Special Guests:
- Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Author; Inspirational, Motivational Speaker
- Tommy Hawkins, former LA Lakers; Author of Life's Reflections Poetry for the People
- Julie Dash, Director
- Ava DuVernay, Director/Screenwriter
Moderator: Kimberly Ogletree, Producer
Friday, February 10, 2012
8:00am-10:00am
Malibu Chart House Restaurant
18412 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265
RSVP info below!
 Jewel Diamond Taylor is a native of Washington D. C., raised, educated and living in Southern California. She was oneof the first female women of color to step on the scene as amotivational speaker in the early 80's. Taylor is an author ofseveral personal development books. She has been aninvited guest speaker for conferences, retreats, corporatetraining, churches and colleges campuses in 40 of the 50United States, as well as internationally in Brazil, London,the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Cancun, St. Kittsand Turks and Caicos. Taylor's message is a blend of hope,empowerment, encouragement, humor and practical wisdom. Jewel Diamond Taylor aka "The Self-esteem Dr." is a poet,radio personality, minister, life coach and frequents many communityorganizations (i.e. YWCA, women's shelters, schools, breastcancer awareness groups) to inspire others to be resilientin the midst of their adversities. For 12 years she was a presenter for the African American Women onTour Conferences sharing the stage with many African Americanlegends, authors, celebrities and activists. Her popular poem,"I'm Not Giving My Black Back" is recited by many students across the nation. Her web site is www.DoNotGiveUp.net.
 Tommy Hawkins is one of the nation’s leading eclectics and a media personality. He has enjoyed an incredible career as a basketball All-American at the University of Notre Dame, as an original member of the Los Angeles Lakers, a college lecturer, a pioneering Golden Mike and Emmy Award-nominated radio and television broadcaster, a public relations executive and Vice President of Communications for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has served as a civic leader with involvement on the Boards of Directors of the Los Angeles Center Theater Group, Los Angeles Sports Council, the Friends of Jazz at UCLA and was named Ambassador to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Adopt a School Program. His numerous awards include being inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame, Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame and the Los Angeles Athletic Club Hall of Fame. He has also been honored as a “Treasure of Los Angeles, Notre Dame Alumnus of the Year." His new book entitled "Life's Reflections: Poetry for the People" is a colorful coffee table book, and can best be described as an eclectic collection of poetic narratives, full of insights and surprises. Each narrative is accompanied by a captivating painting or photograph including works by famed artists LeRoy Neiman and Ernie Barnes among others.
 Julie Dash, Director: The Library of Congress has placed Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust in the NationalFilm Registry, her feature film joins a select group of American films preserved as National Treasures.
Julie Dash was born and raised in New York City; she has toured nationally and internationally withher work, and she has received numerous awards since embarking on her film career. With thedebut of Daughters of the Dust in January 1992, Julie Dash became the first AfricanAmerican woman to have a full-length general theatrical release in the United States. “O”magazine included ‘Daughters” among it’s 50 Greatest Chick Flicks. She appears in the 2011 release Amazing Shadows a documentary about the films and filmmakers inducted into the US National Film Registry.
Ms. Dash is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of Daughters of the Dust with events at the Directors Guild of America, the Avery Institute and as a part of the UCLA/Hammer and Getty Museum’s film retrospective: Black Cinema in Los Angeles, the LA Rebellion; and the 2012 Sundance Film Festival – where the film was places in The Collection.
Her upcoming feature, TUPELO 77, goes into production this spring, 2012.
Last year, she chaired the International Jury at the Kerala Film Festival in India, and participated in the Fesman Black Arts Festival in Dakar, Senegal. In 2010 Howard University honored Ms. Dash with the Paul Robeson Award for Excellence in Writing and Directing. Her work as a Film Director includes Brothers of the Borderland for The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum in Ohio; The Rosa Parks Story the winner of the NAACP Image Award, The Family Television Award, The New York Christopher Award, and Angela Bassett received an Emmy Nomination for her performance as “Rosa Parks.” For the 55th Annual Directors Guild Awards, Julie Dash was nominated for her Outstanding Directorial Achievement on The Rosa Parks Story, and she became the first African American woman nominated in the category of Primetime Movies Made for Television at The Directors Guild of America. Her long form, dramatic narrative films include: Love Song, an MTV original feature starring R&B singers Monica and Tyrese; Incognito, a romantic thriller starring Richard T. Jones, Vanessa Williams and Phil Morris; and the ENCORE/StarZ3 Funny Valentines starring Alfre Woodard, Loretta Devine and C.C.H. Pounder. She wrote and directed an episode of “Women” for ShowTime; “Sax Cantor Riff” and HBO’s “Subway Stories” for Producers Jonathan Demme and Rosie Perez. She has directed numerous music videos, commercial spots, and has books published by The New Press and Dutton-Signett Books.
When not working on her projects Ms. Dash is a frequent lecturer at many of the leading Universities in the United States. Directing Reel: http://vimeo.com/2028046
 Ava DuVernay, Director/Screenwriter: Winner of the Best Director Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, Ava DuVernay is a writer, producer, director and distributor of independent film. Her directorial work also includes the critically-acclaimed dramatic feature I WILL FOLLOW, as well as the music documentaries THIS IS THE LIFE and MY MIC SOUNDS NICE. She is founder of the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement, better known as AFFRM.
 Kimberly Ogletree, Producer: Kimberly Ogletree began her career producing hundreds of music videos for superstars LL Cool J, Stevie Wonder, Will Smith, Boyz II Men, and Public Enemy just to name a few.
Kimberly joined the BET family as Supervising Producer for Development and Special Projects where she produced several syndicated television shows and specials, BET’s 15th Anniversary and The Walk of Fame featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Babyface among others.
Kimberly’s producing credits include BET’s Arabesque films, Rendevous, A Private Affair, Midnight Blue and Rhapsody directed by Jeff Byrd; Hair Show starring Oscar Recipient, Monique; Playas Ball starring Allen Payne of “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne”; Cuttin’ Da Mustard starring Brandon T. Jackson which won the Pan African Film Festival 2007 Festival Choice Award; the MTV Original Movie, Love Song directed by Julie Dash; Ashes which won the 2010 Best Horror Film at the Shriekfest; and Hellraiser Revelation for Dimension Films. Recently, Kimberly produced the faith-based film “A Beautiful Soul” starring gospel artist Deitrick Haddon, Harry J. Lennix and Lesley-Ann Brandt.
Kimberly opened her doors to Karat Films, a motion picture and television production company designed to collaborate with visionary filmmakers while creating market-driven urban and multi-cultural content for the global marketplace. Kimberly made her directorial debut with the documentary, The Icons of Hip Hop: The Golden Era that explores the evolution of the Hip Hop from 1983-1993.
Kimberly stepped back into the world of television to executive produce the reality series, Keith Sweat’s Platinum House featuring Dru Hill, which aired on Centric and she landed a pilot for Fuse TV, an original dramatic series The Hustle, directed by Tim Story.
Karat Films has plans to produce six feature film adaptations of the Kimani Tru/Harlequin romance novels and the apocalyptic thriller Fyre Lake. Karat Films is positioning itself as a quality content provider of films and television programs with a distinctive Karat signature. Staying ahead of the curve is Karat Films unique operating philosophy.
WIF Networking Breakfasts are immensely popular, as they allow attendees to interact with our special guests, WIF members, and WIF program chairs in a friendly and social atmosphere. Come and meet your peers, eat delicious food and widen your networks in the industry!
TICKETS: WIF Members $15; Non-members $20 (cash at the door)
RSVP: Candace Bowen,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
TELEPHONE: (310) 457-8664
Membership cards are required at the door to obtain member discount!
CLICK HERE FOR A MAP |
Export Event 
