SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR BLACK, BROWN, AND INDIGENOUS CREATIVES AT THE 2023 BLACKSTAR LUMINARY GALA
Join BlackStar at the W Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, on Monday, December 4th at 6:00 pm for the 2023 Luminary Gala.
If you didn’t know, BlackStar has been a staple in Philadelphia for the past 13 years with the advancement of people of color in film, art, entertainment, and culture. Dubbed the “Black Sundance,” they host an annual BlackStar Film Festival every August, highlighting indie films from around the world and spotlighting newsworthy artists, creatives, and small business owners.
Throughout the year, they hold numerous programs and events leading up to the film festival, and in a continuous effort to bring us the best in creative content for the culture, holding a star-studded event with the Luminary Gala. This year’s honorees are:
JUNE GIVANNI
A pioneer in Pan-African Cinema, writer, and activist, June Givanni has curated a career and unfettered archive in film since the early 1980s. Born in Guyana, Africa, and raised in the UK, Givanni formed the June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive (AGPACA) as a resource for African and Black heritage in film. Having a hand in many international film festivals (Third Eye Film Festival, São Paulo Short Film Festival in Brazil, Kerala International Film Festival in India, Creteil Film Festival in Paris, Zanzibar Festival, and more). Givanni is highly revered in the Black British Film industry and worldwide.
COUSIN COLLECTIVE
Founded in 2018 by Sky Hopinka, Adam Khalil, Alexandra Lazarowich, and Adam Piron. Cousin Collective supports the underrepresented works of Indigenous artists in film and cinematography. A conversation about culture wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of indigenous voices. They’ve featured screenings at the Berlin International Film Festival, Visions du Réel, New York Film Festival, and Jeonju International Film Festival.
TELFAR CLEMENS AND BABAK RADBOY
Best known for his “not-so-basic” handbags and unisex fashion, Telfar Clemens, a self-taught fashion designer from Queens NY, and the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner, is now a household name. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool, and people can’t stop talking about his signature monogram shopping bags and waiting with bated breath for the next drop and surprise pop-up shop!
The talented eye behind the Telfar method is Creative Director and Brand Strategist Babak Radboy. Radboy’s work is vibrant, thought-provoking, and certain to strike up a conversation like his works with White Castle and Kanye West. Since partnering with Telfar in 2013, they’ve made nothing short of magic.
SHANNON MALDONADO
With a thriving career in fashion working with the likes of Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Urban Outfitters, and American Eagle, Philadelphia native and serial entrepreneur Shannon Maldonado has a niche for design in fashion and esthetics. After a 12+ year stint in the fashion industry, she yearned for artistic freedom and sought out to create a space of her own.
“Yowie” (a mythical manlike creature stemming from Australia) was birthed in 2016, starting out as a small online shop selling one-of-a-kind ceramics and accessories, has flourished into (Yowie Hotel & Shop) an interior design studio/shop and boutique-style hotel located in the Queens Village neighborhood of Philadelphia.
CELEBRATE THESE EXTRAORDINARY HONOREES:
DATE: Monday December 4th, 2023
TIME: Cocktail Party 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm; Program and Dinner 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm. (dress to impress)
LOCATION: W Hotel, Great ball Room (5th floor), 1439 CHestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19102
We are aware that not everyone has the opportunity to attend the Luminary Gala. But you can still get involved, be well informed, and partake in Philadelphia’s only Black Film Festival and programming in the country. Memberships are available at BlackStar.org and don’t miss out on upcoming event by following them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
SOURCE: BlackStar.org
