PGA Diversity Workshop
2020 has been a tough year so far. But I did receive some good news. I’ll be part of the 2020 Producers Guild of America Power of Diversity Master Workshop!
I’m very thankful for Elesha Barnette. We met at the 2011 UCLA Professional Program in Producing. She’s not only a producer, but also a wonderful writer, director, production designer – I’ve seen her in action on the “Last Life” series and she is amazing! http://eleshabarnette.com . Then she sent her feature script to me – “The International Sweethearts of Rhythm” a story inspired by the lives of the all girl swing band that performed from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. I fell in love with her script.
And I couldn’t stop researching more and more about the lives of the real women. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of them before. They broke box office records and played opposite jazz greats, even though they had so much against them (they came from a poor economic background, were women, majority women of color, in a segregated time). Their story must be told!
I’m also thankful to Patriot Pictures for financing diverse, inclusive, untold stories and supporting females and people of color.
Thank you Producers Guild of America and the Diversity Mentor Team! I can’t wait to learn more from you over the next few months and get this story on screen to audiences!!!
More about the program: https://www.producersguild.org/page/pga_diversity?
