AWARD PRESENTERS Kasi Lemmons A proven talent as an actress, director and writer, KASI LEMMONS, continues to creatively tantalize with her thought provoking body of work. Lemmons’ work as an actress includes roles in Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs” opposite Jodie Foster, John Woo’s first American film, “Hard Target,” Rusty Cundieff’s parody of the...

Performances & Special Screening Derick Cross (aka D. Cross) is a multidimensional visual and performance artist who creates imagery in order to reach deep inside the viewer of his artwork. His work is part of the collections of Erykah Badu (Grammy Award-winning Singer-Songwriter), Ed Lewis (Founder of Essence Communications), Ruby Dee (legendary actress), Judith Jamaison...

Toni Yates was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where she graduated from Bishop Kenny High School. She is a proud Seminole, having graduated from Florida State University with a major in Communications. Toni started her career in Savannah, Georgia, first as a reporter at WTOC, then with WSAV as weekend co-anchor. She has twice...