This year marks a defining milestone for the BlackStars Experience: five years of celebrating excellence, elevating extraordinary leaders, and creating opportunities that move our communities forward. And what better way to commemorate this journey than with our 2026 BlackStars Magazine cover, featuring an exceptional group of trailblazers, innovators, and changemakers who embody this year’s theme: BUILDING WHAT’S NEXT.
These are leaders who aren’t simply breaking barriers. They’re building institutions, opening doors, creating opportunities, and redefining what’s possible for the next generation. Their stories remind us of something powerful: Excellence is worth celebrating. But its greatest impact comes from what we build with it and who we bring along.
Meet the honorees as they reflect on their journeys, what it means to be named a BlackStar, and what they are building next!
The 2026 cover features:
Sherette A. Constant — Managing Director, Morgan Stanley
Herschel Frierson — Indianapolis Office Managing Partner & Chairman of the Board of Directors, NABA, Inc., Crowe Advisory LLC
Justina Nixon-Saintil — Vice President & Global Chief Impact Officer, IBM
Nexus U. Sea — Partner, O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Rick C. Wade — Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances & Outreach, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Jewel McGowan Watson — Vice President, Corporate Counsel, The Prudential Insurance Company of America
