The Art of Anti-Racism and Social Justice: A Conversation with Academy Award Winner Mo’Nique, NY Black Lives Matter’s Hawk Newsome, and Indigenous Superhero Eugene Brave Rock

Photo courtesy Indrani

INDRANI PAL-CHAUDHURI (Princeton Class of 2001, A.B. Cultural Anthropology), an Indian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist, is a “leading director and voice for female empowerment” (Tribeca Film Festival), a photographer, and social justice advocate. She was discovered by David Bowie while she was still a student at Princeton, leading to work photographing magazine and album covers for some of the world’s top celebrities including Bowie, Beyoncé, Kate Winslet, Lindsay Lohan, and Lady Gaga. She has more recently become a filmmaker, focusing her camera on both commercial and philanthropic subjects, with films shown in museums around the world.

She is known for her “iconic imagery and visionary storytelling” (Huffington Post). Her work has won 29 awards including The Tribeca Film Festival 2019 Disruptor Award, The Max Mark-Cranbrook 2019 Global Peacemaker Award, Best Picture and Best Director at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, two Gold Lions at Cannes Festival of Creativity, and Best Film at the CNN 2018 Expose Awards.

A prolific speaker, Indrani is Co-Host of the Global People’s Summit during the General Assembly at the United Nations, democratizing access to conversations and information that shape the world; UN Women’s Entrepreneurship Distinguished Fellow; Host of New York Live Arts – AI Live Ideas Gala; co-Founder and Executive Director of the Shakti Empowerment Education Foundation. Visit Indrani’s website

Photo by Karen Ray Photography

A native New Yorker, GINA BELAFONTE has spent her life in the arenas of entertainment and activism where her professional work thrives today. Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization that educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change. Gina works with diverse artists, activists and organizations worldwide to promote cultural and civic engagement. She has lectured and spoken at many events, rallies and marches on issues ranging from Dyslexia, Nonviolent Direct Action, Black Women’s Empowerment, Mass Incarceration and a cross section of social justice issues. An Artivist, Actress, Director and Producer, Gina has been a part of many arts and activism initiatives including lead producer of the award-winning HBO documentary Sing Your Song that explores the life and legacy of her father Harry Belafonte. Gina is the proud producer of the The Many Rivers To Cross Social Justice Music and Arts Festival that brought together over 40 artists and 50 social justice organizations for a 2 day festival centering on voting rights, mass incarceration and poverty. She has collaborated with Task Force on INTO ACT!ON, with For Freedoms on the 50 State Initiative, the reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms and the most recent For Freedoms Congress where Sankofa.org curated four Town Halls, and more.

Photo courtesy Eugene Brave Rock

EUGENE BRAVE ROCK is an Indigenous activist, stunt man, and actor best know for his role as Chief Napi in Wonder Woman. He is a member of the Kainai Nation and grew up in Alberta, Canada.

Photo courtesy Daryl Davis

DARYL DAVIS is an international recording artist, actor and leader of The Daryl Davis Band. He is considered to be one of the greatest Blues & Boogie Woogie and Blues and Rock’n’Roll pianists of all time, having played with The Legendary Blues Band (formerly the Muddy Waters band) and Chuck Berry. As an actor, Daryl has received rave reviews for his stage role in William Saroyan’s The Time Of Your Life. Daryl’s television credits include the critically acclaimed 5-year HBO television series The Wire. As a race relations expert, Daryl has received acclaim for his book Klan-Destine Relationships and his documentary Accidental Courtesy from CNN, NBC, Good Morning America, TLC, NPR, The Washington Post, and many others. His awards include the Elliott-Black Award, the MLK Award and the Bridge Builder Award among others.

Photo courtesy Lazarus

LAZARUS is a Detroit-born Pakistani-American rapper and songwriter. His lyrical hip-hop tracks and winning battle raps have made him a respected figure in the contemporary music landscape with a loyal international following. He is known for collaborating with Royce da 5’9, Wu Tang clan, Obie Trice, Swifty McVay, Bizarre, Ludacris, Bohemia, Ghostface Killah, KXNG Crooked, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Lazarus also works full-time as a physician on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo courtesy Mo’Nique

MO’NIQUE is an American actress and comedian best known for her 2010 performance in Precious, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In her early career she gained recognition in stand-up comedy, debuting as a member of The Queens of Comedy.  In 2002, she received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Comedy Album. Her television credits include UPN’s The Parkers, HBO’s Bessie, and The Mo’Nique Show, as well as the films Phat Girlz and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. 

Photo courtesy Hawk Newsome

HAWK NEWSOME is an American political activist and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York.

Photo courtesy Kunal Sood

KUNAL SOOD has 20 years of experience in organizational leadership specializing in strategy, innovation, and experience design. Kunal is a TED Resident and Founder of the X Fellows, X-Impact Group, and NOVUS. Kunal has led high-impact teams in multinational companies and NGO’s globally on projects that range from working in the slums of Mumbai to collaborating with the United Nations. He is deeply passionate about leveraging exponential technologies to solve our global grand challenges to positively impact the lives of a billion people.

Kunal curates high-level summits at the UN including the NOVUS Summit and TEDxUNPlaza. Most recently he partnered with the Executive Office of the Secretary General and President of the UN General Assembly to produce the first-ever SDG Innovation Event during the UN General Assembly.

Kunal earned his MBA from Kellogg at Northwestern and holds a Master’s in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of Singularity University’s Global Solutions Program headquartered at the NASA Ames Campus in Silicon Valley. Kunal serves an advisor and on the Advisory Boards of many distinguished ventures including EDCast and the SDG Action Campaign.