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Artist, and Founder and Publisher of Pigment International

Patricia Andrews-Keenan is the founder of a Black woman-founded and led multimedia platform that reports on the art, people, issues, trends, and events shaping Black contemporary art, and examines the linkages connecting historical and contemporary Black art.

Founded in 2018 in Chicago, Pigment serves as a connector among Black creators, collectors, curators, investors, and other stakeholders.  Pigment convenes the Black art ecosystem for inspiring, cross-generational dialogue. It publishes Pigment Magazine and the Black Gallery Guide + and, under Andrews-Keenan’s leadership, founded Black Fine Art Month, first celebrated in October 2019, and now concretized in the Congressional Record. The organization’s digital and print publications aim to promote the contemporary Black aesthetic in the visual arts.

Andrews-Keenan is a former communications executive with extensive experience in corporate communications, public relations, advertising, community affairs, and event management. She received her BA in Journalism from Grambling State University and a certificate in Executive Leadership from UCLA.

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PIGMENT INTERNATIONAL

Producer/Director

Revealing Hard Truths

John Lewis is an International public speaker, Serial entrepreneur, and Wellness advocate. Lewis is an activist for the wellness of all living beings. He is the Film producer/director of the Documentary, “They’re Trying To Kill Us “, and the Author of “Badass Vegan”.

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Multimedia artist and Nonprofit Administrator

B.B. Cooper Browne (he/him) is a multimedia artist and producer with expansive nonprofit administrative experience including grantmaking for libraries and humanities organizations, data-drive collaborations, community outreach, and public programming.

Artist, Educator and Media Consultant

Claudette Roper is a dynamic combination of grit, innovation, and activism. As an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, her multimedia installations (other state and The Man Project), documentaries, and interactive endeavors explore an array of social justice issues through personal narratives. She has serviced an expansive range of clients via corporate communications and worked on historic media productions including: The Cosby Show, Donahue, and NY Committee to Welcome Nelson Mandela. A gifted educator, Roper has a B.A. in Radio & Television and M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts & Media — both from Columbia College Chicago where she is an adjunct professor of instruction.

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Producer of Grammy Winning “Sounds of Blackness”

Gary Hines, Producer of Sounds of Blackness

Since our beginning in 1971 at Macalester College, St Paul – 

Jazz, Blues, Spirituals, Rock & Roll, R&B, Gospel, Hip-hop & Soul.

These are The Sounds of Blackness!  

We’ve performed for Kings, Queens, Presidents, Ambassadors at Concert Halls, Colleges, Schools, Corporations, and Festivals all over the World.

Sounds of Blackness appearances include The Olympics, The World Cup, Ryder Cup, The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, 

World Figure Skating Championships, The Grammys, The Super Bowl,  The Essence, SoulTrain, Stellar, Billboard, and Image Awards, Denver Summit of 8, The NAACP National Convention, and The White House

Sounds of Blackness has appeared with Quincy Jones, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Kirk Franklin, Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Sting, Prince, Elton John, Maya Angelou, Usher, 

Dolly Parton, Harry Belafonte, Aloe Black, Common, John Legend & 

many more.

Sounds of Blackness has won Image, Soul Train, International Time For Peace, Stellar, and 3 Grammy Awards! Their Life-Changing Top 10 Single & Video “ROYALTY” was Nominated for 

2 Stellar and 2 NAACP Image Awards!

Sounds of Blackness Anthem Singles – 

“TIME FOR REPARATIONS” was Nominated for 2 NAACP Image Awards. “Juneteenth Celebration” was Released on May 3, 2022, and is The Juneteenth Holiday Anthem.

Our Groundbreaking Single 

“Hold Up Your Light” 

Also debuted in 2022!

March 8, 2023 “URGONNAWIN” our highly acclaimed Single and Video is motivating and inspiring people all over the world!  “WOKE” is featured in the film “Black Skin” by the 

Award-winning Director Marc Cayce.

“Thankful” in Honor of Amir Locke is

Nominated for NAACP Image Awards!

Sounds of Blackness Glorify God by Educating and Inspiring All People Through Black Music!

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

President and Founder, Strategy for Access Foundation

Vanessa Harris, PE, is a licensed civil engineer and artist with multiple disabilities.

Harris received an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, and a BA in Chemistry from Grinnell College.

During her 46-year engineering career, she won multiple awards in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.

Harris was honored with the Field Foundation/MacArthur Foundation Leader for a New Chicago Awards, is a Legacy TEDx speaker, and was recently appointed to the Board of Commissioners for the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Institute for Human-Centered Design.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.