Spotlights swept the proscenium at Teatro Manzoni as the Black Carpet Awards—now in its third act—honored the “Leaders of Change,” a cast rewriting fashion and culture’s script for inclusion, access, and impact. Presented by the Afro Fashion Association with the patronage of the City of Milan and support from the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, the evening felt less like a prizegiving and more like a manifesto, where fashion, culture, and future-facing ideas shared one stage.
Founder Michelle Francine Ngonmo marked the association’s 10th anniversary with a rallying call. Her message: dream boldly—and then build the conditions for those dreams to become real. “Invest in these leaders of change,” she urged, positioning community not as a buzzword but as a daily practice. Hosting for the third year, Tamu McPherson (creative, All the Pretty Birds founder, Shoe Up for Justice founder, and Bvlgari CSR ambassador) kept the tempo brisk; Naomi Campbell, serving as the evening’s emcee, appeared via video to salute “true inclusion, authentic representation, courageous leadership, and creativity with purpose.”
Between ovations, the through line was clear: unity as the answer to fracture. The result was an evening that affirmed the power of community to transform not only the creative industries but the social and cultural fabric that surrounds them. Below, a recap of all the winners.
Nogaye Ndia is an educator and anti-racism advocate who brings decolonial curricula into classrooms and community programs across Italy, turning study into practice.
Mariam Battistelli is a lyric soprano whose audience award recognizes a career expanding who gets seen—and heard—on the opera stage.
Rediet Longo blends Ethiopian and Italian roots to turn city walls into forums, using murals to craft a civic language of art.
Augusta Carter uses cultural platforms to spotlight barriers to creative education and open pathways for second-generation talent.
Aya Mohamed builds spaces of recognition and mutual support, pushing inclusive civic life forward when retreat might be easier.
Ronke Oluwadare treats “community” as action, sharing networks, making room for excluded voices, and sustaining care over the long term.
Antonio Dikele Distefano translates lived experience into projects that give back, widening access and scaling opportunity.
Caterina Monda Debrina Aliyah design ideas—and the delivery systems behind them—so culture remains legible and reachable for broader, more diverse audiences.
Igiaba Scego braids Somali and Italian histories through novels and essays, expanding Italy’s literary imagination and collective memory.
Leandra Medeiros Cerezo insists on everyday, public-facing visibility for trans, Black, and Indigenous communities within and beyond fashion.
Janine Gaëlle Dieudji advances community-centered culture, from Florence’s The Recovery Plan to international curatorial work, underscoring “people over things.”
Abbia Maswi, Donald Ngamene, Fambaye Diouf, Immaculate Ruému, Lamine Diop, Lina Simons, Murphy Tomadin, Shivin Singh, Terry Aidoo, and Thoé are ten rising talents spotlighted as the next wave of creative leadership.
