Momentum Summit:The Power of Possible

Olivia Jefferson, vice president and executive director at Best Buy (far left), moderated a conversation with (left to right) Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund; Edward Hill, vice president, government relations at Paramount Skydance; and Antonia Dean, partner at Black Ops VC, about equitable innovation and who gets to shape what comes next.

From Presence to Power

On Thursday, August 13th, Momentum Summit’s third day of gathering centered on a defining question: How do we turn ideas, access, and visibility into meaningful action?

At the historic Strand Theatre, conversations examined the rapidly changing world of AI, the forces shaping our collective future, and the role leaders must play in navigating what comes next, while a special MOMENTUM Moment offered a preview of the August 18 women-centered conversation, Period to Post Menopause. The afternoon’s discussion went beyond the possibilities of emerging technology to consider the human responsibility that comes with it—from ethics and independent thinking to ensuring that innovation translates into meaningful progress.

The experience extended beyond the stage to an intentionally curated audience of CEOs, founders, presidents, directors, and other senior leaders. Mistress of Ceremonies Jotaka Eaddy carried each conversation into the room, engaging attendees with thought-provoking questions and creating opportunities for meaningful connection, reflection, and exchange among leaders. 

The day culminated in the Momentum Method Conversation and Awards, led by Nicole Austin-Hillery, President and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. In conversation with Tonya Allen, President of the McKnight Foundation, and Van Jones, CNN Host and Founder of DreamMachine.org and Rapport.co, Austin-Hillery explored what it will take to move from individual influence to collective impact.

A central takeaway was the necessity of working across differences—including alongside people with whom we may not always agree—to achieve a shared vision for the future. As technology, institutions, and communities continue to evolve, shaping what comes next cannot be an individual pursuit. It will require collaboration, shared responsibility, and an intentional commitment to building the future we want to see.

That spirit of impact carried into the evening’s honors. The 2026 Minnesota Momentum Award recognized the McKnight Foundation for advancing equity in Minnesota, while the 2026 Momentum Impact Award honored Van Jones for his enduring commitment to social innovation and transformative change. Wenda Weekes Moore, recipient of Momentum’s inaugural award in 2024, and Momentum Summit Founder, Meredith Leigh Moore, presented both honors.

“The importance of an event like this is you get a chance to talk about real issues and real solutions.”

— Van Jones, CNN Host, Founder of DreamMachine.org & Founder of RAPPORT.co

“We need to change the paradigm to make sure we’re engaged collectively as leaders and as organizations, supporting entrepreneurs who can make a difference and  design what needs to be built next.”

—Errika Moore, Camelback Ventures (left)

Three Momentum Summit Takeaways

1: A future that centers Black women starts when we stop asking them to navigate inequitable systems and start transforming the systems themselves. Black women should not be expected to adapt to structures that were never designed with their experiences, needs, or futures in mind.

2: Momentum Summit was created around a simple but powerful belief: none of us is meant to do this work alone.  When we share what we know, build meaningful relationships, and commit to moving forward together, individual ideas have the power to become collective action—and collective action creates momentum.

3:  The future of AI will be shaped in large part by our educators—and by how they prepare students to navigate ethics, think independently, and understand the value of developing a distinct voice.

The goal is not simply to teach students how to use AI, but how to lead in a world transformed by it.