fast Company as a “Brands That Matter” 2023  Honoree, Essence Ventures brands include ESSENCE, the number one  media, technology and commerce company dedicated to Black women and communities; Afropunk, the multi-medium platform that uplifts and unleashes Black expression and individuality now  and in the future; Beautycon™, the experiential and content focused platform that aims to transcend the aesthetic of  attraction and enable an individualized empowered existence and experience on what beauty is; and Essence Studios, a production studio and original content hub focused on authentic Black storytelling, story-making, story-sharing, and story-doing. 

 

Between 1997 and 2007, Barkue built a very successful career in the male dominated U.S. music industry,  including the management, and working on the management teams of some of the most successful international artists of the 1990’s and 2000’s including Outkast, Usher, NEXT, Donell Jones – to name a few. An entrepreneur to the core, Barkue is also the founder and owner of Peace Cafe, an Incubator, Accelerator,  Co-working space and cafe providing an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, professionals and creatives to eat, work, meet and grow in Liberia. She proudly serves on the Board of The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Center for the development or women and Girls and is currently in production of the Documentary “Ma Ellen” which tells the much-needed story of women in leadership, legacy building and the woman that is Liberia’s Iron Lady. Barkue is a wife, a proud mom of triplets Piper, Skylar & Karton; who loves traveling, exploring,  learning and promoting the African Continent and linking the world to all its greatness. As the granddaughter of the late President Williams V.S Tubman of Liberia, she firmly believes legacy building is very important to one’s choices in their journey.  

Agenda

More Info
Breakout 3
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Saturday
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3:45 pm
Aldrich 111
Culture
Leveraging the Diaspora: Mobilizing African Cultural Movements on the Global Stage
Exploring the intricate dynamics and economic considerations involved in bringing large African cultural movements to the global stage
More Info

Leveraging the Diaspora: Mobilizing African Cultural Movements on the Global Stage

The panel will explore the intricate dynamics and economic considerations involved in bringing large African cultural movements to the global stage. The panelists will shed light on the impacts of these movements, including notable events like AfroNation, Afrofuture, AfriconLA, Afropunk, Afrotech, and more, with a particular focus on their influence on diaspora relations. We will delve into the impact on remittances, travel and tourism, investment, and cross-cultural exchange, and seek to understand how these movements are reshaping connections between the African diaspora and the continent. Additionally, we will discuss strategies to harness the momentum generated by these cultural phenomena for the purpose of fostering long-term engagement and investment in Africa. The panel will provide valuable insights into the intricate economic and cultural web woven by these movements and their potential to shape the future of diaspora relations with Africa.

America/New_York
Feb 17, 2024 3:45 PM
Aldrich 111