Best Events in NYC this Week and Beyond (4.30.26)

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🗓️ Weekly Rundown

1. Welcome + LEVELUP Mixer Recap

2. The LEVELUP List of Upcoming Events in NYC

3. We interviewed Dr. Cornel West in Harlem!

4. LEVELUP Links - Training and Funding Opportunities

Welcome!

Hey LEVELUP in NYC Family 🚀,

We just officially hit 20,000 newsletter subscribers — and that milestone belongs to all of us. Thank you for being part of this growing community of ambitious professionals committed to leveling up your life, love, and career. On April 16th, we brought that energy to life at our LEVELUP in NYC Live Podcast Mixer, where we explored How to LEVEL UP Your Brand Through Storytelling alongside an incredible lineup of powerhouse voices: Charles Beloved Kuykendoll (founder of Charles Beloved Productions and the nationally touring Oxtail Off), Kareem Edwards (Chick-fil-A franchise owner and business advisor), and Rashan Brown (founder of poetry, me, please—now a full-scale cultural movement rooted in storytelling and community). It was an unforgettable night of insight, connection, and inspiration. We also had a powerful poetry performance from Conscious Sheesh and a live speed painting from artist Danielle Bowman. The full YouTube episode is dropping soon, so stay tuned. We’re also actively planning our next LEVELUP experience and can’t wait to share what’s coming next. But for now, let’s get into the best networking, social, and career events happening across NYC this week and beyond 🚀

Let’s LEVELUP Together,

-The LEVELUP in NYC Team

P.S. Want to advertise your event, business, or job opportunity to 137,000+ ambitious professionals across our newsletter & social media? Fill out our short partnership/sponsorship request form here and we’ll follow up with you.

Gladly Connect Live '26. May 4–6 in Atlanta.

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🔝 The Insider’s List - Upcoming NYC Events! 

#1 Sponsored Event

[5/14] Wall Street Alphas Present SIP 2026: Spring Reserve-Honoring the Craft of Excellence (Alvin Ailey Studios)

SIP is a spring evening celebrating craftsmanship, leadership, and community impact through wine, meaningful connection, and purposeful investment in the next generation, featuring complimentary wine and spirits tastings, curated small plates, live entertainment, and a celebration of the transformative work of the Alpha G.E.N.T.S. Program powered by Project Alpha. More than a refined social experience, SIP raises critical resources to support mentorship, leadership development, and college and career readiness for young men of color.

1. [5/2] South House Presents Say Twin - Cinco De Mayo Day Party (Elsewhere)

2. [5/2] First Saturdays at Brooklyn Museum (BK Museum)

3. [5/2] Comedian Desi Banks Live (The Town Hall)

4. [5/2] Shyne 25th Anniversary Show (King’s Theater)

5. [5/2] Cinco De Beards BK (Brooklyn Monarch)

6. [5/3] The People’s Ball with June Ambrose (Central Library) 

7. [5/7] Green Carpet Entertainment Presents First Thursdays (Lovejoys)

8. [5/13] Rick Ross Book Talk at Barnes and Noble Union Square (Barnes & Noble Union Square)

9. [5/14-15] MLT National Conference 

10. [5/16] Kelsey Anderson Mental Health Counseling Presents Dreams, the Afterlife, and the Ancient Egyptian Mind (Manhattan)

That’s not all. We have 80+ more events on the full event guide! Click below for more!

 Submit your event to us for FREE! Want to see your event listed in the Top 10 events or featured as an advertisement? Explore our advertising and sponsorship options to amplify your brand with us.

We Interviewed Dr. Cornel West in Harlem!

The LEVELUP in NYC team had a chance to speak with the legendary Dr. Cornel West last week where we asked him what it means for young professionals in NYC to really live and love out loud (like the title of his memoir). Check out his response below.

🔗 LEVELUP Links: Training + Funding Opportunities

1. Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Business Program Info and Application

Skip Grants Partner: We're thrilled to partner with Skip Grants, a platform that has helped over 1 million entrepreneurs secure $2B+ in funding with AI powered tools that simplify grant applications! 💰[Sign Up here!]

Want to see your training, funding, professional development, webinar opportunity listed here? Reach out to us at [email protected]!

How We Can Help You:

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• 🚀 Advertise your event or business in this newsletter: Get your brand, event, product or service in front of thousands of ambitious professionals.

• 📸 Book us to Photograph Your Event - We’ll provide your members with a specialized photo gallery and post-event article featured on our website. We don’t just photograph your event. We amplify it to an audience of thousands in the newsletter and across all our social channels