Gina Belafonte is someone who walks the walk and talks the talk.

As the executive director of Sankofa, she’s combining the arts and activism to carry on her father’s legacy.

Though initially starting out as an actress, Gina Belafonte is now focusing her efforts on the organization her father started and choosing to focus her efforts on larger social justice causes.

But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t use entertainment to get her point across.

On March 1, HB95 — a celebration of Harry Belafonte’s 95th birthday — will be a star-studded event that will take place at the Town Hall Theater in New York City. Proceeds will benefit Sankofa, whose mission “educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change,” per the organization’s official website.

Their outreach is, of course, grassroots in nature — they work with local partners to amplify their message, but their amplification involves some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry today. For example, confirmed guests at the HB95 event include Aloe Blacc, Alicia Keys, Spike Lee, John Legend, Laurence Fishburne, Doug E Fresh, Danny Glover, Bill T Jones, Amy Goodman, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Moore, Q-Tip, Tim Robbins, Rev. Al Sharpton, Bryan Stevenson, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Jesse Williams, and Alfre Woodward.

“Artists are the gatekeepers of truth, civilization’s radical voice,” Gina Belafonte said in a statement about the upcoming event.

AfroTech recently had a chance to sit down with Gina to talk about her father’s legacy and Sankofa’s mission.

Editorial note: Portions of this interview have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Sankofa

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