Tech Panel

Tech Flier

2020 AAFM Logo

Join BHERC & Film's Directors as they explore the ecosystems supporting dynamic Tech leaders kindling revolutionary change in Atlanta & around the world.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA, November 6, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC) curated the 26th Annual African American Film Marketplace & S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase (AAFM SEMSFS) streaming online now through November 29th, 2020, to include a global voice from storytellers with points of view not often heard. With this mission in mind, BHERC is proud to present a special free screening followed by a Q and A with Cast and Crew of the new Docu-series “Atlanta Black Tech Mecca,” Sunday, November 8, 5:00PM (PDT) online at www,BHERC.TV.

With more than 20 states represented in the 2020 festival, the South definitely has something to say. This film, resoundingly announces that Atlanta, Georgia IS the Black Tech Mecca of the United States. Atlanta is viewed by many as one of country’s fastest growing technology hubs, creating thousands of jobs each year and providing an ever-growing ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurship and supports the city’s Black-owned technology startups. Ambitious, motivated and socially-driven, the Black tech founders in Atlanta are unique in their desire to build legacies and affect long lasting cultural change that will positively impact their communities for generations to come.

The “Atlanta Black Tech Mecca,” film explores the ecosystems supporting these dynamic tech leaders, as they kindle revolutionary change in the city of Atlanta and around the world. Attendees are invited to watch the film then meet the leaders driving this movement and join a vibrant Q and A discussion. Moderated by avid movie watcher Herb Sims, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Northrop Grumman Corporation who has been working with the BHERC family for over 10 years receiving his BS in Chemical Engineering at Prairie View A&M University and his MBA in Management at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Panelists are the films directors C’Vonzell Dondrico and Vante Gregory who are joined by Jakita O. Thomas, Ph.D., co-founder of Pharaoh's Conclave (PCX). Other entrepreneurs featured in the film are Nashlie Sephus, Justin Dawkins, Barry Givens, Jewel Burks Solomon, Joey Womak, Carolyn Pitts, and Doll Avant.

About Our Key Panelists
C’Vonzell Dondrico is a filmmaker and aspiring tech entrepreneur who became obsessed with telling the story of the Black Tech Entrepreneur. While attending every Black film and technology conference of note over a two year period, He experienced firsthand true examples of Black excellence in the founders and technologists creating innovative companies and movements in the technology space. For C'Vonzell, this was in stark contrast to his experience with technology growing up, which was the classic tale of the digital divide. Today, C'Vonzell is the Founder and Executive Producer of TECH IN BLACK AND WHITE, a media company firmly entrenched in the lives and work of Black Creators, Innovators and Rebels celebrating their cultural movements and creating conversational projects meant to inspire and influence dialogue surrounding them and their work. His mission is to shine the brightest of lights on the country's most audacious and industrious Black Tech Leaders from Los Angeles, CA to Atlanta, GA - the Black Tech Mecca, and beyond. Visionaryfilmmaker.com

Vante Gregory writer, producer, director, cinematographer, editor is a self-taught director & cinematographer hailing out of Atlanta, GA born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. now residing in Atlanta, GA From the young age of 6 he’s had a penchant for films, specifically Black films. Working his way up through the independent film community he has shot work for ARRI & Kodak. He’s a fan of and inspired by New Russian Cinema and the LA film rebellion. He creates and produces web series, documentaries, short films and more. In addition, he’s in works for his first narrative feature film slated to be shot in spring of 2021.

Jakita O. Thomas, Ph.D., is the co-founder of Pharaoh's Conclave (PCX), a tech company that prepares youth for eSports careers. She is co-founder of PCX’s non-profit arm, PCX GO! which builds on PCX’s mission of pioneering eSports education through capacity building around eSports career pathways. Dr. Thomas is a graduate of the digitalundivided BIG Incubator as well as the YC Startup School, and she is currently in the inaugural cohort of the Google for Startups Atlanta Founder's Academy. PCX is also a Microsoft Startup. Dr. Thomas is a Philpott WestPoint Stevens Associate Professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Auburn University in Auburn, AL, and Director of the CUltuRally & SOcially Relevent (CURSOR) Computing Lab. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer & Information Science with a minor in Mathematics from Spelman College in 1999. In 2006, Dr. Thomas was conferred a Ph.D. in Computer Science with a specialization in the Learning Sciences and Technology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA.

More About the Festival
An inclusive festival of 140 plus diverse films from all genres that presents the opportunity to share, learn and gain inspiration to meet the challenges facing the world to today and panels to inform, educate and give insight into the entertainment industry from top professionals and executives in the business. In addition to the 18 countries represented at the festival, filmmakers hail from over 20 US States and 40 Cities. Festival participants may sort and select films by genres that include: Action, Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Historical, Horror, Inspirational, Music, Romance, Sci-Fi, Spoken Word, and Thriller. They may also explore by topics such as Art, Diversity, Family, Faith-Based, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, People with Disabilities and Social Justice. The festival also plays host to a few young filmmakers from Film schools such as: Academy of Art, Florida State University, High Definition Film Academy, Loyola Marymount University, New York Film Academy, Oral Roberts University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of Southern California. However, the youngest filmmaker is a self-taught nine-year old.

Ticketing
Festival passes are available online at www.bherc.org. $75.00 for a full Festival Pass, $25.00 for a Day Pass and $10.00 for a block of 5 films. All panels and special events are free.

Lura Ball
Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center
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