The Tea Blend: October 23, 2026

Written By Jayde I. Powell

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

Opportunities

  • FiveTwoNine is looking for a creator to represent them at Adobe MAX Miami, with flight, hotel, and Adobe MAX ticket covered. As the FiveTwoNine correspondent, you’ll bring the best of the event back to the community, sharing ideas, creative insights, and new techniques. To apply, publish an in-feed Instagram Reel or carousel that takes viewers behind a piece of your work, showing your process, the tools you use, and the thinking behind it. Use #FiveTwoNineAtMAX and tag @fivetwonine.global and @adobe. Posts must be published by October 28th.

  • SeriesFest and Shondaland have opened applications for their Women Directing Mentorship, an eighth-cycle competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers. The winner will receive the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series. The final deadline is November 1st ($75 entry fee).

  • TEDxCharlotte is now accepting speaker applications for their 2027 event, themed “Impossible to Ignore.” They’re looking for one clear idea, backed by evidence and experience, that changes how the person hearing it sees the world. Applications close November 7th. In-person auditions are December 12th.

  • SXSW Pitch is now accepting applications for its 19th year, a premier startup showcase at SXSW 2027 (March 16–17 in Austin) putting innovative companies in front of industry experts, media professionals, and VC/angel investors. Regular entry runs through November 13th ($225 fee).

  • Girls on Campus is offering the She Leads Scholarship, a $1,500 award for high school seniors, current undergraduates, or graduate students who self-identify as women of color, are gender nonconforming, or are allies, and plan to be enrolled in a U.S. accredited school in Fall 2027. Applications close November 25th.

  • The Nieman Fellowship at Harvard is now accepting applications for 2027–28, a year-long fellowship for working journalists with at least five years of full-time media experience to study at Harvard, with a stipend and allowances included. Applications for international journalists (non-U.S. citizens) are due December 1st; U.S. journalists have until January 31st.

  • Elevate & Empower is seeking speakers and facilitators for their 2027 Tech, AI, and Cybersecurity conference in Birmingham, AL, a one-day event building Birmingham’s future tech workforce. Open to students, recent graduates, career changers, educators, and industry leaders across four tracks: AI, Career Development & Professional Growth, Cybersecurity & Risk, and Software Development, Product & UX. Sessions are 30 minutes. Submissions close December 4th at 11:59pm.

  • The Rainbow Ventures Summit is seeking speakers for their 2027 conference, Alabama’s free LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurship Conference, taking place February 19–20, 2027 in Birmingham. They’re looking for talks on marketing, sales, operations, legal, access to capital, and other topics that would benefit LGBTQ+ founders and small business owners. All experience levels welcome, including first-time speakers. Speaker applications close December 31st.

  • Kickstarter has launched the Kickstarter Culture Fund, a $1 million fund offering direct pledges to independent creators’ live Kickstarter campaigns in Art, Photography, Dance, Theater, Film, Fashion, and Music. Campaigns must launch by December 31st. Apply now.

  • The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship places advanced undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate science, engineering, and mathematics students at media organizations nationwide for 10 weeks during the summer of 2027, working as journalists at outlets like NPR, the Los Angeles Times, and Inside Climate News. Fellows receive a $10,000 stipend plus travel expenses. Applications close January 4, 2027.

  • SXSW is accepting Content Creator Applications for SXSW 2027. Accepted creators receive one complimentary badge with a Press designation. Credentials go to established creators who actively produce original, public-facing content relevant to SXSW for an engaged audience on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and/or LinkedIn. Complimentary badges are limited, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications close January 8th at 11:59pm CT.

  • Adweek is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Adweek Brand Genius Creators, recognizing standout social media creators who are shaping the future of brand communication through innovative content, meaningful audience connections, and novel collaborations. Open to creators (on-screen talent) only. No entry fee. Nominations close January 8, 2027 at 11:59pm PST.

  • The Critics Choice Association has opened submissions for the inaugural Critics Choice Creator Awards, a new awards program honoring excellence in digital content including podcasts, micro-dramas, and digital stars. Submissions close February 1, 2027.

  • PEOPLE writer/reporter Kayla Grant is seeking story pitches, especially parenting-related stories. If you have an intriguing story to share, reach out directly at pitchkaylagrant@gmail.com.

  • Youth Marketing Connection (YMC) is recruiting Facebook Campus Ambassadors for the 2026–27 school year, a program for student content creators ready to bring the Facebook brand to life on their campuses through peer-to-peer outreach, social media storytelling, and campus events. Open to full-time undergraduate students at U.S. colleges or universities, 18+. Apply with your .edu email address.

  • The Brooklyn Economic Justice Project (BEJP) is offering three paid fellowships in New York City: a Content, Video & Social Media Fellow, a Branding & Visual Communication Fellow, and a Community Lending Fellow. Each comes with a $7,500 stipend for seven months (November 2026–May 2027). BEJP is building a community-centered loan fund designed to move capital into the hands of local entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities historically excluded from traditional financial systems. NYC Metro area required. Apply now.

  • AfroTech is offering 100 community-sponsored AfroTech Insider memberships, including a full Conference 2026 ticket, to tech professionals who’ve been laid off or impacted by restructuring in the last year. Selected recipients get four days of general access at AfroTech Conference 2026 in Houston (November 2–6), year-round professional development, continuing education credits, and access to meetups across the country. Eligible applicants are randomly selected on a rolling basis through the fall. Apply now. Travel and lodging are on you.

  • The Intuit IDEAS Program is a 12-month accelerator for small business owners across the U.S., offering free access to QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and TurboTax, plus monthly business and executive coaching, ongoing support from Intuit experts, and a grant at the end of the program to continue accelerating growth. Open to diverse small businesses in select U.S. cities, plus a nationwide cohort for veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. Apply now.

  • ElevenLabs is now accepting applications for their Creator Partner Program, a program for content creators to collaborate with the ElevenLabs team, access campaign briefs and creative direction, and earn credits and cash on top-performing posts featuring their AI audio tools. 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.

  • The Manychat Partner Program is an affiliate program for creators, educators, influencers, and digital marketers. Earn 30–50% recurring commission for 12 months for every new paid Manychat user you refer, with uncapped earning potential as you hit higher tiers. Apply now.

EVENTS

  • #paid is hosting the Creator Marketing Summit 2026 on October 29th at Hall des Lumières in New York City, an invitation-only one-day summit bringing together 350 senior brand marketers, creators, and thought leaders to shape the future of creator partnerships. Presented by YouTube. Sessions feature speakers from Virgin Voyages, Jack in the Box, Gopuff, Yes Theory, TikTok, and more, with a gamified networking experience and the Creator Bodega pop-up stocked with products from 30+ partner brands. Request your invitation now.

  • Sprout Social is hosting the Social Intelligence Summit: Tomorrow is Talking, a free two-hour virtual summit on October 29th from 8–10am PT, designed for social teams and business leaders ready to turn social signals into smarter decisions. Featuring speakers from Ogilvy, Gap Inc., ICYMI, Zalando, The Hershey Company, and more, with sessions on spotting cultural shifts early, translating social data into business strategy, and the growing role of creators and employee advocates in building brand trust. Register now.

  • Siftsy is hosting Social Intel Innovators LIVE: What’s Next for Social Intelligence in 2027 on October 29th from 1–1:45pm ET. This free virtual livestream is the first in a monthly series, featuring Siftsy co-founder Brett Dashevsky in conversation with Ariel Leavitt, Social Listening Lead at Live Nation. They’ll cover how social intelligence is evolving, why comment sections have become one of the richest sources of audience insight, and where the biggest opportunities for social intel pros are in 2027. Register now.

  • We are hosting our last event of the year, The Atlanta Creator Check-In, on November 5th from 5:30–8:30pm in Atlanta. Join Creators 4 Mental Health and Influential for an evening of honest conversation about building a career in the creator economy, with a no-fluff panel on mental health, burnout, and sustainable growth, plus a curated mixer, light bites, and good music. Sponsored by Influential and SAG-AFTRA. Approval required, so request to join now.

  • Later is hosting Later Creator Live on November 17th at Second in New York City, a one-day gathering for creators, brands, and industry experts making the connections that lead to your next opportunity. Only 100 spots available. Apply to attend now.

NEWS & READS


JOBS & GIGS

Jayde I. Powell http://www.twitter.com/jaydeipowell
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The Tea Blend: September 26