Imani Ellis

Founder, CultureCon / The Creative Collective NYC

Orlando

Imani Ellis is the founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC, a community and creative agency dedicated to facilitating brave spaces for multicultural creatives. Born in Imani’s one-bedroom apartment as a means to foster meaningful connection, TheCCnyc has since parlayed into the fastest growing community devoted to creatives of color in NYC who are looking to cultivate relationships that go beyond the business card.

TheCCnyc's marquee event is CultureCon, one of the fastest-growing conferences dedicated to creatives of color. Past speakers include Tracee Ellis Ross, Will Smith, Regina King, Lena Waithe, Spike Lee, John Legend, Nick Cannon, and more. CultureCon is the first of its kind ideas conference that caters to all aspects of creative and young professional life. From workshops on building generational wealth to keynotes with incredible cultural icons, CultureCon feels like a creative homecoming.

In addition to community events, The Creative Collective also works as an impactful creative agency, ideating creative strategies that resonate with multicultural creatives and young professionals and bridging the gap between brands and multicultural creatives.

Imani also a Communications Director at NBCUniversal and is inherently an athlete. Prior to moving to New York City, she danced ballet for 14 years and was the first African-American to star as Clara in the Nutcracker in the Atlanta Ballet’s 75-year history. She also maintains the 300 hurdles record at the largest high-school in the state of Georgia. Imani graduated from Vanderbilt University with a major in communications and a double minor in German and Film. She currently resides in Harlem.