How do you “Put your stank on it.”?

Question 1 – How do you “Put your stank on it.”? In other words, what’s your creative mark or style that makes you different from another professional in your line of work? What defines your creative identity? This was posed by moderator, Anjli Patelof 11 creative heavy hitters in the recent digital event, BLACK CANADIAN STYLE: HERE’S THE THING… A discourse on the importance of Black Canadian identities in #fashion, #design, #cultureand #media– presented by MODECANADAROCKS x MELANI Beauty.

The panelists: FASHION Magazine Beauty Director, Natasha Bruno; Judy Inc. Fashion & Beauty Director, Campaign & Editorial, Richard Campbell; photographer and videomaker, Steve Carty; Elle Canada Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa Craft; Creative Director; professor, author and Former Beauty Editor, Chatelaine Magazine, Charmaine Gooden; Delectant Media Inc. CEO & MODECANADAROCKS Founder, Len D. Henry; Supermodel and Lana Ogilvy Skincare Founder, Lana Ogilvie; Entrepreneur, Wealthie Works Daily Inc., Filminute, and Newsrooms Co-Founder, Sabaa Quao; Milan’s Show Division President, Celia Sears; Footwear Designer, Black Designers of Canada Principal, George Sullyand model, Aleece Wilson.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in and voiced enthusiastic support: “so very thoughtful and timely!”, “I admire your guidance, experience, and the passion to share. I learned a lot from this session, and it was truly inspiring”, “so great for me as an ‘outsider’ who is trying to see things from all perspectives to hear so many Black voices at once.”

This is the first of a 4-part series breaking down the 2-hour conversation into themes: Creative Identities; Black Lives Matter; Data Collection & Hiring Practices; and Content Creation – toward the end goal of proposing a way forward.