Katina Parker
As media strategist for Communities of African Descent at Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), Katina Parker projects the compelling stories of LGBT people of color. Her work as a conceptual artist and activist—or self-defined “artivist”—has promoted LGBT visibility, confronted youth violence issues and supported the rebuilding of communities. “The intersection of my work is empowering voiceless communities through the use of independent and mainstream media,” Parker says. “At heart, I am a teacher, and God made me good at it.” She wrote and directed Peace Process, which won Best Documentary Honorable Mention at the 11th Annual Urbanworld VIBE Film Festival in 2007. The riveting 45-minute film shadows a gifted, orphaned teen who investigates the meaning of gang life. Her current project is New Orleans: A Labor of Love, a grass-roots, multi-media public awareness campaign designed to mobilize thousands of volunteers in reconstructing New Orleans this year. –JB
In no particular order…
