Brooklyn’s warehouse scene has seen many a transformation, but never quite like this. Just when we thought a warehouse couldn't possibly hold more exposed brick and inexplicably large industrial fans, ENVSN Fest 2025 bursts onto the scene, cramming more ambition and entrepreneurial spirit into 99 Scott than one could shake a vintage Polaroid camera at. Over two days in August, more than 1,700 attendees flooded the space, weaving past brand activations and workshops to shake hands and share hashtags, all while generating 800,000 social media impressions. If that isn't a digital hug, we don’t know what is.
The masterminds behind this Gen Z cultural eruption are Sharifa Murdock and Laura Stylez, who are clearly on a mission to ensure that the pursuit of dreams no longer requires a LinkedIn Premium subscription. Their goal? Empower the ambitious young femmes of color, giving them the tools and confidence to rewrite “success” on their own perfectly blogged terms.
This year's theme, “Digital Girl IRL: Plug In and Power Up,” read like a well-executed pun, but in all seriousness, it tackled the important issue of taking one's meticulously curated online persona and thrusting it into the tangible world. And thrust they did, with a lineup of panels focused on things like “Rich Off Content” and “Stream Queens,” which aren't HBO series but instead discussions about thriving in the digital limelight without the pesky interference of wifi outages.
Hosted by actress Gail Bean and featuring headliners like Mariah The Scientist and Serena Page, the event was a smorgasbord of stars and up-and-comers. Mariah The Scientist, proving she's not just a musical note but also a keynote, shared insights about her evolution, presumably slipping in quantum theories for audience edification. Meanwhile, Serena Page enlightened attendees about authenticity and her burgeoning haircare line – because nothing says sincerity quite like sharing your journey from head to haircare.
The celebration of Black creatives was more than a feature; it was practically an art form. The “Best Dressed Black Creatives” feature was a runway of vibrant style and energy, a montage of sass and class that put the Met Gala to shame, all within the confines of Brooklyn.
Attention was also paid to small businesses with a vendor fair showcasing over 20 entrepreneurial ventures. It was a prime opportunity for attendees to support Black entrepreneurship, while also snagging a statement piece or two for their distinctly curated Instagram aesthetic.
On a more digital plane, the Twitch Unity Meet-Up Guild, among other panels, stressed the importance of online careers for women and femmes of color, underscoring a stark reality: fish may be friends and not food, but laptops can definitely be breadwinners.
ENVSN Fest, in its grandeur, offered a buffet of mentorship and networking opportunities. Where else could one rub shoulders with industry luminaries while simultaneously evaluating the latest in eco-friendly fashion? Health & Wellness, Financial Education, Fashion & Beauty, Creativity & Multimedia, and Career & Entrepreneurship were the buzzwords, perfectly packaged to equip attendees with the life skills necessary not just for surviving, but thriving—preferably in a sustainably designed jumpsuit.
Backed by partners such as Rare Beauty, Twitch, and ESSENCE, the event made accessibility a pillar, offering free access opportunities through social media giveaways. Nothing screams inclusivity like a chance to win a ticket with the effort of an Instagram like.
Since its inception in 2017, ENVSN Fest has blossomed into a pivotal platform, not just for attendees to mingle over branded skim lattes, but for establishing itself as the ultimate incubator of dreams. A love letter to the young women of color rewriting the narrative, the fest was hailed by ESSENCE’s Girls United as a Gen Z phenomenon—a summer’s must-attend event, right alongside the queue for the hottest pop-up ice cream museum.
In conclusion, ENVSN Fest 2025 wasn't just another event—it was an affair, a revolution. As the brick walls echoed with laughter and the footsteps of the future, Brooklyn found itself in the throes of a cultural explosion, one digital impression at a time.
