Andy Nsiele, KBLA’s board operator and audio engineer, shared a similar sentiment. “Robin was the light in the midst of darkness! She was the light in the midst of chaos! Her radiant positivity and jovial spirit were contagious,” Nsiele said.
“When I think about parents who lost their two-year-old, I think about the 30 years I had with my son,” he said. “It makes me realize how much grace God has given me.”
Tamberla Perry has made her mark on television with her portrayal of Dr. Carol Pierce, chief of Psychiatry, on NBC’s “Brilliant Minds.”
In a media landscape saturated with depictions of Black trauma, author Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts is on a mission to change the narrative.
Loni Love is no stranger to wearing many hats—and this holiday season, she’s adding a Santa hat to the mix.
Television host Rocsi Diaz has joined forces with NFL legend Deion Sanders for a new daytime talk show, “We Got Time Today.”
Financial independence is another game-changer. Crowdfunding, grants, and community investments are empowering Black creatives to maintain control over their work while staying true to their vision.
This foundation, Barron explained, was essential for bringing depth to Jenkins, a character under intense media scrutiny. To portray Jenkins authentically, Barron also studied Aaron Hernandez’s life, gaining insights that added layers to the emotional complexities her character faced.
“For me, I love Green Day through my love of rock. I love rock music, and I feel—I know—Black people created rock,” said Rucker. “As with most genres, we’ve created it, and I see strong parallels between gospel music and rock. That’s part of my enjoyment in how I sing rock.”
“UCLA is an amazing public research university,” said Hunt. “It has been quite an honor to work with an outstanding team of scholars and colleagues to chart the path for this institution’s next great achievements.”
“One of the things that helped me with ‘Poppa’s House,’” said Jackson, “is that in a multicamera sitcom, when they yell cut, the writers will come in and pitch different jokes, so you learn not to be completely locked into certain things because it’s constantly changing.”
“He was fun and loved to eat ice cream. Most importantly, he loved being home with us, my mom, and all of our animals on our farm. That’s the Otis Redding I grew up knowing.”
Chew also credits his mentors for shaping his career by exposing him to a variety of music venues, from Broadway pits to intimate jazz clubs. These experiences deepened his appreciation for both the precision of theater and the spontaneity of jazz, enhancing his versatility as a musician and musical director.
“I made a commitment to myself during COVID isolation,” said Campbell. “I’m going to do everything that I ever wanted to do in my life. I’m going to at least try it once.”
“We approach Black history as we approach ourselves,” Draper explained. “We do that naturally, with a lens of authenticity, but also with nuances from lived experiences that might help us understand things a little better or dig a little deeper.”