Latimer Futures Summit

By Invitation Only

Lewis Latimer holding a lightbulb over the Philadelphia skyline

Shaping Tomorrow's Innovation Today

Friday, September 18, 2026 •11:30 AM EDT – 8:00 PM EDT

Vue on 50 · Three Logan Square · 1717 Arch St, 50th Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Attire: Business Casual / Afrofuture Chic

Vue on 50, Philadelphia

About the Summit

The Latimer Futures Summit is an annual, VIP, invite-only gathering where a curated collection of diverse minds converge to explore the future.

It's a place where mind and Afrofuturistic soul combine. The Latimer Futures Summit is an inspiring, purposeful, future-driven "kinclave" that collides iconic speakers, culturally curious attendees, and provocative idea exchange.

Last Year's Highlights

Relive the highlights from the inaugural '25 Latimer Futures Summit at MIT, where visionaries came together to share bold ideas and drive meaningful impact.

Voices from the Summit

“SUPER inspiring! Thanks so much for this amazing gathering and for including me!”

Rosalind Picard

Engineering Professor, MIT

Summit Agenda

Friday, September 18, 2026 • Vue on 50, Three Logan Square

11:30 AM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT

1717 Arch St, 50th Fl, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Business Casual / Afrofuture Chic

Registration, Lunch & Pre-program Sonic Experience

11:30 AM EDT - 1:00 PM EDTVue on 50

Check-in and lunch with a pre-program sonic experience by Latimer Composer Soleil Randall

Speaker

Soleil RandallLatimer Composer

RegistrationLunchMusic

Welcome Performance & Message

1:00 PM EDT - 1:15 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Reginald BarnesTelevision, film, and theater actor, Portrays Lewis Latimer (4 years)

Jonathan CropperCo-Founder & CEO, Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program

WelcomePerformance

Future of Global Finance

1:15 PM EDT - 1:45 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Bill SpruillFounder and Managing Partner, 2ndF.org

Carmichael RobertsHead of Investments, Breakthrough Energy Ventures; Founder, Material Impact

Ray McGuirePresident, Lazard; former Head of Global Investment Banking, Citi

Finance

Institute of the Black Imagination & Lessons from W.E.B. DuBois

1:45 PM EDT - 2:00 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

DRF

Dr. Rayvon FoucheAssociate Dean for Graduate Education & Professor of Communication Studies, Northwestern University; Latimer Fellow

Mod

Dario CalmesePhotographer; Founder, Institute of the Black Imagination, First African American to photograph the cover of Vanity Fair; Latimer Fellow

Tiffany BarberScholar, Curator & Critic, Department of Art History, UCLA

Culture

Wellness Break / Intermission

2:00 PM EDT - 2:30 PM EDTVue on 50

Break

Speaker

Simone PollardFounder, The Stretch Room

BreakCoffee

AI, Tech Transfer and the Future of Culture

2:30 PM EDT - 3:15 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

DBH

Dr. Ben HarveyFounder, Archetypal.ai; former Chief of Data Science & AI Operations, NSA

John PasmoreFounder & CEO, Latimer.ai; Latimer Fellow

Karen PresleyDirector, Office of Research and Technology Applications, National Security Agency

AICulture

Wakanda Worldbuilding Fireside Chat

3:15 PM EDT - 3:30 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Reginald HudlinFilmmaker, Black Panther comics, Black Godfather, Django Unchained; Oscars Producer

Lanny SmootResearch Fellow, Disney Imagineering

Glenn SingletonFounder & CEO, Courageous Conversation

Segun OduolowuTelevision Host & Entertainment Journalist, The List

Mod

WorldbuildingStorytelling

Interactive Workshop: The Future of Innovation and Education

3:30 PM EDT - 4:00 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Tade OyerindeFounder & Chancellor, Campus.edu

John WilsonDirector, McGraw Leadership Center, UPenn Graduate School of Education; former President, Morehouse College

Kecia SmithDean, Deese College of Business, North Carolina A&T

Cortney WoodruffFounder & CEO, Assemble.fyi; 2025 Latimer Fellow

EducationInnovationInteractive

Wellness Break / Intermission

4:00 PM EDT - 4:15 PM EDTVue on 50

Break

Speaker

Simone PollardFounder, The Stretch Room

BreakSnacks

Afrofuturism & Community Design

4:15 PM EDT - 4:45 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Aarti TandonCEO, Tomorrow.City USA

William GoodloePresident & CEO, SEO

Michael NutterFormer Mayor of Philadelphia, David N. Dinkins Professor, Columbia University

Jamal SimmonsPolitical Commentator & Communications Strategist, Former Communications Director, VP Kamala Harris; CNN

Mod

AfrofuturismDesign

Future of Venture Funding Exploration

4:45 PM EDT - 5:30 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Randy LewisSenior Partner, Wilson Sonsini

Nichol BradfordFounder, HumanTechWeek

Daniel AcheampongCo-Founder & General Partner, Visible Hands

Marquesa FinchFounder & CEO, Pyrium / Jet Capital

Everette TaylorCEO, Kickstarter

TBC

Rob GordonFounder & CEO, L2S

Mod

VentureFunding

The Future of Brand Identity In The Age of AI

5:30 PM EDT - 6:00 PM EDTVue on 50

Speakers

Americus ReedProfessor of Marketing, The Wharton School

Sean ClaytonFounder and CEO, Singulariti.ai

RSW

Rob Steven WilliamsBrand Strategist & Governance, Founder & Inventor, Prism IO

JLB

Jeffrey L. BowmanFounder and CEO of Reframe Consulting and Reframe AI, Marketing and Advertising Industry Pioneer; Award Winning Wiley Published Author

BrandAI

Closing Remarks and Sponsor Acknowledgment

6:00 PM EDT - 6:15 PM EDTVue on 50

Closing

Cocktail Reception , Biohacking Music & Art Experience, and Surprise Guest

6:15 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDTVue on 50

🥂 Reception

Speakers

AZA AllsopMusic artist, neuroscientist, psychiatrist, Asst. Professor, Yale Department of Psychiatry; Director, Center for Collective Healing, Howard University

Lans KingConceptual artist, This is my body (of work); NFC microchip biohack art

ReceptionNetworkingMusic

Community Update

Stay connected with our community while we count down to the 2026 Summit, and help us shape the future of the Latimer Fellowship.

Ready to Join Us?

Seats are limited and by invitation only. Confirm yours for Friday, September 18, 2026.