The Tea Blend: September 26

Written By Jayde I. Powell

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

Opportunities

  • 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.

  • Lovable is now accepting applications for SheBuilds Season 04 — a free 72-hour virtual build event October 15–17 for women who want to turn an idea into a working product with AI, alongside mentors and a global community doing the same. No coding experience required. Applications close September 27th at 11:59pm PT.

  • Gumroad is hiring Creators-in-Residence — a $60,000/year program for artists who want to make their work full-time. The commitment is about an hour a week for 52 weeks, and you can do it from anywhere in the world. Send your portfolio of recent work — paintings, films, music, video games, short stories, whatever you make — to support@gumroad.com. Applications close October 1st at midnight ET.

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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. Final deadline is November 1st ($75 entry fee).

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 Critics Choice Association has announced the inaugural Critics Choice Creator Awards — a new awards program honoring excellence in digital content including podcasts, micro-dramas, and digital stars. Submissions open October 19th and close February 1, 2027. Mark your calendar now.

EVENTS

  • Black Women Photographers is hosting the 2026 BWP Summit Powered by Adobe Lightroom — a free three-day virtual summit September 25–27th at 12pm ET each day, featuring inspiring conversations, free portfolio reviews, and networking opportunities for Black and African women creatives around the world. This year's keynote speaker is Holly-Marie Cato, Leica photographer and Adobe Lightroom Ambassador. All sessions will be recorded. Register now.

  • TheWrap and What's Trending are hosting AI Creator Day on September 29th in Los Angeles — a full day of panels, demos, workshops, and conversations at the crossroads of creators and AI, featuring speakers from FOX Entertainment, UTA, Adobe, IAB, pocket.watch, and more. Hosted by Shira Lazar and Sharon Waxman. Tickets are $99 and include a full year of WrapPRO. Use code AICDSHIRA to apply for a discounted ticket.

  • Ugly Talk is hosting The Business of Being a Creator + Q4 Welcome Party on September 29th at Kit Studios in New York City — an unfiltered conversation about the creator business in 2026, what's changed, what's coming in 2027, and which AI tools are actually worth using, followed by a Q4 welcome party with food and drinks on the house. Every attendee also gets a free recording session at Kit Studio. Speakers include Haley Janicek (Kit), Matt Mitsui (CCExNYC), and Gabby Beckford (Packs Light). Attendance is by approval only — apply now.

  • TEDxAtlanta is hosting TEDxAtlanta & TEDxAtlanta Youth 2026 on October 2–3 in Sandy Springs, Georgia — a two-day flagship conference bringing together 500+ of Atlanta's most curious minds around this year's theme: Bold. Brave. Unbreakable. Get your tickets now.

  • XP Land is hosting Live from the Edge of Experiential on October 7th from 8am–12pm at Edge at Hudson Yards in New York City — a half-day gathering bringing together 200 senior leaders from brand, agency, IP ownership, and creative strategy to shape the future of experiential in 2027. Featuring the first-ever Experiential Upfronts by Canva, matchmaking powered by XP Match, and a candid look at what's coming next for the industry. Space is limited — get on the list now.

  • Perspective Studios and A Lil More Curated are hosting Exchanging Perspectives on October 8th from 6–8pm in Atlanta — a curated creative mixer bringing together emerging and established creatives across film, music, photography, fashion, design, and media, with music, giveaways, and opportunities to connect and collaborate. Limited RSVP — location and details shared upon registration. RSVP now.

  • Squarespace is hosting Circle Day 2026 on October 21st — a free virtual event featuring Squarespace's most innovative creators, with sessions on design, skill-building, and what's next from Squarespace. In-person spots at Squarespace's NYC HQ are also available (limited). Register now to attend online or apply for an in-person seat.

  • Modash is hosting Return on Influence Festival '26 — a free one-day virtual festival on October 21st from 10am–5pm ET dedicated to influencer marketing, with four programming stages covering strategy, campaign execution, the creator perspective, and the future of the industry. Speakers include marketing leaders from ŌURA, Stanley 1913, Adobe, Ogilvy, Edelman, amika, and more. All sessions are recorded. Register now.

  • CultureCon 2026 is coming to Brooklyn on October 3–4 — the world's largest festival for culture and creativity, bringing together 12,000 creative entrepreneurs, creators, and cultural leaders for two days of workshops, activations, speaker sessions, brand activations, career connections, and community you can't find anywhere else. This year's theme: Museum of Us. Get your tickets now — payment plans available.

NEWS & READS


JOBS & GIGS

Jayde I. Powell http://www.twitter.com/jaydeipowell
Next

The Tea Blend: August 28, 2026