National Urban League Community & Family Day Expo

• Official welcome
• Quick overview of zones
• Invite attendees to explore activations

Speaker: Marc H Morial

Wellness in Motion is a dynamic, community-centered stage moment that uses music and movement to spark joy, reduce stress, and promote mental clarity, guided by Jiggaerobics.
This experience reframes wellness as something joyful, inclusive, and shared—inviting families, students, and neighbors to participate together.

Speaker: LaDonte Lotts

Early 1930s, in a small unrecognized town called North, South Carolina, a frail little girl is hopelessly abandoned by her mother...the only source of love she has ever known. She is left in the care of a sharecropping family who enslaved, starved, abused, taunted, and molested her to no end. In the nick of time, this little girl is rescued from her world of torture by an aunt and moves away to live with her in New York City. Nearly twenty years later and against all odds, she grows up to be a roaring, amazingly talented woman known as EARTHA KITT! Committed to excellence in everything she did, she joined a dance troupe, toured, and fell in love with Europe, and through song and dance became the newest sensation there. Despite the sudden success, in the quiet moments of her mind, she remained continuously haunted by her past and always in search of the nurturing feeling of unconditional love she lost when her mother abandoned her.

Director: Dierdra McDowell

Dear Josephine is a film about the global icon Josephine Baker. Ms. Baker was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Baker was celebrated by artists and intellectuals of the era, who variously dubbed her the "Black Venus", the "Black Pearl", the "Bronze Venus", and the "Creole Goddess"; she was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She aided the French Resistance during World War II. After the war, she was awarded the Resistance Medal by the French Committee of National Liberation, the Croix de Guerre by the French military, and was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by General Charles de Gaulle. Baker sang: "I have two loves, my country and Paris."

Director: Amber Monet

Many teens dream of becoming streamers or content creators. This session teaches the fundamentals of streaming, building an audience, digital responsibility, and creating content that inspires and entertains while fostering positive online communities.

Performer: Kahlief Adams

Blues Born of Fire is a love offering to the Black women who carry blues in their bones and fire in their spirit. Inspired by Nina Simone’s “Four Women,” this poetic documentary unfolds in three acts: Reckoning, Reimagined, and Remembrance.

Director: Dr. Karen Moore

Breathe In. Let Go. is a guided wellness experience designed to help participants pause, reset, and regain clarity in the middle of their day. Led by a mindfulness facilitator, this session uses simple, accessible breathing techniques to reduce stress, regulate the nervous system, and restore focus—no prior experience required.

Speaker: Renee Watkins

What if saving hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars each year wasn't about cutting back, but simply shopping smarter? In this engaging and eye-opening session, you'll discover the couponing strategies, rebate hacks, and stacking techniques that savvy shoppers use to dramatically reduce their household expenses. Along the way, the audience will participate in live savings challenges, vote on real shopping scenarios, and test their deal-finding instincts as they learn how to turn everyday purchases into major wins.

Speaker: Queenie B

Ultrasonic Engineer Dr. Ramon Luna comes out of hiding when he discovers a correlation between the government’s testing of super ultrasonic powered drilling in the Pennsylvania Appalachian mountains and low scale earthquakes along the coastal northeast. When the government plans to move forward with a full-scale drill, Ramon’s only hope of stopping the drill is to convince an old colleague to present his evidence of the impending disaster. When that fails, all hell breaks loose and it’s up to Ramon and his 8-year-old son Rudy to warn the public and stop the drilling.

Director: Eunice Levis

Performers: The Praise Dancers

Tells the story of the three founders of The Freedom Day Foundation, a small grass roots organization that fights for racial and social equality. The documentary opens on the day of the foundation’s second march on July 4th, Blackout March, and follows the organizers, Morgan(27), Clayton(29), and Malik(23) through the commencement of the march. The film continues with the founders reminiscing on the importance of their first march, Freedom Day March, and concludes with their most recent march, Sing Along March, as we explore a bit of the lives of each of the founders. The bond between the three founders will set the stage for understanding the passion and drive required to create an impactful march and form a foundation. The ally ship displayed between Morgan and Malik with Clayton is a shining example of what is needed to enact change within our communities, nation and posits that we are stronger united than apart. The film will conclude with interviews with the activists discussing the future for the foundation, marches, and themselves as they continue their fight for equality.

Director: Rianne Pyle

A fun, interactive stage demonstration that teaches the basics of filming great short-form content—using kids or youth participants to perform a TikTok-style dance or trend in real time. A creator host walks the audience through how content is filmed, why certain angles and lighting matter, and what makes a video pop on social media.

Speaker: Mahala Lafrades

Who Told You Your Black Is Not Beautiful is a poignant documentary that brings awareness of the experiences of Black Women who have faced discrimination, prejudice, and self-esteem issues as a result of colorism. From everyday encounters to systemic barriers, the film uncovers the far-reaching effects of colorism on black women impacting their self-worth and sense of belonging.

Director: Dr. Karen Moore

Performer: Ya Boy Frye & The Family

They were refused seats at the table—so they built their own.

Being overlooked or pushed to the side, a generation of Black women stood tall and answered the call to mentor a new generation of preachers, teachers and spirit-led leaders who created an inclusive environment. Silent No More allows the viewer to get an inside look at how a mentorship movement was created and how it is flourishing.

Executive Producer: The Honorable Suzan Johnson Cook

African American Women in Cinema proudly presents The Politics of Black Women in Film, a powerful and timely conversation celebrating the voices, creativity, and leadership of Black women in the film industry.
This engaging panel brings together acclaimed filmmakers, directors, producers, and industry leaders whose work is shaping the future of global cinema. Through candid discussion and personal insights, panelists will explore the artistic, cultural, and social impact of Black women’s representation on screen and behind the camera.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities, challenges, and achievements that continue to influence the industry while learning how Black women are driving innovation, storytelling, and change in film. Designed to inspire meaningful dialogue and amplify diverse perspectives, this program highlights the importance of equity, visibility, and leadership in creating a more inclusive cinematic landscape.

Speakers: Terra Renee, Allyson Holloway, Lamonia Deanne Brown, Princess A. Hairston, Dr. A'Cire Newby

uses music and movement to spark joy, reduce stress, and promote mental

frail little girl is hopelessly abandoned by her mother...the only source of love

was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Baker was

their bones and fire in their spirit. Inspired by Nina Simone’s “Four Women,”

a correlation between the government’s testing of super ultrasonic powered

grass roots organization that fights for racial and social equality. The

brings awareness of the experiences of Black Women who have faced

Women in Film, a powerful and timely conversation celebrating the voices,

about cutting back, but simply shopping smarter? In this engaging and eye-

participants pause, reset, and regain clarity in the middle of their day. Led

Performers: The Praise Dancers

Performer: Ya Boy Frye & The Family

teaches the fundamentals of streaming, building an audience, digital

short-form content—using kids or youth participants to perform a TikTok-