Last Thursday, Marie Claire hosted its annual Power Play summit in the South for the very first time — choosing Atlanta, Georgia, as its home base for a day of conversations, community-building, and celebration of dynamic women across industries. This year’s theme, “Freedom and Your Future” anchored the event, which brought together some of the city’s creatives, tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and journalists — as well as renowned leaders in entertainment, sports, and business for discussions centered on power, purpose, and what it means to be truly free.
The event, presented by Clinique, featured speakers like Jordan Chiles, Marsai Martin, Kandi Burrus, DJ Miss Milan, and Dr. Leyte Winfield, Director of Cosmetic Science Program at Spelman College. The range of panels spanned everything from navigating executive burnout to the business of beauty, as well as insights on entrepreneurship, making your voice heard, and representation.
“Power Play is a real-life extension of the conversations that we’re having every single day on Marie Claire,” Nikki Ogunnaike, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire US, told ESSENCE. “Power and purpose are core to our DNA, and while we bring that to life online and across our platforms, I really wanted to lean into creating this community in person. People are starved for connection, and Power Play is a space where women can find that. Whether it’s a new mentor, a business partner, or someone to start a group chat or go for a hike with.”
Bringing this heralded event to Atlanta was an intentional move. “When we were thinking about where to take Power Play, it was really important for me to highlight that there are powerful women across the country, not just in New York or LA,” said Ogunnaike. “Atlanta, which Marie Claire sees as a hotspot for creativity and momentum — not just in music, but arts, sports, and business — was the perfect city to bring this to life.”
That spirit of community and authenticity was palpable throughout the day. Chiles reflected on her journey to self-acceptance, the importance of prioritizing mental health, and how through showing up as her authentic self she’s been able to forge her own path. She also addressed the controversy surrounding her bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics, explaining that she’s chosen to focus on the future. “No matter what circumstance I’ve been put into, the next thing given to me is only going to be better,” she said. “My ‘why’ is something that I get to establish every single day of my life.”
When asked about a time when a “no” encouraged a pivot in their lives, Marsai Martin and her mother, Carol Martin, reflected on how being told “no” fueled their drive to create Genius Productions. Instead of viewing it as a rejection, they saw it as redirection — a signal to carve their own path. Similarly, when speaking on her career trajectory DJ Miss Milan, Doechii’s official DJ, encapsulated the spirit of the day when she declared, “I built my own table. Because when you build it, they can’t tell you whether or not you can sit at it.”
Later, Ogunnaike sat down with Kandi Burruss for a conversation on entrepreneurship, where the two discussed her wide ranging career. The singer, songwriter, reality TV star, business owner, and Broadway producer has built an empire on her own terms. “My goal is to open the door for other women, minorities, people of color to take up space in places where it is not the norm for us to take up space,” said Burruss.
That sense of intentionality has shaped her work on Broadway, where she has evolved from performer to producer. After taking the stage in Chicago as Mama Morton in 2018, Burruss began producing a slate of major productions, including Thoughts of a Colored Man, The Piano Lesson, The Wiz, and currently, Othello starring Denzel Washington. “The face of Broadway is changing,” said Burruss. “When you go to shows now, you’re seeing more people of color in the audience. That matters.”
From candid conversations about mental health and resilience to declarations of independence and vision, Marie Claire’s first Southern Power Play Summit highlighted the range and depth of women’s experiences. As Ogunnaike put it, “Power is recognizing that women are multifaceted and that we should be honored in all aspects of our life.”
