2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - Day 1

Source: Arturo Holmes / Getty

In between Dreaming in Black while experiencing her very first ESSENCE fest, a stunning star exclusively responded to pesky pleas for her to host a certain show.

Lauren Speed-Hamilton was one of several celebs tapped by AT&T Dream In Black to celebrate culture and the creators who shape it via meaningful festival experiences and exciting activations across fashion, technology, innovation, and community.

AT&T Dream In Black

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

AT&T Dream In Black

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

Lauren was on site at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to witness the brand inspire greater responsibility and hosted the “She Got Game” panel featuring Krysta Eason, Kiki Rice, and Seimone Augustus and also the Black Boy Joy panel featuring Kofi Siriboe, Tyler Lepley and Sinqua Walls.

AT&T Dream In Black

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

In between her hosting duties, she also chatted with BOSSIP about her introduction to the star-studded NOLA extravaganza that featured epic experiences.

“It’s hard to pinpoint one thing [I’ve enjoyed the most],” she told Managing Editor Dani Canada.” I would say just the energy overall. I feel like I’m in a room full of my cousins who haven’t seen each other in a long time. And I just love how there’s so much Queendom, we’re all giving each other compliments, telling each other how much we appreciate each other and just showing love and that’s my favorite part about it,” she added. “We need more of that as a black women.”

2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - Day 1

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

She also dished on how she makes room for joy in her life as a busy Black woman, something that’s integral for a creative like herself…

“So for me, it’s self-care,” Lauren told BOSSIP. “Self-care is everything. I have to know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to be a wife, to be a daughter and when it’s time to just be me and sometimes that solitude and having those peaceful still moments gets me through so that I have the energy to do everything else.

“Also journaling, I picked up yoga so that I can meditate and my mind and get my body right cause it all goes together. So those have been my things that I’ve been doing lately to really center myself.”

AT&T Dream In Black

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

AT&T Dream In Black

Source: Jafar M. Pierre / AT&T Dream in Black

and detailed what “Dreaming In Black” means to her.

“Dreaming in Black for me looks like using my platform to help others, especially black women because I know what it’s like to have someone who you can look up to for representation but maybe not someone you can relate to,” said Lauren. “So I really try to use my platform to entertain, encourage, and inspire, and motivate, so that’s how I’m dreaming in Black.”

In addition to dishing on her life’s alignment with AT&T’s activation, BOSSIP also made sure to ask Lauren about those pesky (and never-ending) rumors that she and her husband Cameron Hamilton would be taking over Love Is Blind hosting duties.

Celebrities Attend Detroit Pistons v Atlanta Hawks

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

As previously reported Lauren and Cameron who are fan faves from season one were reported to be in the running to replace Vanessa and Nick Lachey amid criticism from watchers of the Love Is Blind “live” reunion special that went awry in April.

Despite fans gunning for the Hamiltons to take over, Lauren told BOSSIP that there have been no discussions—-yet at least.

“I heard there was a whole petition with 50,000 signatures,” said Lauren. “That is a beautiful thing and honestly, I’m so honored that people just like really support us and hold us down like that. You never know what can happen.

“Nothing has been in talks as of yet with Netflix but you never know what can happen in the future,” she added. “Or me and Cam, we might just get our own dating show.”

Celebrities Attend Detroit Pistons v Atlanta Hawks

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

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