Gabourey Sidibe is new host of public television’s AfroPoP
Acclaimed actress will emcee season five of documentary series on Contemporary African Diaspora, premiering Tuesday, January 22, 2013 on WORLD
NEW YORK—Gabourey Sidibe steps into a new role this winter as host of AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, an innovative documentary series highlighting contemporary life, art and pop culture in the African Diaspora. Best known for her Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated depiction of "Precious" in the Lee Daniels film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, Sidibe also made waves with her hilarious performance in Tower Heist opposite Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy.
The fifth season of AfroPoP, produced by Black Public Media, will premiere at 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT, 4:00pm PT) on public television's WORLD channel, on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, continuing on Tuesdays weekly through February 5, 2013. The series will release to public television stations.
This season, AfroPoP, which consists of independent films, brings viewers on a journey into human and women's rights struggles across the world. Co-presented by the Center for Asian American Media, Eliaichi Kimaro's A Lot Like You (January 22), follows the half-Korean, half-Tanzanian sexual-abuse survivor and filmmaker as she explores her African roots, and learns about the sexual violence faced by her aunts and other women in the Chagga culture.
Dear Mandela (January 29), by Dara Kell and Christopher Nizza, captures the demonstrations of residents of the Durban shantytowns as they fight for the decent living conditions promised by the post-apartheid government and challenge the African National Congress (ANC). Directors Violeta Ayala and Daniel Fallshaw uncover modern-day slavery in refugee camps in Western Sahara in Stolen (February 5), entangling themselves in a high-stakes thriller.
In her role as host, Sidibe frames each episode's content, adding her personal concerns about the issues portrayed. "This season of AfroPoP helps give voice to those who truly need to be heard," said the Brooklyn native, whose father hails from Senegal. "I'm happy to help bring these stories to the American public and raise awareness of issues of vital concern to women and men in Africa as well as all who care about human rights."
"Gabourey's energetic spirit and connection to the youth culture made her the perfect choice to host the series this season and we are happy to have her as such an integral part of AfroPoP," said Black Public Media Vice President and Director of Programming Leslie Fields-Cruz and co-executive producer of the series.
AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange will premiere on the WORLD Channel. Encore programs will broadcast later Tuesday nights at midnight ET (11 pm CT and 9 pm PT). Select episodes (A Lot Like You and Dear Mandela) will be distributed by American Public Television for broadcast on public television channels in addition to WORLD in February 2013. For more information, check your local listings or visit www.blackpublicmedia.org.
To find local airings, visit the AfroPoP page on www.APTonline.org. To find your local WORLD station, visit http://worldchannel.org/where_to_watch_world_tv.
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