Inclusivity in Entertainment: Uplifting Black Voices

Saturday, January 28, 2023

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Location: Morial Convention Center, Studio Stage (LLX Marketplace, Hall J)

Level of Participation: Low@@@Medium

Sponsored by Sourcebooks

What do an actor, a celebrity photographer, an assistant district attorney and juvenile prosecutor, and a filmmaker have in common? On the surface, they are all Black creatives with forthcoming books from Sourcebooks. But in diving deeper, they are all intimately familiar with Black representation and the lack thereof in the entertainment industry as a whole and the damage that can do to people in the Black community. Most importantly, they have all chosen to be the change they wish to see by telling stories that have been historically excluded. In this hour-long in-conversation panel, these four trailblazing professionals will present their upcoming titles and will then discuss the creation of Black-centered content, the increasing availability of diverse stories, and what representation of identities means across genres in book publishing.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participant will be able to identify several upcoming titles by Black authors creating Black-centered content to add to their library collections.
Upon completion, participant will be better equipped to practice inclusivity as they develop their collections.
Upon completion, participant will be able to think critically about gaps in the media where content by Black creators or stories centering Black characters are underrepresented.

Moderator(s)

Caseen Gaines

Author
Sourcebooks

Content Leader(s)

Carell Augustus

Author Panelist, Photographer
Sourcebooks
Ali Kamanda

Author, Panelist
Sourcebooks
Eriq La Salle

Author, Actor, and Director
Sourcebooks
Jorge Redmond

Author
Sourcebooks