NORFOLK, Va. — Cousinz Festival is bringing back CousinzCon for 2026, which is set to feature panel discussions on issues ranging from health in the Black community to financial literacy.
The second-annual CousinzCon will be held at the Historic Attucks Theatre on Sept. 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public — click here to register for attendance.
The following day, Cousinz Festival will return to the Norfolk Scope. Rapper T.I., R&B singer Keyshia Cole and producer The-Dream are among the performers slated for the event.
“Last year, CousinzCon amplified social justice and civic engagement. This year we’re broadening our conversations, topics that directly affect our Cousinz community daily. We not only want panelists to have the conversations and attendees listen in, but we also want everyone to walk away with actionable ways to stay engaged in their communities – that’s what Cousinz has always been: community,” said Pusha T, co-founder of Cousinz Festival.
CousinzCon lineup
- 2 p.m. — The Power of Loose Change – Scaling Your Mindset to Line Your Pockets
- Panelists: Executive Vice President of TowneBank Yvonne Toms Allmond, CEO and What's Your Revolution host Dr. Charles Corprew, CEO/insurance and financial executive Jeff Granger, and CEO and founder of ARDX Dr. Angela Reddix. This panel will be moderated by local journalist Kiahnna Patterson.
- 3 p.m. — A Plate to Go? – The State of Health, Wellness, and Food In The Black Community
- Panelists: PA-C, DSL Dr. Keshia Brown, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services Marvin Figueroa, TedX speaker, social content manager at Black Men Heal Justin Little, and Chief of Cardiology for Ben Secours Mercy Health Dr. Keith Newby. This panel will be moderated by Dr. Kristie Norwood, a clinical psychologist and the founder of ReMIND U.
- 4 p.m. — Empower To Engage – Breaking Down Our Systems To Uplift Our Communities
- Panelists: Former Norfolk City Councilwoman and Wealth Consultant, First Genesis of Virginia LLC Danica J. Royster, community advocate and digital strategist Brenten Sims, and founder of Between the Lines Lamont "Tory" Stapleton. This panel will be moderated by the Honorable Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, a cabinet official in the Spanberger administration.
- 5 p.m. — Defying The Diploma – Redefining Success + Creating Opportunities That Transcend The Classroom
- Panelists: Educator/author/activist Dr. Wes Bellamy, fashion designer and creative consultant Tina Brehon, Co-CEO of Big Picture Learning Carlos Moreno, and founder and CEO of Prevail Group Reginald Prevail. This panel will be moderated by TV personality and producer Stephanie L. Sutton.
- 6 p.m. — Resilience + Reward – Behind The Spotlight of Showbiz
- Panelists: Emmy Award-winning actress, vocalist and TV host Patrice Covington. Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Bryan-Michael Cox, co-founder of Cousinz Festival and CEO of Global Music Touring Antonio Dowe, rapper/Co-Founder of Cousinz Festival and Global Music Touring Nathaniel 'FAM-LAY' Johnson, and CEO of 3 Diamonds Entertainment Phil Thornton. This panel will be moderated by national radio and media personality Dominique Da Diva.
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