Baratunde Thurston’s ability to hold space for hard and nuanced conversations juxtaposed with his sense of humor, inquisitive nature, and his ability to synthesize themes of race, culture, politics, and technology earned him a Social Impact Award from iHeartRadio. His TED talk, which sits at over 5 million views and counting, received compliments from MSNBC’s Brian Williams who called his talk “one of the greatest of all time.” Thurston has worked for The Onion, produced for THE DAILY SHOW, advised the Obama White House, and wrote the New York Times bestseller How to Be Black. He serves on the boards of BUILD and the Brooklyn Public Library and lives in Los Angeles, California.  As a child, he was a Boy Scout and still remembers how to build a fire without matches.

Part2 Pictures creates award-winning, premium television, film and digital programming across a range of formats and platforms. Focused on stories told through a human lens, Part2 comes to every project with a people-first/story-first approach to make viewers feel connected to the ever-changing world. Since launching in 2007, Part2 has partnered with leading networks and streamers, worked with televisions' leading talent, filmed around the world, and earned dozens of awards and nominations including Emmys, Gotham Award, IDAs, Gracies, Critics Choice, James Beard Media Awards and a Sundance Jury Prize.

Twin Cities PBS (TPT)’s mission is to enrich lives and strengthen our community through the power of media. Established 67 years ago, TPT now operates as a public service media organization that harnesses a range of media tools to serve citizens in new ways — with multiple broadcast channels, online teaching resources, educational outreach and community engagement activities reaching more than two million people each month. Over its history, TPT has been recognized for its innovation and creativity with numerous awards, including Peabody awards and national and regional Emmy® Awards.