September 3, 2025
Black Women Thriving 2025 brought out esteemed panelists to discuss Black women’s influence and recognition across beauty.
The Black Women Thriving 2025 event centered on creativity, beauty, and health throughout the diverse Martha’s Vineyard community.
Taking place Aug. 6 in the coastal town established as a Black summer haven, the evening featured Black women change-makers as they discussed their place in the beauty and wellness industries. The Estée Lauder Companies spearheaded the event, in partnership with Pinterest, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Clinique, to connect 130 influential Black women for its third annual year.
Black Women Thriving hosted two panels in addition to its brand activations and community networking events. CNN anchor Abby Phillip moderated the first conversation on the importance of putting Black women at the forefront of marketing and design of new brands.
One of the panelists, The Estée Lauder Companies’ Senior Vice President Susan Akkad, spoke about how her employer is driving inclusivity in its product development and rollout. Through ELC’s Local and Cultural Innovation Center of Excellence, the beauty conglomerate addresses the unique needs of customers on a global scale, creating products that cater to the differences associated with varying skin tones.
“Beauty is anthropology. To truly serve Black women, we must understand the science of our skin, the aesthetics of our tones, and the culture of our beauty,” said Susan Akkad.
Akkad was joined by Pinterest’s Chief People Officer, Doniel Sutton, to discuss the role of Black women as trendsetters within and outside the digital platform. He added how Pinterest contributes to inclusivity within its own website.
Julee Wilson, editor at large at Cosmopolitan, rounded out the cohort of panelists. Wilson spoke on the magazine’s most wide-ranging topics in the beauty sphere, also noting brands she believes are trailblazers for inclusive products and marketing, such as Bobbi Brown cosmetics.
Amid the conversation, attendees could indulge in brand experiences from sponsors. Bobbi Brown Cosmetics hosted live makeup sessions, featuring its reissued Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick. Another makeup and skincare brand, Clinique, hosted its own educational experience. The brand showcased products that complemented melanated skin while addressing age-specific issues. For the non-makeup enthusiast, Pinterest also showcased personalized tote bags that could symbolize one’s time and love in Martha’s Vineyard.
The night continued with the second panel of the evening, moderated by television broadcaster, attorney, and legal analyst Laura Coates. Coates sat down with Dr. Sharon Malone, OB/GYN and author of Grown Women Talk, to discuss the health challenges and support needed for Black women to live longer and better. They specifically addressed the experience of perimenopause and menopause during the mid-life stage.
“My message to Black women—who start earlier, suffer longer, and more severely—is don’t suffer. Don’t suffer because you don’t get a medal at the end of the menopause marathon. We don’t have people to advocate for us, so you’ve got to advocate for yourself,” said Dr. Sharon Malone, who also serves as chief medical advisor at Alloy Women’s Health.
Black Women Thriving sparked change and conversation in its third year, emphasizing the value and importance of Black women in the beauty, media, and wellness.
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