Black Wall Street Nation is preparing to launch a new economic and cultural initiative in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District, bringing together entrepreneurship, film, music, beauty and athletics with a broader goal of creating long-term pathways to business ownership and creative careers.
The inaugural Black Wall Street Nation Experience is scheduled for September 25–27, 2026. The three-day program will include industry summits, performances, professional development programs and networking opportunities designed to connect participants with training, credentials, mentors and industry relationships.
Co-founded by media entrepreneur Marc Benjamin and Tulsa public educator and community builder Lincoln Cochran, with Emma Willis serving as co-executive producer, Black Wall Street Nation, or BWSN, is positioning the event as the starting point for a longer-term economic development initiative rooted in Greenwood.
Greenwood’s Business Legacy Shapes New Economic Initiative
Greenwood became nationally recognized for its concentration of Black-owned businesses, financial institutions and homes, establishing an enduring legacy of entrepreneurship and community investment. BWSN organizers say they want to draw on that history while developing practical opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs and creative professionals.
“Memory without mechanism is insufficient” says Lincoln Cochran. “Greenwood was built by people who didn’t wait for permission. By embedding real industry credentials, access and opportunity directly into communities, Black Wall Street Nation turns historic precedent into living pathways – creating the conditions for audacious, self-sustaining economic growth.”
Benjamin said his experience in media and his connection with Greenwood helped shape the initiative’s direction.
“I’ve spent years thinking about the power of media and culture to shape how people see themselves, each other and what’s possible. Coming to Greenwood and getting to know Lincoln deepened that thinking. What drew me here wasn’t simply what had been destroyed. It was what had been built — and what still lives here in the entrepreneurial spirit of this community.” says Marc Benjamin.
Film Summit Targets Oklahoma’s Growing Production Economy
Film will be a major component of the inaugural program. The BWSN Film Summit at OSU-Tulsa is expected to bring together writers, producers, educators, policymakers, film commissioners, studio owners, investors and other industry participants.
According to figures provided by organizers, Oklahoma’s film industry has generated more than $531 million in economic impact during the past three years, while production spending has increased fivefold since 2020. Major productions filmed in the state include Reservation Dogs, Killers of the Flower Moon and Twisters.
Directed by filmmaker Spade Robinson, the summit will also launch the BWSN Film Accelerator, which is intended to strengthen Oklahoma’s production workforce and provide longer-term entry points into film careers.
The Writers Room Lab will give emerging creators experience in a studio-style writers-room setting. Organizers said graduates will earn a BWSN Film Writers Certification and receive preparation for pitching stories and pursuing paid narrative work.
Programming will also examine artificial intelligence, virtual production and LED volume technology. Screenings are scheduled to include The Brittney Griner Story, directed by Alexandria Stapleton, and Dreams of Violets.
Beauty and Athletics Programs Emphasize Professional Skills
BWSN will extend its workforce and ownership strategy into beauty and sports.
The Makeup Artistry for Film pathway, directed by LAMIK Beauty founder and CEO Kim Roxie, will offer a two-day professional certification course covering sanitation, makeup techniques and business strategy. The program is designed to prepare credentialed artists for opportunities in film and television production.
Athletics programming will focus on name, image and likeness opportunities and the growing business responsibilities facing young athletes. Player development specialist Guy Troupe will direct the NIL Athlete Entrepreneur programming, while Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Kansas City Chiefs player Will Shields is scheduled to deliver a keynote.
Sessions will address entrepreneurship, financial decision-making, NIL literacy and ownership, with a separate student-athlete pathway also under development.
Music and Small Businesses Join Three-Day Experience
Music will run throughout the weekend, with Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and entrepreneur Warryn Campbell serving as BWSN Cultural Ambassador.
Confirmed performers include MC Lyte, Aluna and the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet. A Sunday Gospel Superjam curated by Campbell is scheduled to feature Erica Cambell of Mary Mary, Lena Byrd Miles, Carson Barnes and Lisa Page. Organizers said another major Saturday night headliner will be announced later.
The broader initiative also includes a Vendor Village representing 98 small businesses and a network of collaborating organizations, local institutions, entrepreneurs and community partners.
The inaugural BWSN Experience is scheduled to conclude with programming connecting Greenwood’s historic entrepreneurial legacy with BWSN’s longer-term plans for workforce development, creative industries and business ownership. Additional performers, speakers and programs are expected to be announced ahead of the September event.
