Black in Copyright (Part II)

JaQuel Knight is a director, creative director, entrepreneur and critically acclaimed, award-winning celebrity choreographer known for creating some of the most memorable moments in dance and entertainment history. His rise to global recognition came at the age of 18, when he created the choreography for Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),”  which has since accumulated over 829 million views on YouTube and become one of the most iconic videos of the 21st century. As a choreographer and creative visionary, JaQuel has lent his creative expertise to culture-shifting projects such as Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” film for Disney+ and “Homecoming” documentary for Netflix, the Shakira Super Bowl Halftime performance with Jennifer Lopez, and Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” video. Additionally, artists ranging from Marshmello, to pop legends like Cher and Britney Spears, to singer-songwriter stars like The Chicks, Miley Cyrus, Pink, Zara Larsson, Victoria Monét and Ben Platt, to hip-hop powerhouses like Kanye West, Pharrell, N*E*R*D, and Big Sean have all enlisted the help of JaQuel to utilize his impeccable vision and ability to innovate groundbreaking concepts that the world has never seen before. As a director, JaQuel has brought numerous other projects to the forefront, directing projects for Megan Thee Stallion, Pharrell, Chance the Rapper, Zara Larsson, and more. JaQuel also served as creative director and choreographer for all things Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. 

Láolú Senbanjo otherwise known as “Láolú NYC,” is a Nigerian bred, Brooklyn based performance and visual artist, singer, songwriter, musician, human rights lawyer, and activist. Having started his career in law, Láolú has always sought out to help others reveal their truth. To do this, he navigates in the way that comes most natural to him: through never ending depths of his artwork. After practicing law for 3 years in Nigeria, he moved to New York City where he has devoted his time to being a full-time artist ever since. Láolú is guided by the idea that all things; be it paper, walls, people, buildings, cars, you name it — are his canvas. By placing his artwork on just about any and everything he can get his hands on, Láolú seeks to leave a part of his art and Yoruba heritage wherever he goes through one canvas at time.

Láolú has had his Sacred Art of the Ori body ritual featured on Beyoncé’s 2016 Grammy award winning “Lemonade”. He has given a TED Talk describing the origins of his art and his journey from lawyer to artist. Láolú has exhibited his work at art institutions like the Whitney Museum of America and the Grammy Museum to name a few. His work is also included in New York University’s art collection. Láolú is a member of the Arts, Culture, and Parks committee of the incoming New York Mayor, Eric Adams’, office.

Maimouna Youssef (also known as Mumu Fresh) is a critically acclaimed Afro-Indigenous singer, Emcee, songwriter, activist, workshop facilitator and audio engineer who’s been called a “quadruple threat” by The Roots’ Black Thought and “groundbreaking” by Oscar-winning artist, Common. In 2021, Maimouna partnered with AFROPunk x Netflix and was the voice behind the ACLU Systematic Equality campaign. In 2020, she was asked to lend her soulful voice to the ESPYs tribute to Black Lives because WE Matter. Some of her other standout moments in 2020 include her contribution to Salaam Remi’s album “Black On Purpose” and Tobe Nwigwe’s album “Cincoriginals”. In 2018, Maimouna Youssef became the songwriter and voice of Ford Motor Company’s “Roll On” campaign celebrating Women of Color, and was awarded the prestigious post of “Musical Ambassador for The United States,” travelling to Central America to support the rights of young women. Maimouna’s Afro-Native roots and rich activist history have spawned collaborations with philanthropic leaders including W.K. Kellogg Foundation, IMAN, Congressional Black Caucus, and Global Citizens Festival. She’s shared her story of Afro-Native artistic and philanthropic excellence while making appearances on MSNBC, FOX 45, NPR, CNN, Sway In The Morning and global network, Al Jazeera. In 2019, Mumu performed at the BET Black Girls Rock! Awards and received a standing ovation for her soul-stirring performance of her song “Say My Name” Sandra Bland and the Mothers of the Movement (M.O.M), which is a group of women whose African American Children have been killed by police brutality or gun violence.  Later that year, she delivered a soulfully nostalgic tribute to hip hop supergroup and cultural pioneers Arrested Development with gospel artists  Mali Music, Travis Greene and rapper Dee-1 that aired on Black Music Honors. 

Nikki Edmunds-Ekwueme (Moderator) is a tech and IP attorney who currently works as in-house counsel for CLO Virtual Fashion (“CLO”), a fashion tech company specializing in 3D garment design software for fashion design, gaming, and animation. Some notable clients of CLO include Adidas, Hugo Boss, and Levi’s, among other well know fashion houses, retail companies, and gaming and animation studios. Her expertise predominantly lies in technological transactions as she started in-house at a healthcare technology company before transitioning to CLO, another forward-thinking technology company. She is passionate about furthering her own personal growth and development as an attorney in this space, which CLO has allowed her to achieve with a small independent legal team facing many cutting-edge legal issues domestically and internationally. Such issues that have arisen include intellectual property infringement and ownership, data privacy and protection, and even improvising creative legal solutions for unregulated technologies like blockchain and NFTs.

Nikki is also passionate about mentorship and has served as an alumni mentor for law students. She hopes to extend her mentorship to other law students who share the same passion for fashion and/or technology, especially law students of color and first-generation law students as her Nigerian American background is a big influence on her drive to promote success for not just herself, but for other up and coming minority lawyers in a niche legal industry with tough barriers to entry.