Entertainment

BLACK WOMEN FILM NETWORK CLOSES 2017 WITH A FESTIVE HOLIDAY BASH HOSTED BY VANESSA BELL CALLOWAY!

Published on December 7, 2017

Photos by Jerome Dorn/C. Donnell

ATLANTA) – December 6, 2017 – Last night, the Black Women Film Network (BWFN) held its annual holiday party at Atlanta’s latest hot-spot REVEL. Over 400 guests came out on a rainy Tuesday to celebrate a year of growth and success and to meet the party’s host — veteran actress Vanessa Bell Calloway. Calloway, who plays the lead character “Lady Ella” on Bounce’s original series “Saints & Sinners,” shared words of wisdom with the audience, including the mantra “Stay ready, so you can be ready!” The evening also included a special presentation of the new digital video platform, THEA, by ChooseATL executive director
Kate Atwood. Chef Mark Brown prepared delicious appetizers for the event.
DJ Bomshell Boogie kept the energy high while Red Carpet Express provided a fun, prop-filled photo booth. Guests brought toys to donate to the My Special Friendz Toy Drive.

Additional attendees included fellow “Saints & Sinners” actress Jasmine Burke; LeLee Lyons from SWV; stylist Gocha Hawkins;11Alive reporter Francesca Amiker; Keenya Hill (“America’s Next Top Model” Cycle 4); model/TV personality Sincerely Ward; “Sister Circle Live” co-host Kiana Dancie; realtor and tv personality Genise Shelton; actor Dennis L.A. White; acting coach Jonna Johnson; My Special Friendz founder Gwen Boyd Moss; tv personality LaKenya Morris; wardrobe stylist Ryan Christopher; event designer Jamahl King; BWFN Board Members Larry Cooper, Tomika DePriest, Natana Denzmore, Mercedez Springer; and BWFN Members Denise Armstrong, Naylon Mitchell, Judi Rodgers, Gwen Goodman, D. Jones, Summer Jackson and many more.

Special thanks to our sponsors Nationwide, ChooseATL, Aspire Premium Hair and Southern Edge Sweet Tea Vodka.

To register for the upcoming BWFN Summit 2018 on March 9-10 in Atlanta, visit BWFNSummit2018.eventbrite.com.

To submit your short film for consideration in the BWFN Short Film Competition, visit FilmFreeway.com/BlackWomenFilmNetwork.

Related Topics:Black Women Film Network, Black Women in Film, Featured, Revel Lounge, Vanessa Bell Calloway

InDaHouse

Celebrity photographer and disabled Vietnam veteran Jerome Dorn embodies the very definition of resilience. Born in Philadelphia, the fifth of seven children, Dorn stayed focused throughout his youth, eventually obtaining his degree in Criminal Justice. Dorn has worked with the Philadelphia Police Department, Department of Justice, World Wide Detective Agency, and several other high profile security groups. Throughout his successful career, Dorn wrestled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, an aftereffect of his military service. Battling the pain and debilitating effect of PTSD, Dorn found comfort behind the camera. Photography proved to be not only therapeutic, but life changing as well. Dorn picked up his first camera in 1970 while serving in Vietnam and knew instantly that behind the lens was where he belonged. His shooting style and photographs were special, generating a buzz in the industry. In 1985, he began his career in photojournalism, working in a variety of genres. Dorn’s credentials include fashion, lifestyle photography, photojournalism, and celebrity/red carpet coverage. Working with MSNBC, Jet Magazine, and major publications in Philadelphia and around the country, Dorn has had the honor of capturing the images of hundreds of notable celebrities and politicians including President Barack Obama, George Bush Jr, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou, Jesse Jackson, Rihanna, Snoop Dog, Will Smith, and Tyler Perry. Photography has sent Dorn around the globe, inspiring his passion for civil activism. In 1995, Dorn assembled and led a group of forty-two men to the Million Man March. Together, they spent five days walking from Philadelphia to Washington DC. In his travels, Dorn observed a common theme amongst the youth of the world. Many of the children he encountered seemed lost. Understanding that opportunities for at-risk youth are minimal, Dorn was inspired to make a difference. Established by Dorn in 2011, InDaHouseMedia was built on the idea that there is room in the house for everyone. With InDaHouseMedia, Dorn’s mission is to provide the future generation with positive direction through sports, music, and photography.