*By Conor White* KweliTV wants to give people of color a voice on screen. DeShuna Elisa Spencer, founder and CEO of the new streaming service, told Cheddar she came up with the idea because she couldn't relate to what was being offered. "I remember flipping through a couple of channels, a lot of channels actually, and being really frustrated," she explained. "Not seeing stories I could relate to, not seeing enough black actors, people behind the camera, noticing they don't have a role as well, and from there I said, 'What can I do about it?'" A study by UCLA's College of Social Sciences found that people of color represent 40 percent of the U.S. population, but they made up less than 15 percent of lead roles in 2016's top films. But Kweli is betting there is a place for films focusing on the global black population. Spencer launched the streaming platform last September using her own money, to create a home for films, shows, and documentaries that told the stories of the African diaspora. The selection has gotten critical notice: 98% of the movies on Kweli are official film festival selections. But Spencer said that simply being part of a film festival wasn't enough. "People think the film has to have a black director or a black cast, but it's much more than that," said Spencer. "Kweli means truth, and so our mission is to create content that's a true reflection. So even those being in film festivals, we want to make sure it's not monolithic or demeaning or stereotypical for our community." KweliTV's goal is to have 30,000 paying subscribers by the end of 2018. For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-truth-about-kwelitv).

Share:
More In Culture
Celebrating Lunar New Year
Xiaohua Yang, professor of international business and director of the China Business Studies Initiative at the University of San Francisco, joins Cheddar News to talk about the history of Lunar New Year.
Lawmakers Call On MTA To Install Doors On Subway Platforms
After a number of tragic subway incidents, the MTA is facing increased pressure to install subway platform screens to help prevent injury or death. However, according to an earlier report from the MTA, installing these prevented measures isn't feasible. New York City Council Member Keith Powers, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
2020 Census Data Shows New Gerrymandering Battle
Across the country, states are working to redraw their congressional lines in what is often known as gerrymandering. These news lines are expected to determine the balance of power between Democrats and Republicans within the next decade. Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center's Democracy Program, Michael Li, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Load More