****PHOTO ALERT****
THE INAUGURAL DIVERSE CULTURE BRUNCH CELEBRATES JUNETEENTH,
THE HANDY FOUNDATION 2ND ANNIVERSARY AND THE AWARD-WINNING EDITORS OF
HBO SERIES "A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW"
The Handy Foundation co-founder Ri-Karlo Handy, pictured with panelists from hit HBO series "A Black Lady Sketch Show," Taylor Mason, Brandice Brown, Stephanie Filo and Skye Townsend at the inaugural Diverse Culture Brunch celebrating Juneteenth in Los Angeles. Photo credit: Adrian Sidney, courtesy of The Handy Foundation
LOS ANGELES - Non-profit organization The Handy Foundation marked the Juneteenth national holiday with its inaugural Diverse Culture Brunch on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at Los Angeles cultural landmark the Wilfandel Club. Hosted by actress Skye Townsend, the Diverse Culture Brunch event honored the work of the editing team behind the hit HBO series “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” and included a panel discussion featuring top industry creatives. Bringing together a dynamic mix of supporters, industry insiders and aspiring young professionals, the brunch also highlighted the Handy Foundation’s mission to develop pathways to opportunity for multicultural professionals in Hollywood. Attendees of the backyard garden party enjoyed music, a soul food brunch buffet, signature cocktails by premium whiskey Uncle Nearest, and a spades tournament. 

Led by co-founder Ri-Karlo Handy, CEO of Sunwise Media, the Foundation has worked for the past two years to help develop a sustainable model for workforce inclusion among diverse creatives behind-the-camera.  

“It’s gonna take years until diversity is not an issue,” said Handy. “But, we can celebrate the progress we are making and join with studios to highlight the gains being made along the way toward more equity in the workforce.”

Moderated by Townsend, an all-female panel including A Black Lady Sketch Show's Emmy award-winning editor Stephanie Filo ACE, editor Taylor Mason, and assistant editor, Brandice Brown discussed the challenges and triumphs of navigating today’s Hollywood creative community, providing sage advice for aspiring below-the-line professionals. Bree Frank, Founder of HUE You Know, a 16,000+ member production resource group for media professionals of color in Hollywood, and Milan Zoe of #ChangingTheNarrative also made remarks.

“We cannot solve generational issues in a week, in a day, or in a year. We are creating these Diverse Culture Brunches to celebrate what’s happening and what’s going right. It’s dope to see the impact of one little program you started… It’s been exciting to see the growth and we’re only going up from here,” noted Ri-Karlo on the growth and success of the Handy Foundation within the last two years.

As he recently reflected upon in an op-ed published by Deadline, two years ago on June 16th, 2020 Ri-Karlo Handy made a seemingly innocuous, yet ultimately momentous post on a private Facebook group. The post simply read, “Looking for Black Union Editors, please DM me.” That single sentence led to a viral conversation around the very blatant need for equity in the entertainment industry. As it became clear that more sustainable solutions were needed, the Handy Foundation was launched to develop and oversee workforce development programs for Hollywood’s below the line workers. Since launching the program in 2020, The Handy Foundation has trained and placed 80 first-time BIPOC assistant and apprentice editors on television shows including Snowpiercer, BMF, Acapulco, The Bachelor, America's Got Talent, American Gangster Trap Queens, Seleena and Chef, and the recently released feature film Valet to name a few. 

The Handy Foundation was thrilled to see industry colleagues included on its multicultural editors list win Emmys for their work, including Ikpemoghena Ikharo for Sesame Street: The Power of We and Stephanie Filo, ACE for A Black Lady Sketch Show. Amplifying creatives and fostering pathways like these through accessible formative training spaces is the focus of the team at The Handy Foundation. 

Event partners included HBO, #ChangingTheNarrative, and premium whiskey company Uncle Nearest. 

Applications for summer training programs are currently being accepted. To apply or for more information on participating with the Handy Foundation, please visit HandyFoundation.org.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURE BRUNCH
Diverse Culture Brunch Industry Panel
Moderated by actress Skye Townsend, an all-female panel of editors including Stephanie Filo, Brandice Brown, and Taylor Mason from “A Black Lady Sketch Show” discussed the challenges and triumphs of navigating today’s Hollywood creative community, providing sage advice for aspiring below-the-line professionals. 
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURE BRUNCH
Bree Frank, Founder of HUE You Know, a 16,000+ member production resource group for media professionals of color in Hollywood, also made remarks at the brunch.
Creating merit-based pathways for people from underserved communities into all areas of television and film tradecraft has become a personal mission for Ri-Karlo Handy.
Attendees of the garden party celebrate with a toast!
Attendees of the backyard garden party enjoyed music, a soul food brunch buffet, signature cocktails by event partner Uncle Nearest premium Whiskey, and a spades tournament.
The Handy Foundation was launched to develop and oversee workforce development programs for Hollywood’s below the line workers. Since launching the program in 2020, The Handy Foundation has trained and placed 80 first-time BIPOC assistant and apprentice editors on television shows including Snowpiercer, BMF, Acapulco, The Bachelor, America's Got Talent, American Gangster Trap Queens, Seleena and Chef, and the recently released feature film Valet to name a few. 
Handy, Jamaal Finkley of Blacktree TV and publicist Tosha Whitten Griggs picture with aspiring industry professionals.
To help create a community of like minded organizations, the Handy Foundation has launched the Diverse Culture Coalition to help build toward its vision of a merit based, equitable Hollywood with access to a sustainable career pathway for all.
Signature cocktail made with event partner Uncle Nearest premium Whiskey.
During the program, various speakers spoke on the history of Juneteenth.
DEADLINE OP-ED FROM FOUNDER RI-KARLO HANDY
Ri-Karlo Handy Reflects On Disparity In Diversifying Hollywood, Barriers For New Talent & “High-Touch Solutions” – Guest Column
Editor’s Note: On June 22, 2020, veteran editor and Sunwise Media co-founder Ri-Karlo Handy penned a guest column for Deadline on the wide ranging response to his social media call for Black union editors just days beforehand. As Americans took to the streets after the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd to demand an end to institutional violence and racism in numbers unprecedented for decades, Handy turned part of the spotlight on Hollywood. The reaction to his outcry was almost immediate. It was also encouraging from unions, to schools, to studios and every other crevice of Tinseltown. Today, Handy examines what a difference the past two years have made, and what more there is to do as political and cultural sands appear to be shifting again.

Hollywood: How a Search for Black Editors Helped Launch a Movement for Industry Equity
An Upcoming Handy Foundation Event on Juneteenth will Celebrate the Editors of A Black Lady Sketch Show, Highlight Opportunities Created and Discuss State of the
Industry 2 Years Later
Jun. 17, 2022 / PRZen / LOS ANGELES — The Handy Foundation is hosting an inaugural event this Sunday, June 19, 2022 in celebration of Juneteenth with the first Diverse Culture Brunch. The event will highlight the work of the Handy Foundation to create pathways to opportunities for multicultural professionals in Hollywood over the past two years and honor the diversity and inclusion of the editing team behind A Black Lady Sketch Show, made up of Bradinn French, Taylor Mason, S. Robyn Wilson, and Stephanie Filo ACE. ABLSS has historically featured and highlighted Black, queer content that is culturally relevant and well represented. The event will take place at the Wilfandel Club from 11:30AM – 5:00PM PST, featuring a spades tournament and will be hosted by actress Skye Townsend. Proceeds benefit the work of the Handy Foundation and interested attendees can register at HandyFoundation.org.

PRESS HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE HANDY FOUNDATION
The Story Behind The Launch Of The Handy Foundation
Setting out to help source a diverse group of editors for to work in Hollywood post-production in June, 2020 sparked a national news story, a movement to develop sustainable pathways to below-the-line workers and has turned into a professional mission for Ri-Karlo Handy, founder of The Handy Foundation. Ri-Karlo's efforts have been covered by industry outlets from Variety and Los Angeles Times, to Business Insider and Vanity Fair.
Film editor Ri-Karlo Handy faced a backlash from some white colleagues when he posted a call for Black editors on a Facebook group.(Pointandclick Photography)
BY ANOUSHA SAKOUISTAFF WRITER 
ABOUT THE HANDY FOUNDATION
The Handy Foundation, founded by Ri-Karlo Handy, CEO of Sunwise Media, is dedicated to giving members access to expert career advice through digital workshops, live panel discussions, and virtual mentorship. Through partnerships with organizations such as The Urban League, unions, networks and studios, The Handy Foundation works to foster programs that focus on training and career advancement for below the line positions. Additionally, we continue to expand on our efforts to foster mentorship with the goal to create a bridge between education and training organizations and companies that can hire them. For more info, visit http://www.handyfoundation.org/
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