San Francisco-Michelle Obama has been invited to the LaHitz Media Black Actress Panel “Commanding, Telling Their Stories and Taking New Ground,” February 16 at the Pan African Film Festival (www.paff.org) in Los Angeles. To date panelists include: Neema Barnett, Vanessa Williams, Malinda Williams, Sonya Maddox, Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker, and Tationna Bosier.

“The Pan African Film Festival is the largest event of its kind. We’re waiting on word from the Obama campaign as to whether Mrs. Obama can join us,” said Jacquie Taliaferro, founder and CEO of LaHitz Media. “We would be honored and she’d be the perfect person to present the Sojourner Truth Award because truly she is commanding, telling her story and taking new ground as possibly the next First Lady of the United States of America,” Taliaferro added.

The Pan African Film Festival is one of two venues annually, where the Sojourner Truth Award is presented. Last May, during the Cannes Film Festival, Jean-Marie Gaston Kabore, the cofounder of FESPACO held in Burkina Faso received the award. Other past recipients include: Danny Glover, Neema Barnett, Melvin Van Peebles, South African Film Commissioner, Eddie Mbato, filmmaker Rahmatou Keïta of Niger and U.S labor activist, Maria Elena Durazo, Marla Gibbs and Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame.

“We’ve had the Black Actress and Women in Media panel at the Pan African Film Festival
bi-annually for over 7 years and now more than ever, given incidents like Don Imus and the Rutgers champions, Dog, the Bounty Hunter, Michael Richards, San Francisco’s Asian Week’s “Why I Hate Blacks Column, the voices of Black women should be given a platform like this one,” said Taliaferro. In addition to the panel, “Bronze Beauties, “Commanding, Telling their Stories and Taking New Ground,” LaHitz Media is sponsoring a book signing highlighting the work of San Francisco native, and Paris tour expert, Robin Bates. “For any of the festival attendees or anyone planning on going to the LaHitz @Cannes Film Series, May 20-24, they should pick up author Robin Bates’ “Soul on the Seine, Your Hip Guide to Black Paris” said David Mims, of Detroit2LA National Publicity. “The book is perfect for a Paris visit before or after the LaHitz@Cannes Film Series.” The LaHitz@ PAFF events will be held at 3 p.m. at the Magic Johnson Theater in Los Angeles. Call 415 824.3990 or 415 821.1111 for more information including some sponsorships that are still available.