BuildUp Continues The Conversation on Diversity in Technology

Are we having the honest and ‘elephant in the room’ conversations when it comes to Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) in the technology industry?  D&I is a buzz word these days, but who is ‘really’ doing something about making impact in this space and moving the dial in our own backyards before trying to tackle the ‘global game’.  On June 24^th, BUILDUP, a global impact firm designed to connect, mentor and educate technology entrepreneurs across the world, is spearheading that conversation and they started with bringing technology and D&I professionals under one roof at Impact HUB Oakland.  The panelists were: Barbara Williams, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Oracle, Leah McGowen-Hare, Master Technical Instructor at Salesforce, Sarah P. Stuart, Manager – Global Diversity & Talent Inclusion at Google, Kiva Wilson, Diversity Program Manager at Facebook, Cedric Brown, Managing Partner at Kapor Foundation for Social Impact, Amy Schapiro, Director at CODE2040, Samantha O’Keefe of TechCrunch and the panel moderator was Kritina Omari, General Partner at BUILDUP.

Close to 100 people packed the room in anticipation of hearing from these technology and diversity leader professionals and the information they shared was insightful, hopeful and more importantly relatable. 

Kiva Wilson mentioned that the reason Facebook has not made their Diversity numbers public to date had everything to do with the company focusing internally on the dialogue and efforts  that are being made to ensure they are being impactful and effective when it comes to Diversity and further identifying their culture in that space.

Barbara Williams made it clear that she was on the panel representing her own views and not those of Oracle. With that said, her remarks started with that “unspoken” yet ‘wandering” question about being hired to ‘fill a quota” as opposed to because of your talents.  Barbara’s light hearted comment about a company getting a “2fer” when hiring a woman who is African American caused for laughter among the audience but at the same time it appeared to be very relative as though everyone In the room knew of it either happening to them or to someone they knew.

Cedric Brown gave a very pointed and effective solution to what needs to happen to move the dial on creating an inclusive technology ecosystem and he framed it as the 4P’s: Perception: as Oakland’s journey of thriving in the ‘tech’ space and becoming an attractive city to technology companies, investors and corporations, making sure Oakland kept the essence and origin of what the city is known as - ‘Soul by the Bay’; Partnership: collaborations are critical as no one corporation, individual or group can make a significant impact without support from the leaders in the technology industry; Pipeline: there has to be an intentional effort to not only just build a pipeline of talent but ensure there is diversity within that pool of individuals who are tapped for success; and Policy: there has to be policy around affordable housing in Oakland to even begin to get the attention of a diverse pool of technology talent who want to live, work and start families in the city.

So what’s next?  Where do we go from here?  Who is going to spearhead the ‘next conversation’?  Inquiring minds what to know.  And go!

For more information about BUILDUP visit www.buildup.vc

Motown The Musical - A Sneak Peek - SHN Orpheum Theater

I was determined to be on time for the 'sneak peak' of Motown the Musical at the Orpheum Theater yesterday.  From dodging $30 parking lots to backing up quickly to grab the last 'free meter on the street',  "I guess you'd say, what could make me feel this way".....MOTOWN!  As a child, I remember my Dad, who was a professional DJ at the time, had the hundreds of albums that were stacked on racks upon racks in the home, and the most memorable vision were those albums that had the 'blue, red and yellow' label.  More than 2000 people packed the theater in great anticipation of the performance and KBLX's own Nikki Thomas kicked things off with a ton of energy and excitement. She was definately in her Diana Ross moment, big hair and all.

Talk about 'evergreen' music, the stellar performance by the cast members took us down memory lane from singing Dancing In The Streets,  Diana Ross' To Love Again and the Temptations' I've Got Sunshine On A Cloudy Day to the point of a standing ovation. Then to watch the reenactment of Berry Gordy, Jr. and Diana Ross fall in love in Paris was 'butterfly fluttering' and you absolutely felt you were right there with them.

We know music is the bridge for all languages, cultures and even generations and this musical, as Motown Musical Director Charles Randolph Wright said last evening, has come at the right time for this nation.  Motown music inspires, gives hope, manifests dreams and brings back the memory of the Good Times.  Many times we have to be reminded of the simple things in our own lives which are, to so many others, a life of prosperity and abundance.

The San Francisco tour opens August 15th at the SHN Orpheum Theater and the tickets are definitely going to SELL OUT.  Go online and purchase your tickets now or else! And go!

Purchase Tickets

Kali 8 Productions/Kali Films and D Street Pictures to Co-Produce ‘GPS…’

(June 3, 2014 - New York City) Kali 8 Productions/Kali Films, the production company behind the critically acclaimed documentary “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth” with appearances by Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Peter Guber and many more notables and directed by UK raised, Kenyan born director Pratibha Parmar, (“Nina’s Heavenly Delights”), has join forces to co-produce the romantic comedy ‘G.P.S….I Love You’ written my Ellen Gavin.

‘G.P.S…I love you’ is set to start production in Los Angeles in early 2015. It tells the story of Liberty Sanchez, an Irish/Latin American radio traffic reporter who sees her job as dead-end until she meets a charming, successful and socially conscious British entrepreneur who motivates her to do more, whilst having to deal with an overbearing boss and a friend who may or may not have her best interest at heart.

Parmar is at the helm to direct and had this to say about the collaboration.  “We are thrilled to be working with Dexter Davis who fell in love with the screenplay immediately, matching our own enthusiasm. I am excited about directing GPS…I Love You, a cinematic love song to the city of Angels.”

Dexter Davis will serve as Executive Producer and is CEO of D Street Media Group, the parent company behind D Street Pictures who will co-produce. “D Street is fortunate to have acquireed US theatrical rights for Pratibha’s beautiful documentary on the life, times and contributions of one of America’s most beloved literary giants, Ms. Alice Walker. To have the opportunity to co-produce Pratibha’s next film, ‘G.P.S…I love You’ which is a hilarious and quite relevant RomCom is icing on the Cake. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

About D Street Media Group

Headquartered in New York City with offices in Berlin and Buenos Aires, is the holding company for D Street Releasing, D Street Pictures, D Street Medievertriebe GmbH in Germany and Americine SRL in Argentina. D Street Pictures’ The Reception, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005 and the 2010 award winning Rivers Wash Over Me, played at more than thirty film festivals. Both films were distributed by Strand Releasing. In 2013 the company produced the Afrikaans film Music in the Background directed by Sallas de Jager and Somewhere Slow directed by Jeremy O’Keefe, starring Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee, Nip/Tuck) Robert Forster (Olympus has Fallen,The Descendants, Jackie Brown) and Denise Grayson (The Social Network, Citizen Jane) to be released by Screen Media in January 2014.  The company’s 2014 slate includes the international heist film The Blue Mauritius directed by 2014 Golden Bear nominee Edward Berger and starring Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose (The Prince and the Frog, Dreamgirls) British star Ashley Walters (Get Rich or Die Tryin, Speed Racer) Amr Waked (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Syriana) and Latin American superstar Natalia Oreiro.  D Street is also executive producing and distributing Brazilian film Moto Anjos directed by Joe Tripician, shot on location in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Lone Hill directed by Sallas de Jager shot in Pretoria, South Africa. D Street Releasing will distribute South African features Stargazer, Music in the background and the acclaimed documentary Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth directed by Pratibha Parmar, which will have a special New York screening event hosted by the UN in October 2014.

Publicist for Dexter Davis
Y'Anad Burrell
Glass House Communications
E: yanad@glasshousepr.com

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San Francisco Magazine Salutes "Oakland" in Style (June Issue)

On May 28th San Francisco Magazine celebrated the launch of their June issue which was completely 'dedicated to Oakland', at Encuentro Cafe & Wine Bar in Jack London Square.  Imagine that!  Why Oakland?  Because it's far past the city's time to be given the national and international recognition it deserves for being well beyond a trendsetter.  The June issue of San Francisco Magazine nails it when it comes to capturing the essence of Oakland from the Art scene to the politics of it all. 

Oakland is #1 when it comes to Innovation, Style and Diversity.  Many are behind the 8-ball in this discovery, but it's okay just don't sleep. My colleague Mashama Carter (510 Media), saw the writing on the wall more than 5 years ago during one of his many visits to the East Coast.  He came back to 'the town' and said that Oakland is going to be the next Brooklyn.  As his prediction would come true, the New York Times Magazine acknowledged the same in their recent article about Oakland as the Brooklyn By The Bay.

My favorite section in this issue is "The People - Neighboring Words of Wisdom // Lifestyles of the Important and Famous // Easter Sunday Fashion Show // East Oakland Hoop Dreamer // Artists Who Love Artists."  I would assume many that know me would see this as a 'no-brainer' in terms of why I gravitated to this section. I think you would like it as well so dive in and enjoy.  LOL. (Photo: SF Mag Cover)

As Oakland becomes, or is as many would say, the next best place to live, the city is certainly grabbing the attention of movers and shakers in various industries.  However, when film industry maverick Dexter Davis made the decision to move to 'the town' to take the reigns of innovating the movie-goer experience, it was simply brilliant.  Dexter Davis knew about the hidden treasures in Oakland when he expanded his company, D Street Media Group, headquartered in New York City, NY to opening an office in Oakland, CA.  Let's not stop there!  Mr. Davis took it a step further and made Oakland his home. Now while residing in the city, Dexter's plans for the film industry, from branded Apollo cinemas in South Africa to a 5-city tour of the Alice Walker documentary "Beauty in Truth", is a pure game changer and Oakland will absolutely never be the same.  Mr. Davis' travel to France for Festival de Cannes prevented him from attending the festivities yesterday, as it would have been an opportunity he certainly would not have missed.

The vibe, food and mixing was in high spirits yesterday at the SF Magazine celebration and these photos will tell that story.  This issue will become a 'hard find' so get to the newsstands now and purchase right away.  And go!

Oakland Media and Film Trailblazers Dexter Davis and Kalief Pleasant travel to France for Festival de Cannes

[May 12 – May 30, 2014] Follow Oakland’s own Media and Film trailblazers Dexter Davis, CEO and Kalief Pleasant, Asst. Producer of D Street Media Group, as they travel to France for Festival de Cannes. The Cannes International Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is one of the most prestigious and publicized film festivals in the world.  Dexter Davis has attended this festival for 12 consecutive years and the 13th proves to be yet another amazing experience,

D Street Media Group is headquatered in New York and the company also has a long standing international presence and now a West Coast influence with an office in Oakland, CA.  D Street is a privately backed media company and the holding company for D Street Releasing, D Street Pictures, D Street Records, D Street Medievertriebe, GmbH Germany and Americine, SRL Argentina. The company was founded in 2003 to address the growing need for a truly independent film production and distribution company – one that produces and releases art-house films successfully in the United States, and provides international producers a home for their films to take advantage of the most successful film market in the world. 

View the Journey - Dexter Davis and Kalief Pleasant

Contact Information:

Publicist for Dexter Davis

Y’Anad Burrell

Glass House Communications

Email: yanad@glasshousepr.com

Chinese Watercolors by Colleen Quen - June 12, 2014

Alonzo King LINES Ballet Opening Nite - May 21, 2014

With great anticipation and excitement, a packed house of supporters, donors and admirers were thrilled to experience yet another jaw dropping production and performance by renown dancers under the direction of visionary ALONZO KING.  This spring season's performance at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, CA, which runs May 21st thru May 25th, is electrifying, thought provoking and exudes excellence in execution.

Throughout the performance, a running theme in my mind surrounded the concept of 'hurry hurry..calm down...hurry hurry..calm down'. This has a lot, or everything, to do with my own lifestyle, but I also found it to be relative to how we're living in this 21st century space.  To see that mindset danced out so beautifully on stage was definitely an 'aha' moment.

The finale performance 'Counting', a segment in Alonzo King's world premier of The Steady Heart, with music by Jean-Phillippe Rykiel & Lama Gyurme, was a 'sitting on the edge of your seat' captivating experience where you were as drawn to the music as you were to the entire company of performers dancing at perfection!  Every move of the dancers were in rymthic synch with the music and one could only guess what move or rhythm was next.  Now that was 'the best'!  An online standing ovation to Alonzo King for nailing it yet again!

After dancing with the company for the last 7 years Caroline Rocher (pic above) is moving on to new ventures in her life and this is her last season with Alonzo King LINES Ballet.  Caroline trained at the Conservatoire de Montpellier in the south of France and has been dancing for over 20 years.  Among Caroline's many accolates, she appears in the 2012 HBO movie Hemingway and Gellhorn, staring Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen.

Caroline has used her ballerina skills on the runway at fashion industry events and most recently at the 9th Annual Fashion On The Square, wearing couture designer Colleen Quen's design.

Alonzo King enjoys time with the supporters
 during the reception

About Alonzo King LINES Ballet
According to Alonzo King, the term LINES alludes to all that is visible in the phenomenal world.  There is nothing that is made or formed without a LINE.  Straight and circle encompass all that we see.  Whatever can be seen is formed by a LINE.  Alonzo King LINES Ballet is a celebrated contemporary ballet company that has been guided since 1982 by the unique artistic vision of Alonzo King collaborating with noted composers, musicians, and visual artists from around the world.

A few of the former dancers joined us at the reception and they were simply delightful!  For more about this season's performance and Alonzo King LINES Ballet's educational programs visit www.linesballet.org.  Purchase Tickets.