WÈ · Feature CultureCon 2026

What We Came For,
What We Left With

New York · October 2026

In the days since CultureCon, much has been said about the event and the experience it promised. These portraits linger with a few of the people who were there: what brought them into the room, what they hoped to find, and what stayed with them afterward.

One question: “What did you come to CultureCon looking for, and what did you leave with?”

DION standing beside the waterfront at CultureCon

DION

Dancer · Model · Event host

“I came for the vibes and left with new connections and confidence that I didn’t have before. If CultureCon only showed me one thing, it would be that these are the rooms I want to be in.”
A close view of DION’s braids and red beads
Sarah D. photographed outside at CultureCon

Sarah

IT support specialist

“I came to surround myself with people of my community to share a common interest in things creative. I left with inspiration and ideas on how and where I could be expanding my career.”
Sarah beside a blue wall, with open space to her left
“I left with inspiration.”
An upper body portrait of Patience in a patterned yellow and green outfit

Patience

Brooklyn based aesthetician

“I left with a plan and more confidence than I had before. Sometimes we’re unsure of the next step, especially as I’m growing my business.”
A full length portrait of Patience in her patterned outfit
Jessica Ballerstein photographed beside the waterfront

TIKA

Founder, WÈ

“I came with an open mind, trusting my intuition about who to connect with. Networking can feel like a lottery, but I don’t think every connection has to prove its purpose right away—some of what I gained is still unfolding.”
Jessica standing beside the waterfront and looking away

What stays

The conversations after CultureCon have brought long waits, organization, and access into question. Those concerns deserve to be heard. People arrived with their time, their money, and hopes for what being there might make possible. Creating a space for Black creativity takes work; listening to the people who fill it is part of that work.

These portraits hold a few experiences within that larger conversation. Patience found more confidence in her next step. Sarah saw possibilities for her career. DION found people she wanted to be around again. Their answers don’t settle the debate, and they don’t need to. They give us something worth staying with: the people who came, what mattered to them, and the possibilities they took home.

Written by Jessica Ballerstein
Photography · TIKA Studios