January 19, 2019
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As MLK Day has passed, we are looking to make Black History Month a keyword for all digital devotees. Friday, February 8th will kickstart our series designed to celebrate the future of Melanin Meetups.

How it all started:

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rapid increase in awareness around issues of diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry. The#OscarsSoWhite controversy, along with the frustration that was voiced when audiences and creators witnessed the rewriting and removing of characters of color in titles like Gods of Egypt, Ghost in the Shell, and Doctor Strange, illustrated the social justice imperative for addressing diversity issues on the set and in the board room.

The successes of Wonder Woman and Black Panther (along with small screen successes This is Us, Insecure, Atlanta and Black-ish) highlighted the economic potential of projects that center, and authentically portray, women and people of color. It is in that context that a number of industry influencers, including US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and executives from Lionsgate and AT&T worked with Jay Tucker, UCLA Center for MEMES launch a unique initiative aimed specifically at increasing the diversity in the talent pipeline.  A breakfast program before the 5th annual PULSE Conference will start our campaign, i hope you can join us to catalyze our micro to macro movement.

BLACK AMERICAN & THE CLASS DIVIDE
The economic gap within the African-American community is one of the most important factors in the rise of Black Lives Matter, led by a new generation of college graduates and students read more