The Evolution: From Black Influencer Weekend to Creator Palooza
- Alexis Ryan
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
In 2016, BGD Media launched Black Influencer Weekend as a platform to celebrate and connect multicultural creators who were shaping culture online but overlooked by traditional media and marketing industries. What started as a weekend of connection quickly grew into something bigger, a hub for celebrating influence, building legacy, and creating equity.
In 2025, that evolution became official: Black Influencer Weekend is now Creator Palooza, a weeklong cultural reset for the global creator economy. This rebrand reflects both the growth of the creator movement and the urgent need to build infrastructure that matches its impact.
Why Creator Palooza?
Creators are no longer “talent for hire.” They are:
Economic drivers - fueling trillions in consumer spending from their phones.
Community builders - rallying audiences around culture, identity, and shared values.
Cultural anchors - setting the very trends that brands depend on to reach today’s audiences.
Yet opportunities rarely match that influence. Creator Palooza is where that changes.
Creator Palooza is the destination where creators activate with their communities, and brands amplify the impact.
2025 Theme: Dream Bigger
Every year, Creator Palooza carries a theme that sets the tone for the movement. In 2025, that theme is Dream Bigger.
Why now? Because in a time of economic uncertainty, political shifts, and shrinking opportunities, creators remind us that growth is still possible. Dream Bigger is a call to creators and brands alike:
Expand when the world says shrink.
Invest in culture when others pull back.
Build legacy, not just campaigns.
What to Expect at Creator Palooza Week (Nov 3–9, 2025 | Atlanta, GA)
Over seven days, Atlanta transforms into a global destination where influence, commerce, and culture collide.
Creator Restaurant Week - Presented by Hungry Homegirl x Shinju Whisky, CRW turns Atlanta’s hottest restaurants into cultural stages where food and influence meet.
The Power Room - The first-ever Creator Upfronts, flipping the traditional advertising model by giving creators and their agencies the mic to pitch brands directly.
Spotify x Black Girls Who Write Literary Awards - A creator-powered celebration presented by Spotify, spotlighting Black women storytellers and their impact on culture and media.
The 4th Annual Global Creator Awards - Honoring creators as the anchors of the modern advertising economy and unveiling the first tentpole media property, The Dream Bigger Series.
Why It Matters
At Creator Palooza, creators don’t just show up for brands. They show up for their communities, for their industries, and for the culture they’ve built online and offline. This is not just an event. It’s a cultural reset.
“Black Influencer Weekend was where we started. Creator Palooza is where we’re going,” said LaToya Shambo, Founder & CEO of BGD Media. “Creators don’t just influence culture, they build it. Our role is to make sure they have the infrastructure and recognition to match that power.”
About Creator Palooza
Creator Palooza Week (Nov 3–9, 2025 | Atlanta, GA) is a cultural reset for the global creator economy, produced by BGD Media. Anchored by the 4th Annual BGD Global Creator Awards, the week celebrates the innovation, influence, and impact of today’s top creators.
At Creator Palooza, creators don’t just show up for brands; they show up for their communities through self-powered events, supported by brands. From Black Girls Who Write’s Literary Awards presented by Spotify to Hungry Homegirl’s Creator Restaurant Week sponsored by Shinju Whisky, Palooza creates a direct throughline between creators, their communities, and the brands that believe in them.
About BGD Media
Founded in 2016 as Black Girl Digital, BGD Media is a global creator media and marketing platform dedicated to creating equity in the creator economy. With over 184,000 newsletter subscribers, 130,000 social followers, and a network of multicultural creators driving $1.98 trillion in consumer spending power, BGD Media helps brands authentically reach the audiences shaping culture. Past partners include Walt Disney World, YouTube, African Pride, Snap, Chase for Business, and Shinju Whisky.
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