ARTISTS' CIVIC DUTIES: Join Gina Belafonte, executive director of Sankofa.org, NowThis’ Jackie Padilla, and @AdCouncil to discuss artists' activism responsibilities and how to address injustices through art and culture. Got questions? Share them below. Tune in now!

Gina Belafonte’s career is a reflection of her passions and beliefs, a bridge between the arts and activism, focused on a central theme of interdependence. As Co-Founder and Co-Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization founded by her father Harry Belafonte, Gina works to help artists become activists by using their platforms to promote peace, justice and equality. By partnering artists like T.I., Chris Rock, Dave Matthews, and Carlos Santana with local grassroots organizations, Sankofa.org aims to use art to invoke action and peace through community engagement. Gina’s career journey is a reflection of these values and stands as its own intersectional testament to the two worlds.

On the 50th anniversary commemorating the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., past and present civil rights leaders that included Representative John Lewis (D-GA), Marian Wright Edelman, Diane Nash, Gina Belafonte, and Tamika Mallory talked about social activism. The event took place at the Crosstown Concourse in Memphis and was organized by the National Civil Rights Museum.

Aloe Blacc and Gina Belafonte on the Importance of Activism & Using Platform For Change

Actress Gina Belafonte discusses experiences, perception of race in media

Gina Belafonte Talks Her Father Harry Belafonte, Many Rivers Festival, Sankofa.org & More (HHS1987)

Gina Belafonte Honored at 'Heroes in The Struggle' Gala by Black Aids Institute

Gina Belafonte is the daughter of Harry Belafonte, one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars in history but that is not why I chose to interview Gina for Loyal Nana. Gina is resilient, woke, and kind. She is a mom, producer, filmmaker and actor who grew up in New York City and California alike.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts joins forces with Sankofa to present an afternoon of intergenerational conversation featuring powerful voices of resistance including Thandiwe Abdullah, Phillip Agnew, Edna Chavez, Angela Davis, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Dolores Huerta, and Rev. James Morris Lawson, Jr., hosted by Gina Belafonte. Arts Across America is brought to you by Facebook.

“INTO ACTION” is a four-day celebration that is taking place on August 6, 7, 12, and 18. Wednesday, Aug. 6, marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. In honor of the day, “INTO ACTION” will be broadcasted from the Lincoln Memorial, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and other locations. There, speakers will advocate for Black political power, bring awareness to voter suppression and voting rights, and celebrate those still fighting for change today.

The Harry Belafonte Black Liberation Speaker Series: Valarie Kaur and Rashad Robinson, in conversation with Gina Belafonte

Kaur, Robinson, and Belafonte will take stock of the present moment, and consider how a vision for our collective future can be found in the legacies of civil rights titans such as Dr. King and Harry Belafonte.

Geffen Playhouse will honor legendary singer, songwriter, actor and activist Harry Belafonte and groundbreaking performer, comedienne and activist Lily Tomlin during its 17th annual Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser, it was announced today. Mr. Belafonte will receive the Artistic Impact Award, which will be accepted on his behalf by daughter Gina Belafonte, and Ms. Tomlin will receive the Distinction in Theater Award.

On this historic day, I humbley accespted the opportunity to participate in the 57th anniversary of the MOW. Sankofa.orgconsistanty brings light to our communitites and I am proud to cary the legacy of my parents and all freedom fighter who have come before me. #thelegacycontinues. Please dontes to www.Sankofa.org/donate today and make your contribution count towards getting out the VOTE and the many initiatives Sankofa.orgis planning beyond the 2020 election.

Born and raised in New York City, Gina Belafonte has spent most of her life surrounded by entertainment and activism. Today, her professional work encompasses these two arenas. As the youngest child of Julie and Harry Belafonte, whose life’s work reflects some of the best-known entertainment and most progressive social activism, Gina’s passions should come as no surprise. Most recently, Gina played a leading role in producing the documentary SING YOUR SONG, a film focused on the personal history and extraordinary events of Harry Belafonte’s life and legacy.

Gina Belafonte has spent her life in the arenas of entertainment and activism where her professional work thrives today. She is the Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization, that enlists the support of today’s most celebrated artists and influential individuals in collaboration with grassroots partners to elevate the voices of the disenfranchised and promote peace, justice and equality, and to promote cultural and civic engagement. An Artivist, Actress, Director and Producer, Gina has been a part of many arts and activism initiatives, including being the lead producer of the award winning documentary Sing Your Song that explores the life and legacy of her father Harry Belafonte, the director of the award winning Hip-Hop spoken word musical Lyrics From Lockdown addressing mistaken identity, mass incarceration and police brutality.

Gina Belafonte has spent her life in the arenas of entertainment and activism where her professional work thrives today. She is the Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization, that enlists the support of today’s most celebrated artists and influential individuals in collaboration with grassroots partners to elevate the voices of the disenfranchised and promote peace, justice and equality, and to promote cultural and civic engagement.

In this episode, things get heavy on The Tight Rope as Dr. Cornel West and Professor Tricia Rose, with their special guest Gina Belafonte, navigate the balance that artists must keep to be accessible and also stand resolutely for social justice. Spotlighting the importance of lyrical vision and imagining, they uncover paths to hope and sustenance in today’s music and its role in social movements. In the context of her father Harry Belafonte’s legacy, Gina Belafonte deepens the conversation on the necessity of intergenerational connections, personal commitment, and the arts in every arena of our lives. Don’t miss the next steps to evolution in this episode of The Tight Rope.

A conversation on the activist spirit and what we can learn from the pioneering creative work of Harry Belafonte.

Touré is a journalist and cultural voice, focusing on music and social issues. Gina Belafonte is Harry's daughter and co-director of Sankofa, a social justice organization which brings together grassroots organizations and the arts to create meaningful change.

Theme music composed and performed by Henry Lyons.

Illustration by Grace Hauck.

Subscribe to Swan Feather Radio on iTunes.

Activist, film maker and Sankofa.org Co-Director, Gina Belafonte stops by IAH to drop some knowledge on the status of the #blacklivesmatter movement, how the arts can bring awareness to race relations in America and to share some great stories about her father, Harry Belafonte.

Also, the track "Don't let them get away with Murder" by Jasiri X is somewhere in the middle of the show. Enjoy.

GINA BELAFONTE is the producer of the documentary SING YOUR SONG, which was directed by Susanne Rostock. The film tells the untold story of singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte (Gina’s father). In this short chat, Gina Belafonte tells us about the making of the film and what inspired it.

Gina Belafonte was born and raised in New York City. Her background is in entertainment and activism, something she shares with her father Harry Belafonte. Harry Belafonte is known around the world for popularizing songs like Day-O, Jamaica Farewell, Jump in the Line, Matilda and many others as well as his acting and activism.

Gina Belafonte has excelled at many things. An accomplished actress, director and activist and the youngest child of Julie and Harry Belafonte, Gina produced HBO’s internationally acclaimed documentary, SING YOUR SONG, exploring the extraordinary life and legacy of her father; the film was selected to open the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. As Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization that educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in service of grassroots, equitable change, Gina works with diverse artists, activists and organizations worldwide to promote cultural and civic engagement. Among these are For Freedoms and The Wide Awakes, currently involved in the largest collaboration of cultural leaders in U.S. history with nationwide civic actions leading up to and after the 2020 election. This episode is the first of a series of activations created in collaboration with leading voices and visionaries within the Wide Awakes movement.

In response to the climate of hate and protest in the U.S., a short film, Against the Wall, produced by Harry Belafonte through the assistance of his social group Sankofa.org, is attempting to help raise awareness and eradicate the possibility of future lives being lost to preventable violence.

During times of racial, economic, political, health or environmental crisis – issues of particular inequities rise to the surface. In this course, students engage with pivotal and complex social issues related to race, and investigate how during tension, artists become powerful agents of change. Working within the framework of Emory Douglas’ role of the artist is to INFORM, ENLIGHTEN and EDUCATE, students explore how, what and where to message their voice in ways that will have the most impact.

Gina is an artist and activist who has worked with her father on multiple productions. She is currently the co-director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization founded by Harry Belafonte that educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change.

Jails and Justice: Rethinking Public Safety through the Arts brought together a collective of diverse artists making work in support of the Reform LA Jails 2020 ballot initiative, including members of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, Dignity and Power Now, White People for Black Lives, and practitioners from the USC Institute for Theatre & Social Change.

Pasadena Synagogue Celebrates the Legacy of Martin Luther King, the Alliance of Jews and African Americans, and the End of Donald Trump’s Presidency