YouTube Unveils Slate Of Shows To Emerge From Its $100M Black Voices Fund

Peter White
·3 min read

YouTube has unveiled a slate of shows dedicated to amplifying Black voices including a documentary from Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, and livestreamed homecoming from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

These projects have emerged from the company’s $100M #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

Resist, which launches this month is a 12-part docuseries that follows the grassroots work of organizations fighting the Los Angeles county’s $3.5 billion jail expansion plan in 2018 and examines the issues of cash bail, unlawful arrest, over-policing of Black and brown neighborhoods, and mass incarceration. The series is produced by Blackpills and Pulse Films with Patrisse Cullors exec producing alongside Dream Hampton, Mervyn Marcano, Thomas Benski, Marisa Clifford, Robin Frank, Tani Ikeda, Kai Bowe, Davey Spens, Clara Levy and Philipe Haim.

HBCU Homecoming 2020: Meet Me On The Yard is an event that launches on October 24. Jesse Collins Entertainment and Live Nation Urban are putting together a two-hour virtual homecoming livestream with musical performances and band performances from Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of The South, and FAMU’s Marching 100. It is exec produced by Jesse Collins, Shawn Gee, Dionne Harmon, Brandon Pankey, and Chris Wagner.

Bear Witness, Take Action Part Two (w/t) is a follow up livestreamed event that will feature unique voices from the Black community producing short form content to share their perspectives and experiences on racial inequity. The special is produced by the SpringHill Company, Fly On The Wall Entertainment, and Byron Phillips. Reginald Hudlin serves as Executive Producer and Showrunner.

Onyx Family Dinner, which launches in early 2021, follows the family for dinner table conversations with weekly dinner guests and conversations about what’s going on in the world. Produced by pocket.watch in association with Shine Global, Onyx Family Dinner is executive produced by Keith Brown, Albie Hecht, the Onyx Family, and Chris M.Williams.

Barbershop Medicine (w/t), which launches in 2021, looks at the impact race and socioeconomic status have on healthcare and longevity. The barbershop has long been a center of community, as captured in the landmark clinical trial of blood-pressure reduction that delivered education and care in barbershops. The special will be executive produced by Charles D. King, Marta Fernandez, Jelani Johnson, and Alisha Corpas Wynn for MACRO Television Studios.

“YouTube is committed to spotlighting community-driven storytelling and the important issues that people of color and other marginalized communities face every day,” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content for YouTube Originals. “Now more than ever, it’s essential that we develop, support, and elevate content that is created by and for the Black community.”

“Race has never been an easy issue to confront but the events over the last few months have opened up doors of dialogue and action that had once seemed closed,” added Malik Ducard, YouTube’s Vice President, Content Partnerships. “Across YouTube, we have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to contribute to these conversations about racial justice in a meaningful way. Through our $100 million content fund and other initiatives, we are continuing the important work of amplifying Black voices, making YouTube a better place for Black creators, educating people on the diversity of the Black experience, and centering Black people as the messengers of their own stories.”

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