Meghan Markle & Olandria Carthen Celebrate Tina Knowles at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala in Los Angeles

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

On Saturday, February 7, the Fifteen Percent Pledge returned to Paramount Studios for its annual fundraising gala, anchoring the organization’s 15th Street Block Party Weekend with an evening that blended glamour, gratitude, and tangible impact. Hosted by CNN anchor Abby Phillip, the star-studded affair honored Ms. Tina Knowles for her decades of leadership and advocacy while awarding a $100,000 grant to Black-owned beauty brand MAED.

The guest list underscored the cultural force behind the movement, with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Kelly Rowland, Law Roach, Winnie Harlow, Chloe Bailey, Rachel Zoe, Kimora Lee Simmons, and an array of founders, creatives, and executives gathering to celebrate Black entrepreneurship. It was equal parts Hollywood polish and community-centered purpose.

Throughout the seated dinner, founder Aurora James reflected on the organization’s growth since launching in 2020 as a call to action urging major retailers to dedicate 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. In just a few years, that call has translated into measurable results — hundreds of brands placed with national retailers and millions distributed in grants and resources.

Photo Credit: Hunter Abrams

Introduced by Kelly Rowland, Ms. Tina Knowles received a standing ovation as she accepted the evening’s honor. In her remarks, she spoke candidly about the tenacity required to build something from the ground up, acknowledging the reality that many entrepreneurs are CEO one day and delivery driver the next — a sentiment that resonated deeply with the room.

The gala also spotlighted the broader Block Party Weekend unfolding on the Paramount backlot, where more than 100 Black-owned vendors, live performances, panels, and community-driven activations brought the pledge’s mission to life in real time. The energy was celebratory, but the focus remained clear: sustained opportunity, expanded access to capital, and long-term economic equity.

Since its founding, the Fifteen Percent Pledge has evolved into a national platform championing Black founders across industries. The annual gala served as both a milestone and a reminder — that progress requires persistence, that visibility matters, and that when culture and commerce align with intention, real change follows.

SEE THE CELEBRITIES WHO ATTENDED THE FIFTEEN PERCENT PLEDGE GALA BELOW

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

Photo Credit: Steve Lucero/BFA.com

Photo Credit: Linnea Stephan/BFA.com