Los Angeles | February 13, 2019 | Hosted at 72andSunny
Who gets to tell the story — and who gets believed when they do?
That was the central tension at Gotta Keep On Tryin’, the Geena Davis Institute’s second annual Black History Month celebration spotlighting women of color in Hollywood and media. The evening brought together bestselling authors, producers, marketing leaders, and cultural strategists to confront a persistent contradiction: women of color are creating powerful, commercially viable stories — yet still face skepticism, funding barriers, and systemic doubt.
At a time when industry headlines pointed to “progress,” this conversation asked a sharper question: progress for whom? And what does it take to turn momentum into measurable, lasting change?
This was not a retrospective celebration. It was a strategic, data-informed dialogue for creators, executives, marketers, and advocates committed to ensuring that women of color are not treated as trends — but as foundational storytellers shaping culture.
The evening opened with music — “This Little Light of Mine” — setting a tone of visibility and collective affirmation. Then the conversation turned practical.
Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren framed the night with candor. As a producer who spent years shopping bestselling books by women of color only to encounter closed doors, she made the tension explicit: compelling stories exist. Proven audiences exist. What’s often missing is belief.
That belief, she argued, must be backed by data.
The panel grounded the conversation in research that challenges persistent myths in Hollywood financing and distribution. Studies cited during the discussion showed that films led by women of color demonstrated strong theatrical staying power — remaining in theaters for extended runs — and that female-led films from 2014–2017 outperformed male-led counterparts at the box office. The implication was clear: profitability is not the barrier. Perception is.
Courtney Parker, Vice President of Alternative Programming at Adaptive Studios and co-author of Blurred Lines, spoke to the realities of moving intellectual property from page to screen. Securing letters of interest. Attracting investors. Navigating unscripted formats. Her perspective underscored a key shift: women of color are not waiting for permission. They are building their own vehicles for production and distribution.
Mona Scott Young — executive producer, publishing imprint co-founder, and longtime media entrepreneur — emphasized ownership. For too long, narratives about women of color were filtered through institutional gatekeepers. Publishing and production platforms built by and for women of color create new leverage — but sustained change still requires systemic shifts inside major studios and networks.
Yolonda Brinkley, Founder of Diversity in Cannes, zoomed out to the global stage. Representation isn’t only a domestic conversation. From Cannes to Berlin, inclusion is shaped by festival selections, corporate sponsorships, and international co-productions. Presence alone is not progress. The question is influence: who is in the room when decisions are made?
Sharon Liggins, a veteran PR strategist with experience across major studios and networks, brought the marketing lens. As creators like Ava DuVernay, Lena Waithe, and Donald Glover expanded what leadership looks like behind the camera, she observed corresponding shifts in promotional strategy. Mainstream interviews. Conference stages. Brand partnerships. Marketing, when aligned with authentic storytelling, can amplify cultural impact — but it can also flatten nuance if not handled intentionally.
Travel expert and television host Kellee Edwards added a different but essential dimension: visibility in genres where women of color have historically been absent. Adventure, exploration, travel — categories long dominated by white male protagonists. Her career reflects a broader possibility: representation is not confined to “issue-driven” storytelling. It belongs everywhere.
By the time the audience Q&A began, the energy had shifted from frustration to strategy. The throughline was unmistakable: the industry cannot claim surprise when data and lived experience are aligned. The mandate now is execution.
Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren
Managing Director, L.A.I. Communications; Producer and Marketing Scholar
A strategist bridging academia and industry, Dr. Lindsey-Warren framed the evening around market viability and systemic bias. Her insight: belief in women of color’s stories must be grounded in research and distribution strategy — not just passion.
Courtney Parker
Vice President of Alternative Programming, Adaptive Studios; Co-author of Blurred Lines
Parker brought a producer’s perspective on financing, adaptation, and building infrastructure. Her contribution underscored determination and ownership as essential tools when traditional pathways stall.
Mona Scott Young
Executive Producer; Co-Founder, Monami Books
A veteran media entrepreneur, Scott Young emphasized narrative control and publishing as leverage. Her insight centered on building platforms that allow women of color to define their own stories.
Yolonda Brinkley
Founder, Diversity in Cannes
With deep experience in global brand and festival strategy, Brinkley challenged the industry to move beyond symbolic inclusion toward structural participation in global markets.
Kellee Edwards
Travel Expert and Television Host
Edwards highlighted the importance of representation in aspirational genres. Visibility in adventure and exploration programming expands who audiences see as bold, capable, and authoritative.
Sharon Liggins
Public Relations Strategist
Drawing on experience across major studios and streaming platforms, Liggins examined how marketing strategy either reinforces or reshapes public perception of women creators and leaders.
This event was hosted at 72andSunny in Los Angeles, whose partnership provided space for industry leaders, creators, and advocates to engage in candid dialogue. Convenings like this rely on collaborators who understand that representation is not peripheral to business — it shapes audience trust, brand equity, and cultural influence.
Representation shapes perception. Perception shapes opportunity.
When women and girls of color see themselves as authors, executives, explorers, and global leaders, the frame of possibility expands. When executives see research demonstrating commercial viability, investment decisions shift. When marketers align campaigns with authentic storytelling, narratives travel further.
But momentum is not permanence.
Without sustained attention to financing patterns, marketing narratives, and global distribution dynamics, progress can stall or reverse. Events like Gotta Keep On Tryin’ serve as more than celebration. They function as strategic checkpoints — aligning research, lived experience, and industry decision-makers in the same room.
The Geena Davis Institute’s role is to ensure that these conversations are not anecdotal. They are evidence-based, solution-oriented, and grounded in measurable impact.
Conversations like this are intentional. They convene creators shaping culture — not simply commenting on it.
Geena Davis Institute members receive:
Membership is not about entry. It is about access to insight — and the opportunity to help shape what audiences see next.
Because change in media does not happen accidentally.
It happens when people commit to keep trying, join here.
