KweliTV Streams Content For the Global Black Community, Filling a Gap in the Industry
*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).
Back in 1957, the late Queen Elizabeth II gifted a pair of swans to Lake Morton in Lakeland, Florida. Now there are around 50 swans from the original royal pair and each year they are rounded up and given an annual medical check-up to make sure they're all healthy.
Design and lifestyle company Apartment Therapy has brought back its annual Small/Cool NYC exhibit to showcase some of the biggest interior design trends. Maxwell Ryan, founder of Apartment Therapy, joined Cheddar News to show some of the designs the company has come up with as well as some unique choices for living spaces of any size.
It's the last day to vote for the annual CEW Beauty Awards. Ju Rhyu, co-founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics, a finalist in the Launch of the Year category, joined Cheddar News to discuss the company's Mighty Surface Patch which has become a sensation.
California restaurants that offer boozy brunches have introduced an extra charge diners to indulge to the point of getting ill will be charged a $50 fee to cover the cleanup.
Jada Pinkett Smith and husband Will Smith have lived “completely separate lives” since 2016, she revealed in an interview with Hoda Kotb. The prominent Hollywood couple married in 1997 and have addressed separations and marital troubles, but never this specifically.
