BLASTFEST

The first Culture & Tech of 2025 was an experience! From powerful discussions to real connections, we’re setting the tone for the year. A big thank you to our amazing partners: Amazon BEN, Alaska Airlines, BECU, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Verizon & The Collective Seattle. ?? Stay tuned—this is just the beginning! ??: devin wilson

Imagine a space where tech, culture, and creativity collide—where the future of AI, music, and digital trends aren’t just talked about, but experienced. That’s?Culture & Tech, and you’re officially invited. This event will explore utilizing Al to grow your business through a panel discussion & networking mixer on February 20, 2025 in Seattle, Washington! RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gVbPQ2KQ

BLASTFLOW continues to help promote mental health and wellness in the Seattle community alongside our partners at?lululemon. Thank you to our friends over at?The Lemon Perfect Company?for keeping us hydrated during yoga led by?Jasmine RaShae'.

I had a great time at Blastfest last Thursday connecting with fellow tech professionals in the Seattle area! If you're in the Seattle tech scene and looking to expand your network, leave a comment below! One of the event's highlights for me was the panel discussion on AI. The panelists offered a refreshingly positive outlook, focusing on the potential of AI to empower and transform our communities. They discussed the importance of responsible development, acknowledging potential risks while emphasizing the immense benefits AI can bring. The panelists also stressed the importance of AI literacy, not just for technical professionals. Everyone, regardless of background, can play a role in shaping the responsible development and use of AI. From user research conducted by marketing teams to the design of new products informed by research, every field contributes to the impact of AI on consumers. For those interested in exploring AI further, here are some resources mentioned during the discussion: invideoAI: Where users can create AI-powered videos using just text prompts! theresanaiforthat.com: Users can look at a huge library of AI solutions across various industries. Thanks again to Bobby Akinboro for hosting this event and to Angelina Howard Anthony Kerr, Chelsea Ghant,René Peters Jr. for sharing their knowledge! ?? - (@kodjo.jpg) x BLASTFEST

It was an amazing night discussing Artificial Intelligence and its impact on our community. We are introducing a new arm to the festival called "Culture & Tech" where we will be bringing topics that are relevant and are at the intersection of Culture & Technology. Thank you again to our partners?Amazon's Black Employee Network,?Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and the Collective Seattle??? Make sure you're following to get all updates!

Last month I had the pleasure to moderate the inaugural BLASTFEST “Culture & Tech” panel sponsored by Amazon’s Black Employee Network, discussing the impact of #artificialintelligence (AI) on the Black community. I structured the discussion to touch on the benefits and challenges that AI has on the community, ways to take advantage of the rapid growth of AI financially, and the importance of the Black community being active participants in this growth. There is a lack of trust in the Black community when it comes to #AI, as well as misinformation. It’s imperative for us to have discussions on the challenges and risk with emerging technologies, as well as the benefits. Being active participants does not just mean working in these fields, it means using the technology to inform how it should be utilized in our communities, as well as financially benefiting from them. I really enjoyed moderating this discussion and being able to tie tech back to the culture; these are the things that make my heart happy. Thank you Bobby Akinboro, founder of BLASTFEST, for inviting me to lead this discussion and your continued commitment to the community, and the amazing panelist, Chelsea Ghant, René Peters Jr., and Anthony Kerr for sharing your insights.

This past Thursday, I had the pleasure of sitting on the inaugural “Culture and Tech” panel, representing Amazon to discuss the impacts of AI on the Black community. I threaded together AI and Finance, sharing my investment insights and perspective on what the future holds for us. It was a sold out event and the audience response was incredible! Thank you, Angelina Howard for asking me to be part of such an inspiring night. Thank you, Bobby Akinboro, for leading and creating such an amazing space and experience for us to learn and connect. Looking forward to more events like this! #BLASTFEST #AI #TechPanel #AIImpact #FutureOfFinance #AmazonTech #Quantum #InspiringNight #TechCommunity #SeattleTech #MoPOP

Enjoy your summer & get your?#BLASTFEST?tickets today! ?? Let’s go to the moon. https://lnkd.in/gmdjBJPP

?? THIS IS NOT A DRILL! ?? Grab your tickets to see Ayra Starr at #BLASTFEST like right now, right now! https://lnkd.in/gmdjBJPP

Yesterday evening, I had the opportunity to attend the BLASTFEST Culture & Tech mixer and AI panel discussion at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle! I can’t even explain to you how refreshing, and liberating it was to just be in the building! The room was filled with dozens of young African-American tech professionals and I got to meet some amazing people! African-Americans definitely have a seat at the table and an opportunity to benefit from generative AI, and machine learning, through daily utilization (personal and business), development, and financial investment, that can positively change the course of our families legacy if we make the right decisions now. The three panelists, represented NVIDIA , Amazon , and Microsoft and gave great insight on all of the capabilities of AI as well as how important it is for our community to be beneficiaries of this next generation of technology. They made a comparison to the .com boom of the late 90s and urged us to educate ourselves on how to use and invest in this new technology, as well as discussed many of the different ways that our community can and should benefit even if we are not technology professionals. It’s so refreshing to see African-American excellence in this field. It’s truly privilege to be here in Seattle in essentially one of the most vital tech hubs of the USA. I look forward to connecting with more organizations like this in the Seattle area! Food for thought: When the world is majorly changed and consumed by this technology in the next 10 and 20 years, what side of the fence will you be on? When millionaires and billionaires are made off of the proper utilization of this technology, will you be in the number?