Statement from Women for the Culture on Create & Cultivate’s Exclusion of Black Media

Founded by Nikki Branch, Women for the Culture exists to celebrate, amplify, and advocate for women of color shaping the world. We’ve told the stories mainstream outlets overlook, spotlighted pioneers before they went viral, and built a loyal, vibrant audience who knows our work reflects their worth.

We are more than a media company. We are a movement and a trusted voice for thousands of women who turn to us for visibility, authenticity, and community.

This past week, we sought to attend and cover a high-profile festival claiming to be “first-of-its-kind” in celebrating culture, connection, and creativity, specifically geared toward Women in Business. We were excited: as media, as advocates, and as supporters of the talent involved.

But instead of access, we were met with silence.

Despite initiating communication early, following up multiple times, and having a proven record of responsible, high-quality media coverage, our platform (one created by and for Black women) was ignored. As a professional in this space, I was not only dismissed but placated.

We want to be transparent about our recent experience applying for media credentials to cover the 2025 Create & Cultivate Festival, a space that claims to celebrate women, including Black women, in business, culture, and creativity... keep in mind the festival also boasts as also being for the "ambitious woman," who may be in the thought-or-early phases of entrepreneurship.

As a platform built by and for Black women entrepreneurs, creatives, and business leaders, Women for the Culture fits squarely within the mission of this festival. We are businesswomen. Leaders. Women committed to leveling up... not just for ourselves, but for the communities we serve.

Our team applied months ago (April 2025 to be exact), followed every step of their credentialing process with professionalism and patience, sending multiple respectful follow-ups over the course of three months. Despite our consistent outreach, we were met with silence and no definitive response.

Only recently did we speak with a representative from LaRue PR, the agency handling media relations for the festival, who was unable to provide clarity on the credentialing criteria or offer firm answers regarding their record keeping ur access. We learned that our original contact had "left" the agency months earlier, but no one had taken responsibility for managing our request in their absence... no bounce-back email, no autoresponder, no indication that the contact was no longer available. This lack of communication and accountability left us in limbo, excluded from an event that centers on inclusion.

It became clear that our professional persistence was met not with respect, but with vague promises and placating offers of tickets rather than legitimate media credentials, an offer that only came after our public comment on the festival’s Instagram page. This is not media access. This is a dismissal of the work we do and the audiences we serve.

It’s important to note that this statement is not being issued in isolation or out of emotion. While I have been in this business since 2010, I make this statement with the support of my team who are all professionals in their own right. While my voice represents them, they each have a say in what they want to see changed as well.

Our Senior Writer and Correspondent Natasha Parker was the first to raise the idea that Black keynote talent should ensure Black media platforms are confirmed before signing contracts. THAT is a solution.

Our reach and influence matter, not just to us but to the broader cultural landscape. Black media is not a luxury or an afterthought; it is essential to ensuring that narratives are truthful, nuanced, and representative.

We call on headliners, keynote speakers and panelists like Ciara, Jordan Chiles, Normani, Ayesha Curry, Jhene Aiko, and Lydia Asrat, among others to speak up on this issue. If you demand to share your stories on these stages, demand access for the media platforms that are dedicated to bringing your stories and messaging to the very communities who need the access to the tradesecrets, tips and resources the most. If you demand representation at this level, equity is actually possible. Advocate for equitable, representative press... the kind that actually reflects the communities you serve.

Sponsors like Chase, who have invested financially in this festival and the destination, need to answer:

• Where do your values truly lie?

• Are you aware of how media exclusion undermines the very diversity and equity you claim to support?

We expect a response.

We have not yet heard from the founder of Create & Cultivate regarding this matter. Blaming the PR agency alone is insufficient. If there is a problem with media credentialing and access, leadership must take responsibility and consider partnering with an unbiased, equity-centered PR firm (such as MontagePR) who understands that true inclusion means more than celebrity headliners.

LaRue PR can begin rectifying this by working in partnership with Women for the Culture and festival sponsors to host meaningful conversations on race, media access, and inclusion and by convening an event within the next 30-to-60 days in partnership with our platform for Black influencers and creatives. This partnership would demonstrate a genuine commitment to rebuilding trust and creating real opportunities for Black media and entrepreneurs. We have a lineup of speakers at the ready.

We anticipate that the usual defense will be: “We offered the possibility of tickets, a standby depending capacity to make it right.” But tickets are not media credentials. Access is not charity. A "possibility" of entry presented as a "favor" was gaslighting at its finest; erasure disguised as generosity. This misses the point entirely.

We are not just looking for reentry into spaces that erased us. We are creating the spaces. And we demand recognition.

Courtney Arlesia, Licensed Mental Health Professional, Correspondent and Writer for Women for the Culture, says:

It was a dismissive response just to offer us the possibility of tickets to attend this event, especially after months of outreach and professional engagement. Our desire is more than just to be present. We want to participate meaningfully and to tell the stories, amplify the impact, the culture, and the presence of Black women who are often silenced or sidelined even when centered.

Black women deserve to know that we have access to these types of resources, opportunities, and platforms. And it feels like we are being intentionally kept out, then pacified because of our disappointment in the way we are being treated. So it’s okay to have women who look like us on your stage, but let’s not do too much press about those women because we don’t want to let those who look like them in?

We are storytellers, and we have every right to tell and amplify our stories. To gatekeep access from platforms like ours, ones built specifically to uplift Black women and our culture, is to betray the very inclusion you claim to champion.

This wasn’t just a mishap or an isolated misstep.

Let this statement serve as a call for clear standards, ethical leadership, and operational accountability. The performative inclusion with systemic harm must end. We know the systemic exclusion will likely go unacknowledged and we’re prepared for that. We’re also prepared to create our own... For the Culture.