WASHINGTON –  (October 26, 2018), Today scholars, entertainers, activists and more will discuss crucial issues within the African-American community, locally and abroad, at the HU Ideas Festival. The festival will begin at 11 a.m. and will be held at the School of Business, 2400 6^th Street NW, Washington, DC. The festival advances President Frederick’s vision of Howard Homecoming as the most dynamic celebration in the nation and a destination for thought leaders and all members of the Bison family to discuss issues impacting our communities. 

Special guests include Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Rev. Leah Daughtry, and Minyon Moore―a group of women who call themselves, The Colored Girls, actress Kiki Layne of the new film, If Beale Street Could Talk, and NETFLIX executives, Ciara Trinidad, head of diversity and inclusion and Jon Hicks, senior counsel of employment law.

During the festival, President Wayne A. I. Frederick will present his annual “State of the University Address.” And as a preview to HU Ideas Festival, The Colored Girls, will host a book signing in the School of Business for their new book For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics. The book signing will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the School of Business. Guests are advised to arrive early.

Session I: “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics” 

Session I is moderated by Symone Sanders, communications consultant, former press secretary for Bernie Sanders and CNN political commentator. The discussion will delve into the lives of black women in American politics that are remarkably absent from the shelves of bookstores and libraries. The new book, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics, is a sweeping view of American history from the vantage points of four women who have lived and worked behind the scenes in politics for over thirty years―Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, and Minyon Moore―a group of women who call themselves, The Colored Girls.

The discussion of their book and the upcoming elections will include Donna Brazile, political strategist, author and current King Lecture Series chair; Yolanda Caraway, president and chief executive officer of the PR agency the Caraway Group; Reverend Leah Daughtry, pastor of The House of the Lord Church in Washington, DC, and former chief executive officer of the 2006 and 2008 Democratic National Convention Committees; and Minyon Moore, principal of the Dewey Square Group and public policy and affairs strategist.

Session II: NETFLIX Don’t Chill: Disrupting and Diversifying Hollywood 

The online streaming giant is challenging more established networks and changing the increasingly the center of creating new content.  This discussion will focus on the innovative ways that NETFLIX is breaking barriers to reshape television, disrupt traditional business models, and create new opportunities for people of color to diversify the industry at all levels. Session II will address the current lack of diversity in Hollywood and the solutions to be more inclusive with Netflix’s Ciara Trinidad, head of diversity and inclusion, Jon Hicks, senior counsel of employment law, Rochelle King, vice president of global product creative, Wayne Horton, coordinator, and Dorothy Hammond, director of talent and human resources.

Session III: If Beale Street Could Talk: A Discussion of the Film

Session III will discuss the issues of race, culture and the James Baldwin novel and adapted film, If Beale Street Could Talk with newcomer and lead actress, Kiki Layne with Debbie Jarvis, senior vice president of corporate relations at Howard University and former NBC4 news anchor. Layne is leading in Beale Street as “Tish Rivers,” making this her first national motion-picture film. The film tells the story of a woman in Harlem that desperately scrambles to prove that her fiancé is innocent of a crime while carrying their first child. If Beale Street Could Talk will be released in select markets November 30 and nationally in January 2019.

The HU Ideas Festival is open to the public and is first come, first serve. WHUT will livestream the HU Ideas Festival http://whur.com/whur/hu-ideas-festival-2018/,  and the event hashtag is #HUIdeasFestival. For more information, visit https://homecoming.howard.edu.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.  For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu

Media Contact: Imani Pope-Johns, Imani.popejohns@howard.edu