Hello Everyone! Welcome to Black History Month 2014! I am so excited for this year because I am featuring some amazing women who are going to blow your mind. This year is all about women entrepreneurs; past, present, and building the future. As always, a big thank you goes out to my amazing friend Asheley Brown who you will learn more about later this month. Until then, enjoy the awesome and be inspired. I know I am.
Mara Brock-Akil came onto my radar when I started watching Girlfriends. That show was so much fun! At this point I really only knew her name and that she was the creator and executive producer of the series.
I have since then discovered that she is not only a producing mastermind, but she grew up in Kansas City and graduated from Raytown South. Midwest girl. Yes. She continued on to Northwestern University and is also a Delta Sigma Theta.
She broke into the business as a writer for the short-lived series South Central. She started to garner attention as a writer on Moesha and The Jamie Foxx Show. This then led to her teaming up with Kelsey Grammer for Girlfriends. The Girlfriends spin-off, The Game, has moved from the CW to BET and continued to garner fans along the way.
Ms. Brock-Akil and her husband, Salim Akil, started their own production company called Happy Camper Productions and has since then been renamed Akil Productions. Their production company has achieved much success in both television and film. Along with Girlfriends and The Game, Akil Productions has worked on the Courtney Cox comedy Cougar Town (with Mara Brock-Akil being a writer and consulting producer). Most recently Akil Productions has been the driving force behind the new BET series starring the always amazing Gabrielle Union. It is called Being Mary Jane and from what I have heard it is amazing. I can’t wait to get my hands on a DVD copy when season 1 is available.
Akil Productions has being making a Hollywood splash as well. From the romantic comedy Jumping the Broom to the musical Sparkle. Jumping the Broom stars the gorgeous Paula Patton and Laz Alonso and was directed by Salim Akil. Sparkle stars the late, great Whitney Houston and the talented Jordin Sparks. It was written by Mara Brock-Akil and directed by Salim Akil.
Needless to say Mara Brock-Akil is a powerhouse in media, production, and business. We could all do well to take a page out of her book.
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