Creating Something From Nothing: A Conversation with April Walker

Presented by 651 ARTS, Creating Something From Nothing is an evening of conversation with fashion trailblazer and cultural architect April Walker, founder of the iconic streetwear brand Walker Wear.

Drawing from her journey building a groundbreaking brand from the ground up, Walker reflects on how creativity, resilience, and decisive action can transform uncertainty into opportunity - and why now is the time to keep hope alive and create something from nothing.

History shows that in the darkest moments, creativity becomes a powerful force for change.

In this keynote conversation, April Walker shares the lessons she has learned from decades at the intersection of fashion, culture, entrepreneurship, and community building. From launching Walker Wear in Brooklyn to helping shape the global streetwear movement, Walker’s career reflects the power of vision, determination, and cultural leadership.

Through storytelling and reflection, she explores how ideas, art, and problem-solving can open new possibilities - even in uncertain times.

Creating Something From Nothing is a call to use our gifts, our voices, and our vision to shape the future.

Participants will leave with renewed inspiration and a deeper understanding of how creativity, courage, and action can move ideas forward.

Walker encourages audiences - especially women and emerging leaders - to:

• Trust their instincts
• Lead with faith over fear
• Cultivate environments that support collaboration and growth
• Begin where they are and take the first step toward bringing their ideas to life

For anyone ready to move from idea to action, this talk is an invitation to begin - because action cures fear, and the ideas inside of us may be more powerful than we realize.

April Walker is an award-winning entrepreneur, fashion trailblazer, and cultural innovator whose work helped shape the foundation of modern streetwear.

As founder of Walker Wear, she broke industry barriers early, building a globally recognized label that generated millions in sales while influencing style at the intersection of fashion, hip-hop, and entrepreneurship.

Beyond fashion, Walker has led licensing and global partnerships and consulted for major brands and platforms including DreamWorks and Major League Baseball licensed products. Her influence across fashion, music, sports, and media has earned recognition from institutions including Forbes, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Women’s Wear Daily.

Walker is also an educator who has contributed to programs at New York University Tisch School of the Arts and the New York City Department of Education. Her legacy is honored through the April Walker Apparel Studio at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design.

She continues to build, teach, and lead - expanding what legacy looks like through vision, resilience, and ownership.

Since its founding in 1988, 651 ARTS has become a trusted convener of contemporary African Diasporic artistic expression, a champion and nurturer for emerging artists and their work, and a vital cultural resource for its surrounding community. As it moves forward, part of 651 ARTS’ mission is to preserve the legacy of Black culture in Brooklyn, celebrate the eclecticism of Black performance, and to pioneer new visions of African Diaspora artists. This year – the transition year – is integral for the institution as it continues to lay the framework that will further help to reinforce 651 ARTS’ role as a leader of African Diasporic culture while also establishing it as an incubator for artistic innovation in the 21st century.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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