09/07/2026
What if one of the greatest, untapped economic assets in our communities and countries is not beneath the ground, but already living in our people, our hearts, our creativity, our culture, and in our ideas?
I am Estifanos Berta-Samuel founder and CEO of Established Fashion and Lifestyle and the Minister of Creative Industries, Education and Enterprise for the Nation of Cherut.
For more than 25 years, I’ve worked across entertainment and fashion as a model, creative director, stylist, producer, educator, and entrepreneur. My work has connected me with brands and platforms, including ENYCE; Absolute Vodka, the History Channel, BET, Cartoon Network, So You Think You Can Dance, Los Angeles Fashion Week, South Africa Fashion Week, and MTN Africa.
After decades in these industries, one thing is clear:
creating culture is not the same thing as owning the platforms that benefit from it.
Across fashion, music, film, media, design, technology, art and cultural enterprise our communities are creating tremendous value.
Now we must build the infrastructure to own it, protect it, monetize it, and scale it. We believe that requires five critical steps.
1. Identify our creative and cultural assets
2. Protect our intellectual property and ownership
3. Build sustainable creative
4. Leverage AI responsibly understanding both its opportunities and it’s Risks
5. Connect those enterprises to capital markets, technology, tourism, education manufacturing, and global opportunity
Our vision is a globally Connected, creative, economic framework that allows creators, businesses, communities, and countries to enter new markets with stronger protections, clearer standards and more control over the value they create.
That’s why I created Culture is Capitol: How to Own, Protect and Monetize creative industries in the age of AI.
Scan the QR code to access the Guide and connect with us. We invite you to work with Established Fashion and Lifestyle and the Nation of Cherut Nation of Cherut (Pronounced She Ra) to help put these frameworks into action.
Because we should not simply participate in the global creative economy. We should shape it standards, protect its assets, and on more of the value that we create.
