Seed Summit

MC Lyte is among the honorees who will be saluted at the SEED Summit + Awards. Founded by industry veteran Valeisha Butterfield, the inaugural event will take place March 22-24 at the 1 Hotel in Los Angeles.
Also being honored alongside rap legend Lyte will be Massah David and Miatta Johnson, founders of the creative agency MVD Inc., and financial expert-coach Dr. Lynn Richardson. The award ceremony will take place on the evening of March 23.

Among the creators, executives and artists participating in the SEED Summit earlier that day will be songwriter-producer Bryan-Michael Cox, singers Melanie Fiona and Estelle, 11th & Co chairman/CEO Ebonie Ward, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor, Franklin Entertainment’s DeVon Franklin and Reign Ventures’ Monique Ludlett. The summit will conclude on March 24 with the SEED Retreat, a full day devoted to wellness of the mind, body and soul.

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Butterfield conceived of SEED, an organization and multimedia platform, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. What began as a series of masterclasses to inspire creators, executives and performers, SEED has since expanded beyond the summit and awards to include the SEED Book Club, which produces best-selling books for television and film adaptation through SEED Entertainment, and SEED Wellbeing. 

“The power of storytelling transforms lives and as we celebrate this tremendous milestone with our inaugural SEED Summit + Awards, the culture stands together for the launch of SEED,” said Butterfield in a statement. “Illuminating the most iconic stories and people of our generation is our mission as we plant seeds into the next generation of creators, storytellers, leaders and professionals following in our footsteps.”

Butterfield separately serves as vp of partnerships and engagement at Google. She also chairs the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and is the former co-president of the Grammys’ parent organization.

In a joint statement, honorees MC Lyte and Dr. Lynn Richardson commented, “Valeisha’s entire life and career have been dedicated to elevating the culture, so to be recognized with this inaugural award, we’re humbled and grateful. We commit to continuing to plant seeds into the next generation of creators and artists.”

Added Luckett, “I’m delighted to be a part of this year’s SEED summit. Valeisha always does a wonderful job of curating a safe space for us to share our experiences and empower one another.”

Partners in the SEED Summit + Awards include Pronghorn, iBest Wines and The Chris Paul Family Foundation. The event will be hosted by media personalities Alesha Reneé and Gia Peppers.

For more information about the SEED Summit + Awards, visit the SEED website.