ABOUT
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) actively reviews and spotlights cinema at-large, with a particular emphasis on film and TV highlighting the Black experience, especially that produced, written and/or directed by persons from the African Diaspora. Members are also engaged in AAFCA’s advocacy work, which includes programming for students interested in film criticism and journalism in addition to general community outreach.
AAFCA members are a geographically diverse cross-section of journalists, covering all genres of the cinematic arts while representing multiple mediums – including print, TV, radio broadcast and online. Collectively, they reach a worldwide audience in excess of 100 million.
Effective January 1, 2010, final tabulations for all AAFCA Award categories are handled by Beverly Hills accountant W. Steven Temple.
GIL L. ROBERTSON IV. – CO-FOUNDER
Gil L. Robertson IV is co-founder and President of the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), the premier body of Black film critics in the world and produces the annual AAFCA Awards, an important event on the Hollywood Awards Calendar. He is a veteran journalist and best selling author who has edited/written 3 successful anthologies, Where Did Our Love Go: Love and Relationships in the African American Community (2013), Family Affair: What it Means to be African American Today (2008), selected as “Pick of the Week” by Publisher’s Weekly and the classic Not in My Family: AIDS in the African American Community (2006), the later two nominated for NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Nonfiction. Robertson is also the author of Writing as a Tool of Empowerment, a resource book for aspiring journalists, and a regular contributor to The African American Almanac (Gale Press). Robertson’s first Children’s book, Great African American Political Leaders (Just Us Books) will be released in 2016.
During his 20 + years in entertainment journalism, Robertson authored over 50 national magazine covers and his byline has appeared regularly for a list of publications that includes, the LA Times, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Billboard, Fortune, Essence and Ebony magazines. He is the founder and editor of the nationally syndicated Arts & Lifestyle column, the Robertson Treatment. Now in its 19th year, the column boasts a national readership in excess of 2 million. Robertson is a regular on the TV talk show circuit where he shares his expertise on topical issues. He is also a popular national lecturer who’s speaks on issues that impact professional growth strategies and personal development.
He earned a B.A. degree in Political Science from Cal State Los Angeles and is a professional member of the National Press Club, The National Association of Black Journalists, The National Academy of Recording Arts & Science, The National Academy of Television Arts and Science and MPAA.
For more information visit www.robertsontreatment.com
DARYLE LOCKHART – CO-FOUNDER
Daryle is a science fiction aficionado who grew up collecting comics and spending weekends at the movies. He’s an accomplished entertainment industry veteran, who began his career working in marketing capacities at Virgin, Sony Music, and Universal Music Group labels. He went on to become an early contributor to the success of digital platforms like BlackPlanet.com, BET.com, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.
As founding editor of the award winning website Black Box Office, Daryle helped change the way studios worked with multicultural digital outlets, fighting for competitive advertising rates to support independent publishers, inclusion of influential publishers in marketing strategies, and the coverage of international cinema scenes like Nollywood in American media.
He still specializes in covering all things science fiction and afrofuturistic as co-host and producer of Sci Fi Generation’s podcast shows.
KATHY WILLIAMSON – CO-FOUNDER
Kathy Williamson began her career as journalist at the Los Angeles Sentinel, the largest Black owned newspaper West of the Mississippi. She ascended from Entertainment and Lifestyles Editor to Managing Editor during her tenure. Her goal was to always highlight the positive news in the community and report the hard news with integrity. She currently serves as West Coast Vice President for the African American Film Critics Association; Commissioner, U.S. Selective Service; Planning Committee, “The State of Black Women – California;” and a member of numerous local organizations.
KEVIN CHILL HEARD – CO-FOUNDER
Kevin “Chill” Heard is the founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization “My Cool Solutions Inc.,” he is a lifelong journalist and currently President of the Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalists, the award-winning Cleveland chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
My Cool Solutions’ mission is to provide effective, nurturing and accessible services that educates, informs and inspires creativity for members of the Greater Cleveland community. The purpose is to expose children and adults to best practices that provide and improve self-awareness, self-confidence, various skills development and self-expression through creative arts.