
Since 2016, MORTAR has used Future History Now to bridge the gap between our ancestors’ legacies and the change-makers of today. We don’t just celebrate Black history; we build it.
This year, we invite you to explore Black Style. We aren’t just talking about the garments we wear or the runways we walk—we are talking about the flavor we bring to every industry, the rhythm we bring to every room, and the brilliance we infuse into everything we touch. From the way we innovate in the boardroom to the way we season a skillet, Black Style is our signature on the world.
Join us for a day of immersive workshops, high-level panel discussions with regional tastemakers,
and a culminating fashion experience that redefines the aesthetic of excellence.
History isn’t just behind us. It’s in the way we move. It’s Future History, Now.
When you purchase a VIP ticket, you get exclusive access to a cocktail hour with the designers and models before the main event.
Quintessential Harlem girl, Gracie Award winner and life-long New Yorker Bevy Smith is the host of Sirius XM’s “Bevelations” on Radio Andy. Once a wildly successful luxury fashion publishing exec, Bevy shifted her professional goals over a decade ago to pursue a life in front of the camera. A pop culture aficionado and fashion expert, Bevy served as moderator of Bravo TV’s revolutionary Fashion Queens and was a former co-host on the nationally syndicated Page Six TV. Bevy now appears as a regular member of the “Talk It Out” panel featured on the nationally syndicated hit morning show SHERRI hosted by Sherri Shepherd. Always pushing the boundaries Bevy has embarked on a new acting career and has appeared as the fan favorite Aunt Tammy on the first two seasons of the Prime Video series HARLEM. Smith’s debut book Bevelations: Lessons from a Mutha, Auntie, Bestie which details her transition from a fashion advertising executive into a media personality was published through Andy Cohen Books, the eponymous imprint at Henry Holt and Company on January 12, 2021 and the paperback was released on January 18, 2022. Bevy’s debut TED Talk in April of 2022 breaking down her greatest #bevelation, It Gets Greater Later™, has garnered over 3.5 million views and was in the Top Three TED Talks of 2022. In 2023, Bevy was invited back to serve as a Speakers Ambassador at TED in 2023 mentoring two first-time talkers who went on to receive standing ovations at the conference.
ASHA AMA Bias-Daniels is a couture fashion designer& Project Runway All Star, hailing from the Queen City. With a great knowledge of self imparted by her parents, Asha designs fashion that remind us of who we are. Asha received her own day in 2021, her work has shown at the Taft Museum, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, Freedom Center, Madison Square Garden, the BET Awards, & the Academy of Country Music Awards. She has designed for artists like Zendaya, Little Big Town, & Lizzo. In 2024, Asha debuted BLOOM for the Cincinnati Ballet and she created the first ever 3 night fashion show for BLINK, the nation’s largest light & art festival.
Brittany Styles is the visionary behind Style House by Brittany,
a creative design studio specializing in elevated interior and event design for busy individuals. With a passion for thoughtful details and meaningful gatherings, Brittany transforms homes, offices, and events into spaces that feel luxurious, welcoming, and deeply personal. In under six years, she has received multiple awards and recognitions while serving a diverse and growing clientele. As CEO and Creative Director, her keen eye for design and heart for stunning gatherings have been foundational in curating these dynamic spaces.
Kionna Louise Walker, AIA, is a registered architect, educator, and the Founder and CEO of Next Great Architects, an AIA award-winning teaching studio dedicated to exposing youth to architecture as early as kindergarten and supporting them through college and professional licensure. She holds the distinction of being the third Black woman to obtain an initial architecture license in the state of Indiana. Through the mission-driven platform of Next Great Architects, she has impacted more than 7,000 students, helping to expand representation and access in the design profession.
Alishia Lee is the visionary CEO and designer behind Alishia Lee Designs, a part of the Me By Lee brand family. Alishia Lee Designs is a bespoke fashion brand where storytelling, sustainability, and inclusivity take center stage. Based in Cincinnati and showcased globally in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Accra, New York, Miami, and Paris, Alishia’s runway-to-reel designs celebrate culture and individuality with bold flair.
Donny Harper is the founder and CEO of GO(O)D Company Apparel. GO(O)D Company Apparel carries premium clothing that encourages individuals to wear who they are and live what they believe. The brand launched in 2014 with a mission to provide a clothing line that represents the customers individuality, while serving as a physical reminder to surround yourself with those who will push you towards success.
Ayana M. Ames, owner of Am.A-line Collections, a transitional brand designed for the modern man. Pursuing her passion for sustainability, Ayana has become a circular fashion advocate, championing redesign and repair to extend the life of our clothing through the brand, where the life of anyone’s loved clothing can be extended. Ayana’s design aesthetic merges classic silhouettes with unorthodox details and texture, making each piece versatile in its own right.
Erikka Franklin is a talented fashion designer who began sewing at the young age of six. By eight, she had already showcased her creations in her first fashion show, and now she has years of experience in the fashion industry.She runs her own business called Fannysofab, where she makes custom-made fanny packs. Her designs have caught the attention of celebrities like Kehlani, Talen Biggs, and Black Youngsta.
Since 2016, MORTAR has curated Future History Now (FHN) as a living bridge between the legacies of our ancestors and the brilliance of today’s innovators. We believe that Black History isn’t a static past to be studied—it is a vibrant, evolving future that we are styling in real-time.
Our Track Record of Excellence We are architects of culture, and our history proves it. Over the past decade, FHN has evolved through a diverse range of immersive experiences designed to engage every facet of our community:
Movement & Joy: We’ve taken over the floor for high-energy roller skating events that celebrate communal rhythm.
Storytelling & Cinema: We’ve hosted exclusive film screenings, such as ‘She Did That’, highlighting the cinematic and entrepreneurial power of Black women directors.
Economic Exploration: We’ve led “Black Business Bus Tours,” physically moving people into the heart of our entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Intellectual Liberation: We’ve hosted rigorous lectures on financial freedom, featuring the authors of ’15 Cents on the Dollar’, and recorded live podcasts to capture the wisdom of our elders and innovators alike.
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