Black to the Future 2026: Four Day Event!

Join us for a panel with reps! 

Panelists Include: 

Krista Sipp is a literary manager at Heroes & Villains Entertainment, in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from Connecticut, Krista started her career at management company Circle of Confusion in 2008. After holding positions at studios and production companies across the industry, she launched her own management company, First Friday Entertainment in 2017, alongside her partner Devon Byers. In 2022, First Friday was acquired by Heroes & Villains, where Krista continues to represent screenwriters, directors, and IP creators across film, television, and other mediums.

Krista is focused on representing diverse clients from varying underrepresented backgrounds with fresh points of view and working to close the inclusion gap in Hollywood. Her clients include writers and directors who have worked on films and TV shows, such as Abbott Elementary, Fallout, Ted Lasso, American Horror Story, and Animaniacs, as well as comic book writers and novelists who have written for publishers such as Marvel, DC, IDW, and Legendary.

Ash Calloway is a Manager and Producer at ColorCreative where she represents Actors, Showrunners, Writers, Producers and Directors who represent diverse backgrounds and embody new and unique experiences. Investing in meaningful client partnerships is an essential part of her mission and work as a manager - Ashley works closely with her clients to build and develop their business strategy and brand. Clients include Syreeta Singleton (Showrunner), Lawrence Lamont (Director), Mike Merrill (Actor), and more.

A graduate of Spelman College, Ashley is an experienced professional who has worked in Television (Scripted/Unscripted), Talent (Film/TV), Brand Partnerships and Sales at Creative Artists Agency, Studio71, Google and Delta Airlines. Driven by her love and passion for art and creativity, Ashley is dedicated to advocating for artists and fighting for true diversity and inclusivity within the industry.

Sam Goff is an independent Talent Manager who supports writers, directors, story artists, and visual development artists across animation. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television, she began her career in production at DreamWorks Animation before becoming an early career recruiter with Netflix’s Outreach & Engagement department. She later trained in management at Fourth Wall Management before launching her own practice. In addition to being a talent rep, Sam also mentors with organizations like BRIC and Women in Animation, speaks on creating recruiter-friendly applications, and teaches her DEI-focused course, Animated Perspectives, at LMU. She lives in Los Angeles with her wife and their six pets.

Naeemah Campbell is an entertainment professional with extensive experience supporting high-level officials and executives, from the Obama White House to Hollywood.

Currently, she serves as the Literary Coordinator to Literary Manager and Producer, Adesuwa McCalla at Metamorphic Entertainment. In her role, Naeemah seeks to find groundbreaking and compelling stories with engaging and distinctive voices for television and film, and is passionate about supporting and empowering writers.

When she’s not busy reading scripts or binging the latest and hottest shows, you can find her taking infinite photos of her Terrier pup, Joy, searching for new music to curate playlists, or napping.

Join us for a panel with producers and development/creative execs! 

Panelists Include: 

Toy Monique Hawkins is a television producer, story architect and Founder of Green Goddess Productions, a purpose-driven creative content company that develops and produces inspirational content across television, film, literature, and live events. Toy Monique’s creative passion centers on themes of faith, spirituality, family, relationships and personal growth—designed to uplift, heal, and empower audiences of all ages.

With a strong background as a television executive, Toy Monique has most recently developed scripted content in her dual role as Vice President of BET Networks and Vice President of BET Studios. Select credits include Kingdom Business, The Ms. Pat Show, and Haus of Vicious.

Since then, the proud Chicago native produced Lil Kev, an adult animated series inspired by Kevin Hart’s childhood and presently nominated for an NAACP award. Her producing portfolio also includes Bigger and That Girl Lay Lay for Nickelodeon.  

Maya Jackson is the Director of Development for TV at 1Community, an entertainment production and co-finance company dedicated to using storytelling to drive real-world impact. In her role, she is building and overseeing a dynamic development slate focused on bold, socially relevant, and creator-driven projects.

Born and raised in Southern California, Maya earned her degree in Film & TV Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and built her career at companies including Creative Artists Agency, Freeform, Reléve Entertainment, and MRC. Previously, she served as a Manager in TV Development at MRC, where she helped develop and oversee projects including The Great (Hulu) and Time Bandits (Apple TV+), while managing a robust development slate.

As a woman of color in the entertainment industry, Maya is deeply committed to championing underrepresented voices, supporting emerging talent, and demystifying the development process for the next generation of storytellers. She believes in the power of stories to make complex issues personal, human, and transformative.

Outside of work, she can usually be found on the volleyball court or nerding out in an escape room.

Wes Akwoubi is a genre TV Exec at Amazon Studios. 

Delece James is an executive producer and creative consultant with 15 years of experience in TV, film, and podcasts. Notable projects include co-creating the critically acclaimed BET+ documentary series American Gangster: Trap Queens and producing the award-winning biopic Fighting To Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story and NAACP-nominated The First Lady of BMF. She’s an award-winning filmmaker who produced the Oscar-qualified short film The Devil Ain’t Pious, has a podcast on all platforms called Charcuterie and Conversations, and recently launched her own production company, Highbridge Content Productions, focusing on the untold stories of people of color. In addition, Delece is a martial artist, lover of romance novels, a member of the Television Academy, and is committed to public service through her lifetime membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and their cat, Sky.

Tayanna Todd is the Head of Inclusive Content in Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group (MPG), where she partners cross-functionally with teams throughout the MPG to build and scale more inclusive decision-making across the film slate. Prior to Lionsgate, she held development and production roles at Showtime, CBS, and Starz. Todd also holds Global MBAs from Indiana University and the University of Manchester, as well as dual degrees in Film & Television Production and Spanish from the University of Southern California.

Join us for a panel with writers! 

Panelists Include: 

Leon Langford, originally from Virginia and now in Los Angeles, is a writer with a penchant for powerhouse genre work, fused with multi-layered characters for rich, impactful stories. He is the co-writer of HOT SEAT starring Mel Gibson and CALAMITY JANE starring Stephen Amell. Currently, he has the spy-thriller SAFE HOUSE which just dropped on Amazon and Hulu, starring Hannah John-Kamen (Thunderbolts*) and Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat). He's worked on Yellowstone Season 3, written for National Lampoon, Facebook Watch and other national brands.  

Erica Land is a Los Angeles-based Film/TV writer who grew up reading horror novels in the back of her mother’s hair salon. Her work blends horror and thrillers with stories about family and the courage it takes to confront fear - and sometimes monsters - against incredible odds. She has pitched and sold two films to Lifetime, including Her Affair to Die For (2023). Her short story, The Darkness, was named a Top Ten Finalist in the Roadmap Writers + Josephson Entertainment Short Story Competition and she is a winner of Roadmap Writers’ Diversity Initiative. Her work has also been recognized by NBC, Disney, and WB TV fellowship programs, and her sketches have been featured in NBC Scene Showcases. With a background in journalism - covering everything from concert reviews to WrestleMania - and a foundation in classical music, Erica brings a rich, emotionally grounded perspective to every project she undertakes.

Joe Carroll is an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. His recent credits include directing the critically acclaimed BET+ biopic FIGHTING TO BE ME: THE DWEN CURRY STORY, earning him his first Telly Award for Outstanding Directing, and previously writing and directing the BET+ thriller LETHAL LEGACY. After making national news for crashing a Marvel red carpet impersonating comedian Hannibal Buress (yes, that was him), Carroll signed his first studio deal with CBS Studios as a Co-Ep for SUGAR MAMAS. Prior to this, he co-created the award-winning Amazon series MS. INCORPORATED, and has since served on the writing staff for BEL-AIR, THE CHI, and THE RESIDENT. He is also the author of the thriller/suspense novel series "Sinful Confessions," which he is currently adapting for TV.

Mika Frank, a Cleveland native, isn’t your typical writer-director. Her path started in the heart of the action — not on a stage, but in an ER as a pharmacist on a trauma team. Between shifts, she wrote and directed five short films, including her most recent work, My Condolences, which premiered at the Cleveland International Film Festival and the prestigious Diversity at Cannes Film Festival. She also wrote and directed the web series My Girlfriend is Black, which garnered over 20,000 views across social media platforms.

While honing her directorial skills independently, Mika earned writing credits on hit shows like CBS’s MacGyver and Fox’s The Resident. She recently wrote a feature for Lifetime set to debut Summer 2026. Today, Mika continues to develop both feature and television projects, fueled by her passion for flawed underdogs and socially relevant stories.

Charlie Peppers is an African-American, LGBTQ+ writer who was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Charlie’s love for writing began at the early age of 8 when he would accompany his mother who was a PA to various sets. Rather than playing with toys or video games, Charlie lost himself in reading scripts. Charlie then began journaling which quickly evolved into writing short stories, plays, and graphic novels. In addition to writing, Charlie is a dedicated community organizer in East Hollywood. Recently he sold his TV pilot, BROOKLYN SO DEAD, to MGM Studios. He was also a story editor on Rian Johnsons’s series POKERFACE.

George Ellzey Jr. is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Telly Award–winning director based in Chicago. His acclaimed short Cottage Grove (AMC+, VTV) and experimental film SWITCHIN (NBC5, OTV) have screened at festivals including Athens International, Tallgrass, and Black Harvest. As the founder of Cottage Grove Productions, he champions overlooked narratives through emotionally rich, socially conscious storytelling. Upcoming projects include producing the feature film The Elkhorn Special and developing his debut feature SHADES—a 2025 TDE Short Film finalist—set for release in fall 2026.

Erskine Forde had a childhood spent consuming library books by flashlight under his blanket, or listening to prime-time dramas on the radio, which laid the foundation for Erskine Forde to become a filmmaker. A chance meeting with a casting director landed him his first film job as a stand-in and a summer working alongside Michael Beach and Lawrence Fishburne, further igniting his love of film. After being mentored in theatre by some of Vancouver's top black talent, Skin wrote 3 plays and directed 2 and soon found himself working in commercials as a PA and chasing his love of music videos. An opportunity to work overseas led him to South East Asia, where he worked as an AD for 3 years before returning to live in Toronto, where he joined the DGC. Diligence and dedication pushed him through the AD ranks, culminating in him becoming the 1st Assistant Director on hit shows such as NBC's Suits and Amazon's, The Expanse before earning the opportunity to direct on Beacon 23. He continues to write and create his own narrative work through his company Indever Films & Entertainment Inc.

Ken Whittingham is an award-winning American television director and executive producer with over 30 years of experience in the film and television industry. Ken recently directed and executive-produced the pilot episodes of THE UPSHAWS, DAD STOP EMBARRASSING ME for Netflix, and KENAN for NBC. His experience is vast, and his resume is filled with television’s top comedic and dramatic shows, most recently ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, THE WONDER YEARS on ABC, GRACE AND FRANKIE, and ATYPICAL for Netflix and ST. DENIS MEDICAL and GOOD GIRLS for NBC. His work on 30 ROCK, THE OFFICE, and PARKS AND RECREATION has garnered him five NAACP Image Awards.

Join us for a pitch showcase! Up to 4 writers will practice their five minute pitch in front of the panel of execs and reps for feedback. 

Panelists Include: 

Katrina Y. Nelson is a writer, director, comedian, author, and award-winning producer with over 15 years of industry experience across film, television, and digital media. Born and raised in Baltimore, she began her career in independent productions before working at The Walt Disney Company in both film and TV development.

She has produced numerous shorts, features, and web series, including Misogynist (Best Narrative Feature, Los Angeles International Underground Film Festival), Still (Audience Award winner), and Past Impulse (Best Dramatic Short, Trinity International Film Festival). Her TV credits include Daddy Diaper Diaries and the legal drama LACE (AMC/ALLBLK), where she serves as co-creator, executive producer, co-showrunner, and director. Nelson is also the author of the poetry collection Poetic Thoughts, Bullsht and Dreams.

Evan Eghan is a Ghanaian filmmaker and cultural entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the creative industries, with multiple credits across feature films, short films, television, commercials, and music videos. A Chevening Scholar and graduate of Edinburgh Napier University, he is the founder of Accra Indie Filmfest, Napier Student Film Festival, and SOL Accord, supporting emerging African creatives through film distribution, festivals, and creative marketing. Evan currently serves as President (Societies and Community) of Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association, where I reside in Scotland, UK. His work bridges culture, education, and global creative networks.