Keke Palmer entertains and motivates crowd in Cincinnati: 'Hold onto that voice'

The three-day event, which brings together Black tech professionals and enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and investors, took place July 14-16 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in downtown Cincinnati.

In past years, Black Tech Week brought in influential names in the tech and media fields for the keynote address, including actor, writer and producer Issa Rae, legendary tennis champion Serena Williams and director Ava DuVernay.

Here are some takeaways from Palmer's interview with Candice Matthews Brackeen, founder and CEO of Cincinnati-based economic development organization Lightship Foundation, which hosts Black Tech Week.

Keke Palmer credits her first big break to her mother and two jump ropes

During her address, Palmer chronologized her journey in the entertainment industry, from starting as a child actor to becoming a successful entrepreneur. While many fans first learned of Palmer through the 2006 film "Akeelah and the Bee," the keynote speaker said her first break was thanks to a couple of jump ropes.

Many fans first learned of Keke Palmer when she was a child star, through the 2006 film "Akeelah and the Bee."

When she auditioned for the 2007 Disney Channel film "Jump In," she said she already knew how to double-dutch from her work on the 2004 movie "Barbershop 2: Back in Business" starring Ice Cube and Queen Latifah.

Although the role in the workplace comedy was small, Palmer said her mother encouraged her to take the opportunity, as the job would give Palmer a pathway into the industry.

"Every step that I took, whether it been for acting, music or hosting, it all led to where I am now," Palmer said. "It all stems from that same seed that my parents invested in me."

Luckily, all those months of practicing her double-dutch skills on the church playground paid off, as it led to her being cast in the Disney film alongside actor Corbin Bleu. Palmer then went on to star in other films and television shows throughout her career, such as Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP," "Nope" (directed by Jordan Peele) and "One of Them Days" (produced by Issa Rae and starring SZA).

Keke Palmer talks community-building through KeyTV

In addition to acting, Palmer has also become an accomplished podcast and television host, author, musician and more.

Despite her success, the 31-year-old said she still yearned to build a legacy centered on giving back to young aspiring folks in the industry.

"Now what's next? Because it feels like it can't keep being about me," she told Brackeen.

This prompted the actor to turn her Keke Palmer YouTube page, which had over 800,000 subscribers, into KeyTV, which has produced roughly 30 scripted and unscripted projects. After investing $2 million into the project, Palmer and her partner, Lauren Addison, searched for online creators who were in need of a platform, and the rest is history.

In addition to acting, Keke Palmer has also become an accomplished podcast and television host, author, musician and more.

"I've created a safe space in the community, and there's nothing more important to me than that," Palmer said. "I never want to do something (just) because. I always wanna do something because I'm going to give you something back. If I'm not being of service with what I'm doing, then, to me, it has no point."

Keke Palmer, the individual vs. Keke Palmer, the brand

For one to build a brand and create opportunities for themself and others, they need capital. Palmer admitted it can be difficult to secure the funds necessary to accomplish entrepreneurial goals. But leaning on a network of friends, family and colleagues for support and collaboration can help.

She also added that sometimes you have to "get creative" by diversifying your interests and streams of income.

"When you're building something, you don't have to have all the answers, but you have to search and find the people that can support you and make sure that they're supporting the direction you're going in," she said. "That was a big thing for me, because for many years it was just Keke Palmer, the entertainer, the brand. But now I'm building something beyond that."

Keke Palmer ends her Black Tech Week chat with some advice for Black women in the audience

During her July 16 speech, Palmer talked about numerous topics, from her strange anti-cold water preferences and her experience as a child star to some upcoming projects, including the 2025 film "The Pickup," starring Pete Davidson and Eddie Murphy, and the importance of learning new skills.

"The real form of mastery is being flexible, being able to change with the times, not being afraid to evolve and to pivot, and that's the power that I found within myself," she said.

"At the end of the day, no door needs to be locked to you. That's what building a brand is."

To close out her interview, Palmer left the Black women in the crowd with one piece of life advice: stay true to yourself.

"The world puts a lot on Black women. ... I think that's a really hard thing to be constantly projected upon and to never have a mirror that truly reflects you," she said. "See yourself and don't look outwards because the reflection is going to be blurred. It's gonna be obscured, it ain't gonna be true. But you are gonna always know who you are. Hold onto that voice, hold onto that person."

"Whatever it is that you wanted to do, that you dreamed of doing, who you thought you could be, or what you wanted to say. I don't care if they said it was lame, corny or whack. Do it."