Silicon Harlem brings Millennial Media Collective #bbdigital to MADIBA/MIST Harlem This May

NEW YORK - May 20, 2015 - PRLog -- On Thursday, May 28, 2015, Harlem’s technology and innovation initiative, Silicon Harlem, teams up with the notable media collective, Black, Brown and Digital (#bbdigital) to bring awareness of and build community with millennial digital content creators of color.

#bbdigital presents a new live program, “Sex: Exploitation, Exploration and Expression” at MY Image Studios (MIST) Harlem/MADIBA Harlem from 5pm -10pm. Web series screen from 6:30-7:30pm, hosted by Jungle Wild Productions Founder and Black Actress Director, Andrea Lewis.

This year, #bbdigital highlights this provocative theme by exhibiting web series’ content made by and about people of color from across the Diaspora. Co-Founders/ Producers Empress Varnado and Darren Mallett curated the series with the intent of taking the audience on a visual journey, designed to provoke critical thinking and engaged dialogue. The screenings explore web content focusing on this generation’s concerns and curiosity about the continued exploitation of representations of people of color in mainstream media, as well as utilizing digital media as a tool to promote dialogue around today’s hot topics: homophobia, navigating gender identity, and sexual exploration.

Two powerful conversations with participating content creators; BLACK ACTRESS star Andrea Lewis; activists from the LGBTQ and #blacklivesmatter communities; and digital technologists will follow. The discussions will delve into the importance of media ownership in the Black and Latino communities, and responsibly representing sexuality in this new digital age.

We are thrilled to work with Andrea Lewis again this year! She generously provided the keynote address last year which attracted more than 300 New School students and challenged them to launch their own content online, rather than awaiting the validation of major corporate entities.

"We are so excited and grateful to have Andrea Lewis as our partner for the second year! She is a trailblazer in the web series’ world and a true visionary," says co-founder/Producer Darren Mallett.

This event will conclude with a vendor fair featuring local businesses of color surrounding the Harlem community, an “incubator” networking session with professionals from the tech and business industries and a reception/dance party, all powered by The JDot. Agency. Music will be provided by DJ GoodWill!

In addition to partnering with Silicon Harlem, #bbdigital looks forward to continuing its relationship with the Creatively Speaking Film Series and Radio Program on Black Whole Radio.

“Our goal is to build a community of people of color from the tech, business, filmmaking, digital media and social activism worlds, encourage shared resources, collaborations, and coalitions -- creating opportunities to expand their work, their audiences and take action," says co-founder/Producer Empress Varnado.

EVENT INFO:

VIEW EVENT VIDEO: www.blackbrownanddigtial.com

DATE: Thursday, May 28, 2015

TIME: 5:00-10:00PM.

Web Series Screening and Discussion 6:30-8:00PM,

Networking Reception/ Party 8:00-10:00PM.

LOCATION: MADIBA at MIST Harlem (46 West 116th street, NY)

PRESS/MEDIA RSVP: RSVP@thejdotagency.com

PUBLIC (FREE) RSVP: www.bbdigital2015.eventbrite.com

If you can’t join us the day of, tune in on TWITTER/PERISCOPE: @bbdigitalnyc and watch the event for free via live stream.

Note: Panelists and featured content will be announced onwww.blackbrownanddigital.com at a later date.

For more information on #bbdigital please log onto:www.blackbrownanddigital.com

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ABOUT BLACK, BROWN AND DIGITAL #bbdigital:
Black, Brown and Digital (#bbdigital) is designed to attract vibrant Black and Latino millennials who have a pulse on emerging technology, believe in social-preneurship and love diverse content that speaks to who they are. #bbdigital provides a platform for millennial content creators of color to showcase their work in a theater to hundreds of web series lovers, digital media enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and techies - all with the goal of building a strong digital community.

ABOUT SILICON HARLEM: Silicon Harlem is a social venture that has been designed to transform Harlem into a technology and innovation hub. This initiative includes establishing colab-working spaces, gigabit infrastructure, securing investment capital, and hosting monthly meet-ups.

ABOUT CREATIVELY SPEAKING: Creatively Speaking Film Series has become known as the leading film series for presenting independently produced media of realistic, universal portrayals of people of color. Shorts, documentaries and narrative films tell universal stories that are rarely presented in the mainstream media. Screenings are followed by lively and thoughtful discussions about the art and craft of filmmaking as well as the social issues presented in the films. Creatively Speaking on the Air is a recent addition that expands the dialogue to the digital radio airwaves.