User:Tkersey

Tanya Kersey (born March 22, 1961 in New York, NY) is an American film festival producer, entertainment journalist and author. She is best known as the Founder and Executive Director of the [[Media:Hollywood Black Film Festival]] and the CEO of the entertainment trade publication, [[Media:Black Talent News]]. Tanya produces and hosts "Inside Urban Hollywood" on BlogTakradio and can frequently be seen commenting on upcoming box office releases on Reelz Channel’s "Reelz in the Round," and heard on KPFK (90.7FM) as a contributor and frequent co-host on the "Samm Brown for the Record."

On the entertainment beat for more than 15 years, Tanya has covered a variety of high-profile events such as the Oscars, Emmys, SAG Awards, BET Awards, and the NAACP Image Awards; and has conducted countless celebrity interviews including Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, Ice Cube, 50 Cent, T.I., Halle Berry, Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle, and the late Bernie Mac, to name just a few. As a contributing writer/editor, Tanya’s many essays and articles about the entertainment industry have appeared in Upscale Magazine, BRE Magazine, EUR, Target Market News, Raw Story, L.A. Sentinel, The Portland Observer, The Westside Gazette, Columbus Post, Black Journalist and Los Angeles Times, among other publications.

Among the countless radio and television programs, and print and internet publications Tanya has been interviewed for: The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, Black Enterprise, the Miami Herald, Upscale Magazine, Diversity Magazine, Los Angeles Sentinel, Rolling Out Magazine, American Legacy Magazine, Turning Points Magazine, “The Tavis Smiley Show,” “Reelz in the Round” (Reelz Channel), CNN News, “Famous” (The Biography Channel), KNBC Sunday Morning Live, the BBC, and "BET Tonight" (BET).

Her many books Black State of the Arts: A Guide to Developing a Successful Career as a Black Performing Artist, The Black Film Report and the Urban Hollywood Resource Directory.

On the speaking circuit Tanya has delivered the keynote speech at the 16th Annual Howard E. Mitchell Memorial Conference Luncheon for the Black Wharton Undergraduate Association at the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Wharton School. She has also spoken at issues forums at the [[Media:Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference]], and makes regular appearances at the National Action Network Urban Policy Roundtable in Los Angeles.

Tanya's awards and activities include being named a “Living History Maker” by the prestigious Turning Point Magazine in recognition for her accomplishments in publishing. She was named as one of Hollywood's 'Urban Movers and Shakers' by Daily Variety for her work as publisher/editor-in-chief of Black Talent News and founder/executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival.

Official Website Hollywood Black Film Festival Black Talent News