The Tea Blend: July 30, 2026

Jul 30

Written By Jayde I. Powell

A blend of opportunities, events, reads, and more.

Opportunities

The Pinterest Inclusion Fund is now in its fifth year — an incubator program offering cash grants, ad credits, expert sessions, and community for content creators and small merchant businesses in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle from underrepresented backgrounds. Open to US-based creators and merchants active on at least two other social platforms. Applications close August 4th.
Carl’s Jr. is inviting creators to enter their 85th Birthday Fan Video Contest for a chance to win $85,000. Create and post an original 30–60 second video putting your spin on an iconic Carl’s Jr. ad, tag @CarlsJr, and include #MyCarlsJrAd and #Carls85th on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. Open to US residents 18+ (excluding FL, NY, and RI). Submissions close August 7th.
OpenAI is now accepting applications for the OpenAI Student Collective — a campus lead program for undergraduate students who want to bring AI to their campus through workshops, studio hours, and showcases. Campus Leads receive a ChatGPT subscription, Codex credits, event funding, training, access to the OpenAI team, a cash stipend, and the chance to visit OpenAI HQ. Available in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, India, Japan, and South Korea. Applications close August 10th.
Netflix’s DART (Documentary Archival Researcher Training) program is now accepting applications — a training and development program designed to equip individuals with the skills needed to be strong candidates for entry-level roles in documentary production. Selected candidates will participate in a virtual seminar offering hands-on learning experiences. Password to access the application: DART2026. Applications close August 14th.
Meta’s Agency Awards are now open for submissions — celebrating and showcasing the outstanding work agencies execute with advertisers across Meta technologies. Categories include Creative Excellence Campaign of the Year, Creator Campaign of the Year, Best Use of Generative AI Creative, Performance Campaign of the Year, and more. Submissions close August 14th.
The Black Women Photographers x Nikon Grant Fund awards a $2,500 cash grant and a Nikon Z6III kit to one Black woman photographer per quarter. Applications for Q3 are now open — apply by August 21st.
L’Oréal is now accepting applications for L’Oréalistar — a global creator loyalty program connecting beauty content creators with brand missions, exclusive product access, VIP events, mentorship opportunities, and paid collaborations across L’Oréal’s full brand portfolio. Complete missions to earn stars and redeem them for rewards and career-building experiences. Apply now.
Pinterest is now accepting applications to join the Pinterest Creator Community — an invite-only network giving creators access to educational resources, peer connection, and early opportunities directly from the Pinterest team. Apply now.
Travel + Leisure digital editor Veronica Lopez is seeking freelance writer pitches for two beats: celebrity and pop-culture travel news (400 words, ~1 week turnaround) and first-person travel essays and human interest pieces (1,000 words, ~2 week turnaround). Rates are commensurate with experience. Submit your pitch now.
Miss Grass is recruiting their first cohort of MG Bud(ie)s — makers, hosts, artists, content creators, and community connectors based in New York or New Jersey who already embody the brand in the wild. In exchange for co-creating content, hosting gatherings, and repping MG IRL and online, Bud(ie)s get product, channel features, event invites, and support for the creative hangs they’re already dreaming up. You must be 21+ to apply.
Born Social is building the Born Creator Community — a global network of experienced content creators who create social-first content for leading brands. No large following required. When your profile matches a brief, they’ll reach out with the opportunity, fee, and timelines. Apply now.
Create & Cultivate is looking for ambassadors to join their Festival Ambassador Program ahead of their flagship two-day festival on September 19–20 in Los Angeles — the world’s largest festival for women in business, featuring 4,000+ attendees, 150+ speakers, and programming across business, culture, leadership, and the creator economy. Earn 10% commission on every ticket you sell, plus exclusive ambassador perks. Apply now.

EVENTS

Adobe is hosting a series of free creative events across multiple cities — including Firefly Workshops in Atlanta on August 5th and 6th, a Creative Cafe in San Francisco on August 5th, and a Create Now mixer in Seattle on August 19th. Each event features hands-on AI and Firefly demos, creative workshops, swag, food, and community connection. RSVP for your city now.
The African American Marketing Association is hosting the Marketing for the Culture Summit 2026 on August 27th in Houston, TX — a one-day conference built by and for Black marketers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, featuring sessions on career growth, entrepreneurship, content strategy, digital marketing, and more. A kickoff reception takes place the evening before on August 26th. Join the waitlist now.
Represent is hosting the Nashville Creator Summit on September 10th at Ampersand Studios on Music Row — a one-day gathering for creators, industry professionals, and brand partners featuring an opening keynote with Tiffany Hardin, fireside chats, panels, a creator pitch competition, expert 1:1 sessions, and a content studio. Only 200 seats available. Early bird tickets start at $125 — prices increase August 7th.
The Reelies is hosting The Reelies Awards 2026 on September 13th in Atlanta — the first Instagram Reels award show celebrating small entrepreneurs, creators, and marketing pros, with a red carpet, award ceremony, and after-party. Use code JAYDE for 20% off your ticket.
IAB is hosting the 2026 IAB CreatorFronts on September 15th at Convene 360 Madison Avenue in New York City — the industry’s first and only upfront-style marketplace built entirely around the creator economy. Invite-only for qualified brand marketers, media buyers, and agency professionals. Register now or request a pass.
Adweek is bringing Brandweek 2026 to Atlanta on September 15–17 at Southern Exchange — three days of conversations, collaboration, and networking with industry-defining marketers from brands like Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Crocs, and more. Speakers include Dr. Bernice A. King, Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry’s), and Atlanta Hawks CMO Melissa Proctor. Register now.
Molly Godfrey is hosting the first annual Women of LinkedIn Summit on September 18th at Fabrik DUMBO in Brooklyn — a one-day in-person summit for women using LinkedIn to build real businesses, covering content strategy, offers, PR, video, and storytelling, with a private happy hour with speakers to follow. Only ~100 seats. Tickets are $450.
Create & Cultivate is hosting their flagship festival on September 19–20 in Los Angeles — the world’s largest festival for women in business, featuring 4,000+ attendees, 150+ speakers, and programming across business, culture, leadership, and the creator economy. Get your tickets now.

OFFERS

Canva Print is offering 20% off all products and shipping — including business cards, flyers, posters, brochures, banners, postcards, and more. Use code SUMMER20 at checkout. Valid in the US only.
FreshBooks is offering 90% off for 3 months — the all-in-one accounting and invoicing software built for small business owners and freelancers. Send invoices, track expenses, accept payments, and manage your books all in one place. Claim the deal now.

NEWS & READS

Visibility Is The New Currency, Whether You Like It Or Not — Alli Kushner, Forbes
Creators Aren’t Just in Marketing’s Entertainment Era. They’re Driving It — Seb Joseph & Alyssa Mercante, Digiday
Airbnb Is Recruiting Creators to Drive Local Experiences Bookings — Olivia Chen, REWire Media
Meet 13 B2B Creators Brands Are Betting On in 2026 — Gillian Follett, Ad Age
LinkedIn Is Fighting Back Against AI Slop — and AI Comments — Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur
C-Suite Executives Are the Next Creators. Cannes Just Proved It — Nicole Ramirez, Inc.
Traditional Influencer Strategies Need To Change As The Creator Economy Matures — Alejandra Rojas, Forbes
Publicis Media Gives Creators a Seat at the Strategy Table — Victoria Ibitoye, The Daily Influence

REPORTS & RESOURCES

Agentio’s 2026 YouTube Creator Marketing Playbook draws on an analysis of 10,000+ YouTube integrations to break down the strategies that actually drive results — from how to measure performance correctly (nearly 40% of views happen 30+ days post-publish) to why diversified creator portfolios outperform concentrated bets. Download the full report now.