Film

 ‘We Grown Now’ – A Deeply Poignant Film by Minhal Baig

“We Grown Now” written and directed by Minhal Baig emerges as a cinematic rarity, defying Hollywood norms by presenting African American characters as intricately nuanced and relatedly ordinary individuals amidst a landscape typically dominated by violent narratives and stereotypical portrayals.

Wendy Williams’ Brave Revelation: Living with Progressive Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia

Before conquering daytime television, Williams spent 23 years building a devoted fan base on the radio with “The Wendy Williams Experience,” a top-rated daily radio show. Syndicated nationally, it aired on WBLS in New York, captivating an audience of more than 12 million people. In recognition of her contributions, Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November 2009, a prestigious honor held by only a handful of women.

Political Cartoonist Changing the World One Illustration at a Time

  This June, the Sentinel is putting the spotlight on Black men, highlighting their life and how they make a difference in the world. David G. Brown is an award-winning artist, who’s editorial cartoons have been featured in the Sentinel for the last 20 years. A gifted designer, photographer and illustrator, David’s work and merits are impressive. He grew up in West Atco, a small town in South Jersey outside of Atlantic City. David earned his Bachelor’s degree at Stockton University where he has received the Arts and Humanities Professional Achievement Award in 2011 and recently, the Alumni Impact Award

PBS to Air ‘The Cowboys of South Central L.A.’ to Commemorate Juneteenth

Award-winning director and film maker, Brett Fallentine, is a Northern California native who dedicated more than seven years to learn, film, and connect with the rich history of the Compton Cowboys in his documentary, “Fire on the Hill: The Cowboys of South Central L.A.” The film is being released by PBS to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday. Also, it’s a South L.A. story that highlights the area’s Black cowboys and the positive imprint this group is making on the community. Fallentine explained that his film, “Fire on the Hill,” counters the negative impression that media has about Compton and South Central

Black Herstory Month: Women Making Moves and Leading Change in The Music Industry

African Americans have made significant contributions to the art of music in many genres across generations. One musical genre that has roots back to slavery is gospel music. As slaves became Christians, a religion forced upon them, they began singing hymns later termed spirituals. Then with the abolition of slavery, a new form of music began to emerge. Free Blacks found themselves expressing their disappointment in a post-slavery society, birthing the smooth sound of the blues. Fast-forward to the late 1970’s, Hip-Hop was born. This cultural movement encompassed all past and present music expressions like spirituals, the blues, poems, art, stories,

Black Herstory Month: Learn About Extraordinary Black Women Making History

Black Americans make up 12% of the country’s population, but less than 6% are appointed as chief executive officers (CEO). In November of 2022, CNBC announced that only 5.9% of all CEO’s in the United States are African American. Within those small percentages, Rosalind Brewer and Thasunda Brown Duckett are the only two Black women who have lead Fortune 500 companies.  

BET+ Collabs with CBC to Launch New Series, “The Porter”

BET+ and the Canadian Broadcasting Corportation (CBC) have come together to release a new series, “The Porter,” which highlights the creation of a Black worker’s union in the roaring twenties. Inspired by real life events, The Porter follows a group of about five characters who hustle, move mountains, and stop at nothing to make their dreams come true and fight for the much-deserved liberation of themselves and their people.

‘Subjects of Desire’ Screened at the 30th Anniversary of Pan African Film Festival

‘Subjects of Desire’, a provocative feature documentary written and directed by Jennifer Holness, screened at the 30th Anniversary of the Pan African Film Festival that took place in Los Angeles this past weekend from April 19 to May 1. Jennifer had to reschedule her 30th wedding anniversary to Greece in order to be in attendance for her screening at this festival, that’s how special this screening was to her. This documentary has been screened at over 30 film festivals across the world but being supported by the black community is always a great feeling she states.

Ava Walker: From Foster Child to CEO

Ava Walker is the founder of “Arts, Film, and Goods’ pantry,” a non-profit organization that serves foster youth throughout the Southland, and a former foster youth herself. She sat down with L.A. Sentinel to opine about her journey from foster child to CEO.