The first edition of the Black Carpet Awards, launched by Italy’s Afro Fashion Association, will take place at the Meet | Digital Culture Center, viale Vittorio Veneto 2, Milan on Feb. 24, in conjunction with Milano Moda Donna, running from Feb. 22 to 28, 2023.
The event is an awards gala celebrating the changemakers who are building a more diverse and inclusive future with a jury consisting of Carlo Capasa, Costanza Etro, Stella Jean, Simonetta Gianfelici, among others.

Since its founding in 2015, the Afro Fashion Association and its founder Michelle F. Ngonmo have valued cultural differences as a key factor for societal and cultural enrichment. The association has been working to highlight talents from the most diverse cultural origins, starting from the African continent.

This opening edition will focus on the country of Italy, where an international jury of experts in different industries will deliver 10 special award across five categories on 10 leaders of change who distinguished themselves in the fields of culture, legacy, creativity, community and entrepreneurship. The remaining five will be selected by an online people’s choice. All these Italian-based leaders will be celebrated for their significant contribution towards generating new cultural and business paradigms and creating positive changes in Italian society.

The event is an unprecedented moment in Italian history to turn on the spotlight on the diverse talent who have remained “The Unseen Profiles” until now. On this occasion there will be a video tribute to Virgil Abloh, a major supporter of the Afro Fashion Association and Wami, illuminating the Bipoc community (Black, indigenous and people of color) with his contribution to the fashion world.

"Celebrating all stories...This is what we are going to do through the Black Carpet Awards," commented Michelle F. Ngonmo. "Most of the time, we feel more comfortable to discuss our... with people that (whom we) share our same (similar) background or our same opinion while different perspectives are valuable, diversity or inclusion aren’t the same thing and is it not a question of political correctness. The Black Carpet Awards as some may think, is not only about the Black Community, it is about the color Black which is said to be “the sum of all colors” when a blackish stain is obtained from the mixture of various pigments in other terms, we, all together sitting at the same table and joining forces to discuss about the beauty of the diversity and how it is a crucial factor to the cultural and economical growth of the society."

Black Carpet Awards
February 24 at 8:00 pm
Meet | Digital Culture Center
viale Vittorio Veneto 2, 20124 Milano

Photo: Duaba Serwa @ Gabriele Correddu