Black professionals will be taking root in the entertainment sector. According to a press release sent to AfroTech, Diverse Representation will host its second annual Black Entertainment Executives Pipeline program set to run from July 11-August 16, 2022. Twelve participants will have access to leading industry executives including Ty Cameron (President, Ebony Studios), Jelani Johnson (EVP, Content Strategy, MACRO), and Joe Aiken (Executive, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in addition to hands-on experience. The six-week program will be offered in-person for those living in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually to reach potential participants across the nation. “This first-of-its-kind program is an invaluable resource for any Black professional or creative interested in pursuing a career as an executive in the television or film industry,” said Jaia Thomas, Esq., founder and president of Diverse Representation, according to a press release. “This is the only program of its kind in the...

Last year, the Recording Academy and social justice nonprofit Color of Change announced their joint initiative, #ChangeMusic, to bring equity to Black creators and professionals in the music industry. This week, Color of Change continues that work by partnering with Diverse Representation — a database of Black agents, attorneys, managers, and publicists in the sports and entertainment industries — to launch the Black Music Executives Pipeline Program. According to Forbes, this new program is the first to be released from #ChangeMusic and will rely on the expertise of both the non-profit organization and diversity database to help increase the number of active Black executives in the music industry. Additionally, the program will also be responsible for creating an effective tool that will “allow record labels, publishers, video production companies, streaming services and touring companies to quickly identify and hire Black professionals,” Billboard reports. While #ChangeMusic was...