About this Event
BEFORE THE BREAKTHROUGH 🎤
The mindset, mental health, and community behind the journey.
Before the opportunity, the recognition, or the dream job, there’s a journey people don’t always see. How do you keep believing in yourself while managing uncertainty, rejection, and the pressure to succeed?
Join Affirmations for Black Men in partnership with Black Men Heal for an honest conversation with Christian Crosby, host, actor, and artist, and Darnell Davis, Marketplace Lead at Nike, creative, and author.
We’re going beyond their titles to explore the mental and emotional work of positioning yourself for opportunity. From finding direction to navigating setbacks, we’ll discuss how to pursue your goals while caring for yourself along the way.
Together, we’ll explore:
• Building confidence before anyone else sees your potential.
• Handling rejection, self doubt, and the pressure to have life figured out.
• Protecting your mental health as you pursue opportunities and navigate success.
• Finding mentorship, meaningful relationships, and a community that supports you.
• Using your voice to create change, support your community, and participate in the upcoming election.
Whether you’re a young person imagining your future or an adult navigating your next chapter, bring your questions and your experiences. You don’t have to have everything figured out to be part of this conversation.
📅 October 28, 2026
🕠 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Plant & People | Philadelphia
Stay for the final 30 minutes to network, connect, and keep the conversation going.
Your mental health matters at every stage of the journey, including before the breakthrough.
Agenda
🕑: 05:30 PM - 05:45 PM
Doors Open & Community Connection
Info: Check in, meet fellow attendees, and submit your questions for our guests.
🕑: 05:45 PM - 05:50 PM
Welcome & Opening Affirmation
Info: Join Nicole Glass of Affirmations for Black Men and Tasnim Sulaiman of Black Men Heal as we set the tone for an honest conversation about ambition, mental health, and the journey toward opportunity.
🕑: 05:50 PM - 06:20 PM
Finding Direction with Darnell Davis
Info: Darnell Davis, Marketplace Lead at Nike, joins Nicole, Tasnim, and a youth participant to explore finding purpose, building relationships, and positioning yourself for opportunities. Together, we’ll discuss navigating uncertainty, managing expectations, and protecting your mental health while pursuing your goals.
🕑: 06:20 PM - 06:50 PM
Finding Your Voice with Christian Crosby
Info: Host, actor, and artist Christian Crosby joins Nicole, Tasnim, and a youth participant for a conversation about confidence, creativity, rejection, and the pressure to perform. We’ll explore how to keep showing up, stay connected to yourself, and find support before and after the breakthrough.
🕑: 06:50 PM - 07:00 PM
Audience Q&A & Closing Reflection
Info: Bring your questions into the conversation. We’ll close with reflections from our guests, an affirmation, mental health resources, and a brief nonpartisan reminder to make a plan to vote.
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:30 PM
Networking & Community Connection
Info: Stay to connect with our guests, meet people in the community, and continue the conversation.
Event venue & nearby stays
Plant and People, 3952 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.