Leadership
ROBERT RABEN
Founder
KIM CALLINAN
Executive Director
ISISARA BEY
Artistic Director
OPAL HOPE BENNETT
Emerging & Student Filmmaker Competition Director
Leigh Davis
Producer
Team
- Producer: Leigh Davis
- GALA Consultants: Kimball Stroud Associates
- Marketing Lead: Mike Utaegbulam
- Finance Director: Ibonee Perry
- Operations Manager: Ralph Santora
Board of Trustees
The Festival is guided by a team of leaders across the entertainment, policy, and social justice arenas that ensures the success and execution of our vision.
Denielle Pemberton
President
Diversified Search Group
Craig Emanuel
Treasurer
Ryan Murphy Productions
Stephanie Gold
Secretary
Hogan Lovells
Vickee Jordan Adams
Finsbury Glover Hering
Victoria Bassetti
Brennan Center for Justice
Joyce Brayboy
Goldman Sachs
A'Lelia Bundles
Author
Samara Foxx
Attorney
Melissa Maxfield
Comcast
Joseph Olchefske
Educator & Entrepreneur
ROBERT RABEN
Founder
Joseph West
Duane Morris LLP
Press releases
March On!: Stories That Move – July 2025 Cultural Roundup
July 2025 Edition We’re back with the second edition of Stories That Move—our monthly roundup of cultural works that shine a light on truth, justice, and the transformative power of […]
Thinking of Becoming an Expat?
If you’re contemplating expatriation, as many are these days, you’d be in stellar company. Notable African American expats include performer Josephine Baker, writer James Baldwin, scholar W.E.B. Du Bois and […]
June 2025 Newsletter
Upcoming Webinar – Behind the Lens: Telling Civil Rights Stories Through FilmTuesday, June 24 | 1:00-1:30 PM ET Join us for a live conversation about the power of film to […]
