Guests in search of their next gig, inspo as they pursue entrepreneurial ventures, and networking opportunities with stylish Black women were in for a treat at EveryStylishGirl’s 11th Sip N’ Slay event. Held in Accra, Ghana, Sip N’ Slay was one of the few events last December that provided a space for collaboration among empowered diasporan women.
The afternoon celebration of Black women in fashion and beauty, which included giveaways and an informative panel discussion, brought together celebrated diasporan creatives, like Dani Kwateng of Teen Vogue, Afua Osei of SheLeadsAfrica, and stylist Alexander-Julian Gibbson.
Nana Agyemang, the CEO and founder of EveryStylishGirl, was thrilled to bring an event she’s held for four years now to her homeland. “As a Ghanaian-American woman, it is incredibly important to me to build community and support the place that has given me so much,” she said. “With this conference, we were about to connect creatives globally in Ghana to share resources, experiences, strategies, and ways to build lucrative brands in Ghana and beyond. We were joined by an incredible lineup of speakers, Black-owned brands, and top talent in the industry to share their stories, expertise and inspire us all.”
Back in 2019, Agyemang traveled to Ghana as part of the country’s Year of The Return initiative, a celebration of encouragement for members of the African Diaspora to return home to Ghana. That trip was a catalyst in her decision to bring Sip N’ Slay to the West African nation. “[That trip] only reinforced my commitment to the incredibly inspiring community of creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists that live and come from there,” she said.
There were women and men from London to Brooklyn to Washington D.C. in attendance, all in hopes of learning ways they could build their brands and elevate their businesses.
Sip N’ Slay’s MC, Entertainment Journalist Moe Diggs, recalls being in a room full of stylish girl bosses. “My favorite part of Sip N’ Slay was the panelists’ transparency,” she said. “It’s not often that you go to events, especially events in this industry – and get full transparency. I feel like they were all open books.”
And, open books, they were!
Afua Osei, one of the panelists, kept hands snapping, clapping, and heads nodding. “I think the beauty of Sip N’ Slay Ghana is community, and I think we’ve been missing that for such a long time,” she said. Osei spoke about the importance of believing in your brand and being a self-starter, which she has demonstrated with her company, SheLeadsAfrica. She’s attended a past Sip N’ Slay event in Washington D.C., and said nothing could compare to the energy she felt in the space in Ghana.
Nicole Crentsil, Founder of BlackGirlFest, is one of the many guests who are also using their platform to empower women. “To see a mixture of people who’ve come from around the world, and people who are based in Accra come together to talk about fashion and media and the importance it plays on our lives is really powerful,” she said. “As someone who comes from the UK, talking about Europe’s influence, fashion, and beauty is always really exciting – but to be able to have those intersectional conversations with women from America and from the continent is also really exciting.”
Agyemang is thrilled that guests who arrived alone left with new business partners and an expanded network.
“[The power of networking] impacted me the most because of course, I want people to leave our event feeling intellectually stimulated from the panels but I also want them to feel empowered,” Agyemang said. “I believe that when you meet new people and they affirm your business goals and ideas you leave feeling ready to take on any venture ahead.”
The next Sip N’ Slay event will focus on building a successful online business and will be held in its inaugural location of NYC this summer. Tickets will be on sale in the coming months.
Ahead, check out some of the high-octane moments from 2021’s celebration.
All vibrant images are courtesy of Adu Afriyie Faith @roycegallery.
