From The Virginian Pilot By Stacy Parker
After Pharrell Williams moved his popular Something in the Water festival from Virginia Beach to Washington, he assured fans he wasn’t leaving the region and that he planned to “lean in.”
Now, the celebrity musician and Virginia Beach native is making good on that promise — planning a three-day conference, including a block party aimed at inspiring community conversations.
“Mighty Dream Forum” will be held Nov. 1-3 in Norfolk and will include multiple events, speakers and locations as well as “incredible food and A-list entertainment moments,” according to forum materials shared with The Pilot by the organizers.
The form describes the conference as “a place where matters of business, opportunity, and money will be explored through an intersectional lens in relation to People of Color and equity.”
The conference is part of Williams’ new creative agency launched this week dubbed “Mighty Dream.”
More details will be announced soon, said Sebrina A. Lindsay-Law, community engagement coordinator with Norfolk-based CROP Foundation, which is involved in the Mighty Dream initiative.
“We’re still continuing to develop the meat and potatoes of the plan,” she said.
CROP provides scholarships and internship opportunities for culinary students. The nonprofit, along with local restaurant Commune, served food at Williams’ “Elephant in the Room” forum on diversity and inclusion in business at Norfolk State University last October.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
