Streaming has dramatically changed how consumers view Hollywood and hear music as theatrical release windows shrink and social media replaces radio and television as a source of music discovery.
In our latest Strategy Session, dot.LA spoke with three talent representatives about how new platforms, models and the pandemic are shifting the ways artists reach their audiences, and what might be in store for the future.
<p>Q&A co-founder Troy Carter has worked on providing new tools that allow musicians to gauge the future success of their songs, and to take care of back-office needs once provided by record labels. UTA Independent Film Group partners <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rena-ronson-49026412/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rena Ronson</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-meenaghan-9a004460/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jim Meenaghan</a> bring new directors and filmmakers to light and help them get financing and distribution deals for their films. Each plays a role in helping artists navigate bringing their work to market.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="041bc7a3b667b1da9067a5c5b09dee17"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNWLxPHivGM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
</p><p>Carter said where once record companies and radio stations, MTV and BET picked who would be played and who wouldn't, now a whole new world has opened up to artists on social media, streaming apps, as well as entire new industries such as gaming and streaming video.<br/></p><p>What hasn't much changed, Carter said, is the way that artists are compensated. Those who own the music copyright are paid well by streaming services such as Spotify, but that money often doesn't trickle down as quickly to artists. "And that's where, you know, things need to be fixed," he said.</p><p>"If an artist is releasing music independently, they still run a label, essentially. So they should be organized with the same tools," he said. "Everybody's a label, essentially."</p><p>The question for artists has become 'how do you cut through the noise'. His goal is to give them — as well as record labels and agents — the tools to reach listeners.</p><p>"The idea is to, you know, can we make the music industry run more efficiently, and be able to allow labels and artists to make smarter and more informed decisions?"</p><p>For filmmakers, the marketplace is getting to be more difficult, especially for those who — like many independent directors — would like to see their films on the traditional big screen, Ronson and Meenaghan said. The pandemic has accelerated trends within the industry that favor streaming services, which were already able to offer larger sums for films.</p><p>"Everybody in our ecosystem still wants there to be theatrical releases," Meenaghan said. "COVID has just put a pause on theatrical releasing during the pandemic, but I don't think any of us believe that theatrical releasing is going away."</p><p>Much of that may depend on whether the pandemic has created new habits for audiences, who are now used to watching movies on demand and at home. Meenaghan said he's also heard questions about whether theater chains will consolidate or become part of large studios such as Netflix or Disney.</p><p>"That was the speculation," he said. "The studios would buy out the exhibition chains, take the real estate, presumably, and then use the theaters for captive marketing and releasing venues."</p><p>Ronson said viewers can probably expect the 'theatrical window' — the time when films are available only in theaters, before they're released online — to shrink.</p><p>"The big question is going to be 'how is the windowing going to look? Will people stay, you know, continue to go to the theaters?'," she said.</p><p><em>Watch the full discussion above and sign up for our newsletter to get updates on upcoming dot.LA events.</em></p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2MjA4MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzIzMTc3NX0.kC-_VjKh6NEuOv6YazOt_r_54lzKlMma7XU8Bi0OakI/image.jpg?width=1500&coordinates=305%2C0%2C305%2C0&height=2000" id="0af3b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="00f73e42c119e3ee1103be764791f6bf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Troy Carter, Founder and CEO of Q&A
Troy Carter, Founder and CEO of Q&A
<p>Troy Carter is the founder and CEO of Q&A, a technology and media company focused on powering the business of music through distribution, services, and data analytics. Formerly, Troy was the founder and CEO of Atom Factory, where he rose to prominence, nurturing the careers of global superstars including Lady Gaga and John Legend. He most recently served at Spotify as its global head of creator services, overseeing the company's growth strategy for artists and record labels. In 2017, Carter was also named entertainment advisor to the Prince Estate. </p><p>His interest in the intersection of technology and culture resulted in the formation of AF Square Investments. Early investments include Uber, Lyft, Dropbox, Spotify, Warby Parker, theSkimm, Blavity, Gimlet Media, Thrive Market, PlayVs, and FazeClan. Troy currently serves as a trustee for The Aspen Institute, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and CalArts.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2NTQ2OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzY5NzQ3MX0.yAib4zhJarGaYnKmAR4pKBXivPsThOj97w8Bzox9xnM/img.jpg?width=980" id="26203" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b11c2083d0b846c39feee6223171b6a0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Jim Meenaghan, Co-Head of the Independent Film Group and Head of Business Affairs - Motion Pictures
Jim Meenaghan, Co-Head of Independent Film Group and Head of Business Affairs, Motion Pictures
<p>As co-head of UTA Independent Film Group, Meenaghan is actively involved in structuring and negotiating film financing and distribution deals for independent films across all media. Meenaghan also oversees day-to-day business affairs operations for the motion picture departments across the agency and works closely with many of UTA's high-profile clients including Wes Anderson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Drew Goddard and Noah Baumbach.</p><p>Prior to joining UTA, Meenaghan served as executive vice president of Anschutz Film Group/Walden Media ("The Chronicles of Narnia," "Charlotte's Web," "Ray"<em>) </em>and was in charge of all aspects of the company's business and legal affairs. Prior to that, he was senior vice president, business affairs at Icon Productions ("What Women Want," "We Were Soldiers," "Passion of the Christ"<em>). </em></p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2NTI5NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjYzNTIwNH0.lHDyt-7482Le01PSiknsFVRMWl2Y6Y8gPnRY9Oaiz00/img.png?width=980" id="756ee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2073d958d979f4113d7e9160ed90c9ca" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Rena Ronson, Partner and the Co-Head of the Independent Film Group
Rena Ronson, Partner and Co-Head of the Independent Film Group
<p>Rena Ronson is a partner and the co-head of the Independent Film Group at leading global talent and entertainment company United Talent Agency (UTA). One of the industry's pre-eminent packaging and finance executives, Ronson specializes in global film finance, distribution and marketing strategies for independent and co-financed features, helping the world's most acclaimed independent filmmakers see their work reach global audiences.</p><p>Throughout her career, Ronson has helped package, structure financing for, and sell numerous high profile films, including Oscar-winning "I, Tonya," "Room" and "Icarus," and Oscar-nominated films, "Hidden Figures," "The Big Sick," "Lady Bird," and "Call Me By Your Name," among many others. She is also known for working with acclaimed filmmakers on their directorial debuts, including Greta Gerwig's "Lady Bird," Haifaa al-Mansour's "Wadjda," Don Cheadle's "Miles Ahead," Marielle Heller's "Diary of a Teenage Girl," Jill Soloway's "Afternoon Delight," Crystal Moselle's "Skate Kitchen," and Emerald Fennell's "Promising Young Woman." Additional upcoming films include "The Father" starring Anthony Hopkins and "The Mauritanian" starring Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, and Benedict Cumberbatch.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2NTM3Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTc2NzUyNH0.CpuQ0w95VUhqGxWGQrd5DPWypV51CGaImRIA6dIRZVc/img.jpg?width=980" id="5625c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="66059e75cd883b18f07bd159bae51129" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Host and Correspondent
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Host and Correspondent
<p>Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, she also served on Disney's Corporate Strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2MjA4OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTcxNjM2Nn0.oJVAj9fWdCsMduIKVo14OOh8yDQ5y1VC6gttpYPTu9I/img.jpg?width=980" id="3a858" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="18c3375470205d183c8b3f367375e84e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Sam Blake, dot.LA Entertainment Reporter
Sam Blake, dot.LA Entertainment Reporter
<p>Sam Blake is dot.LA's entertainment reporter. Prior to joining dot.LA, he had a writing fellowship with The Economist, where he wrote primarily for the business and finance sections of the print edition. Sam previously interned at KCRW and hosted a podcast at UCLA's college radio station while completing his dual-degree MBA and Master's in Public Policy. A native of Detroit, Sam previously lived in Madison, Wisconsin and New York City. He studied history at the University of Michigan and speaks four languages.</p>From Your Site Articles
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The pandemic and social unrest of 2020 accelerated change at a rapid pace for individuals, corporations and communities, L.A. business and tech leaders said during a virtual panel discussion. They predicted 2021 will be an opportunity for tech growth.
Upfront Managing Partner Mark Suster, Valence co-founder and COO Emily Slade and entrepreneur, athlete and investor Baron Davis spoke to dot.LA during its final Strategy Session event of the year. The challenges of 2020 were a common theme.
<p>Suster said he sees the economic recovery as being K-shaped rather than U or V-shaped where half of the economy is doing better than it ever has, while the other half is doing worse. </p><p>"It's really, sadly, exacerbated inequalities in our system because the people that are doing better are knowledge workers and remote workers, and the people doing worse are the people who have to have their earnings from being in person," he said. "So, one thing I didn't anticipate was what we've basically done is accelerate societal change that would have taken five or eight or 10 years into one year." </p><p>Working from home is a change that the pandemic brought that Suster doesn't see going away. He expects people will work from home two or three days a week. He also said he is "bullish" about VR as the pandemic is pointing towards remote collaborative working.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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</p><p>One of the takeaways of Airbnb's and DoorDash's successful IPOs last week was how important and pervasive tech companies have become in today's market, Suster said.<br/></p><p>"It sets up the opportunity of what we expect in the next 10 years," he said. "The second thing it speaks to is the sheer demand there is for public stocks because there's been a six, seven, eight-year period of time where these great companies raised billions of dollars in the private markets and weren't public. And now a lot of them are shifting to becoming public companies." </p><p>Valence, which connects Black professionals with capital, mentorship and professional development, saw its community membership double this year amid the social unrest following the death of George Floyd. Companies had been thinking about diversity and inclusion before this summer, but the protests brought "a sense of urgency and the awareness and understanding across the board," Slade said. </p><p>She said they saw strides this year towards diversity and inclusion in the L.A. tech and startup community, although the steps companies took in response to the movement varied.</p><p>She outlined three things that companies can do in 2021 to achieve diversity and inclusion goals: have diverse people on recruiting teams; spend money, time and attention on retention of new employees and promote Black and diverse leadership within the company. </p><p>"Being a part of a moment like this is actually really inspiring — to be able to say that we were in a time where so much change is taking place and that we didn't just stand by, that we participated," she said.</p><p>Davis, a former L.A. Clipper, said when he was involved in the early L.A. tech scene, he advocated for a name other than "Silicon Beach" to differentiate the community from Silicon Valley.</p><p>A native Angeleno, he'd like to see what he called "L.A. Unified," not the school district, but a community of innovation and inclusivity. </p><p>"For me it's really about unifying the city so we understand how to pay it forward, how to pay it back and how to build a modern city and a smart city where everybody can participate and everybody can share," Davis said. </p><p>He wants to create a structure for opportunities for young entrepreneurs, especially women, people of color and those in the LGBTQ community. And he's hopeful that the pandemic can create a unique moment for innovation. </p><p>"Right now, L.A. is, I keep saying, it's in its infancy, especially due to COVID," he said. "Obviously our school systems were failing, our educational systems need to be rewritten, so COVID has given us all these opportunities for these young minds to come and create and build. So, I think the opportunity for all of us is to seek, find, deliver and give access and use some of the things that we have, as the privilege, to share and build opportunities for the unprivileged." </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODgyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDE1ODg0Nn0.9MHOK5nMFrmjUJd19jZa7pZDJnxfJNZWi0OW-OJHRRg/image.jpg?width=1500&coordinates=234%2C0%2C234%2C0&height=2000" id="54056" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f49cf8c06da7b8bae43ca7aaa71541ec" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Baron Davis" />
Baron Davis, Entrepreneur, Athlete & Investor
Baron Davis, Entrepreneur, Athlete & Investor
<p>Baron Davis is a two-time NBA All Star, serial-entrepreneur, investor and creator of thought-provoking content and platforms. During his years in the NBA, Davis was constantly listening, learning, networking, and connecting both on the court and off which ignited a successful post-NBA business career. </p><p>Davis is the founder of several companies, including Sports and Lifestyle in Culture (SLiC), Business Inside the Game (B.I.G.), The Black Santa Company and No Label; each with the objective of combining creative talent with original publication and production to develop and provide educational and empowering stories that appeal to global audiences of all ages. Davis was one of the original investors in Vitaminwater and helped launch Thrive Market. </p><p>Davis also served as producer of several acclaimed documentaries including "Crips and Bloods: Made In America," "30 for 30: Sole Man," and "The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce."Davis currently resides in his hometown of Los Angeles where he plays his most important role, Dad to his two kids. </p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0ODY5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjU2MTkyMX0.WgbltkeHzG-IoPwhoY56UsWrBpb56CCIxYyTJNIossg/img.jpg?width=980" id="2b417" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d66be3fcb4e47fcf70d6f54fa39993e2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Mark Suster" />
Mark Suster, Managing Partner at Upfront
Mark Suster, Managing Partner at Upfront
<p><br>Mark Suster has been a managing partner at Upfront since 2007, where has led notable investments in companies including Bird, Invoca, Density, Nanit and Maker Studios (acquired by Disney). He previously was the founder & CEO of two successful enterprise software companies, the most recent of which was sold to Salesforce.com, where Mark became VP of products. Prior to being a founder, Mark was a software developer at Accenture while living and worked in Europe, Japan and the U.S. Mark is a graduate of UCSD and has an MBA from the University of Chicago.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDg5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjczOTAxNH0.hyPrqUqp2BCVc0Ko8kfflh7nNzcPMPf0qUkdS133XQg/img.jpg?width=980" id="c64c1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29407c3729d94c3ae633fa5049fd5304" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Emily Slade, Co-Founder & COO of Valence
Emily Slade, Co-Founder & COO of Valence
<p>Emily is the co-founder & COO of Valence, a new tech platform and community incubated by Upfront Ventures focused on connecting Black professionals with mentorship, job opportunities and capital.<br><br>Previously, she was the global head of growth/partnerships at Working Not Working, the platform connecting the world's top creative talent with companies looking to hire them, She built the "Work in Progress" initiative there. That effort launched with the acclaimed food-recovery program "FoodFight" that supports tens of thousands of homeless people. They launched FoodFight with a focus on turning foodie-hotspot Abbot Kinney Blvd in Los Angeles into the first zero-food-waste street in America during their beta, and now FoodFight is a feature within the Postmates app in 19 cities with 3000+ participating restaurants donating food to homeless shelters.<br><br>Throughout her career, she's focused on helping tech companies and startups scale strategically and authentically, contributing to the $1B IPO & sale of Active Network during her seven-year tenure there. Her side hustle is behind the lens as a co-founder of a travel production company, Pindrop Films, which takes her on photo adventures around the world. She's also worked as a film consultant supporting the development of features including "Man's Search For Meaning" based on the iconic memoir by Viktor Frankl and she is the L.A. chair of The Schusterman Family Foundation.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0NDkwMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Mjg0MjQwOH0.SzkX-JEOrU-nSmWcaE7hFZcs-RTvGrwR980JoMGsO9E/img.jpg?width=980" id="a0098" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5ac1729cf6acd94a65d747e1ef049616" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Correspondent & Host and Head of Video
Kelly O'Grady, Chief Correspondent & Host and Head of Video
<p>Kelly O'Grady is dot.LA's chief host & correspondent. Kelly serves as dot.LA's on-air talent, and is responsible for designing and executing all video efforts. A former management consultant for McKinsey, and TV reporter for NESN, she also served on Disney's corporate strategy team, focusing on M&A and the company's direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A Boston native, Kelly spent a year as Miss Massachusetts USA, and can be found supporting her beloved Patriots every Sunday come football season.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0ODY5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTg1Mjc4NH0.ldqKcPdkyQHCWmF_FAsST5T_hIxZ1beLOb4azgD0fWM/img.jpg?width=980" id="caca5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2e9e456d97b5bc558de8eac49aafa3ba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Ben Bergman, dot.LA Senior Reporter
Ben Bergman, dot.LA Senior Reporter
<p>Ben Bergman is the newsroom's senior finance reporter. Previously he was a senior reporter/ host at KPCC, a producer at Gimlet Media and NPR and produced two investigative documentaries for KCET. He has been a frequent on-air contributor to NPR and Marketplace and has written for The New York Times. Bergman was a 2017-2018 Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Economic and Business Journalism at Columbia Business School. He enjoys skiing, playing poker and cheering on The Seattle Seahawks.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk0ODg3MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTQ1NzY2MX0.3BZbeKWgIisx3pak4_U1a0FFIPHQd_9PSm93bORi68s/img.jpg?width=980" id="e765a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="50eaabae40b153439f5100b00ab89da7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Sam Adams, dot.LA Co-founder & CEO
Sam Adams, dot.LA Co-founder & CEO
<p>Sam Adams serves as chief executive of dot.LA. A former financial journalist for Bloomberg and Reuters, Adams moved to the business side of media as a strategy consultant at Activate, helping legacy companies develop new digital strategies. Adams holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and an MBA from the University of Southern California. A Santa Monica native, he can most often be found at Bay Cities deli with a Godmother sub or at McCabe's with a 12-string guitar. His favorite colors are Dodger blue and Lakers gold.</p>From Your Site Articles
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South L.A. has long produced arts and cultural icons and influencers — from actress and producer Issa Rae to two-time NBA All Star Baron Davis. It's now also home to an emerging network of founders and a recent wave of investment. But is it Los Angeles' next tech hub? Much will depend on access to capital, infrastructure and a shift in how it's perceived. That's the takeaway from Wednesday's dot.LA's strategy session, "Is South LA the next tech hub?" with Mirror Digital CEO Shelia Marmon, PLLAY Labs, Inc. CEO & co-founder Shawn Gunn and America on Tech founder and CEO Jessica Santana.
<p>
"We have to have a place to tell our own stories and define our own narratives, and that is so important," said Marmon, who grew up in South LA and was at the early network meetups in Leimert Park where the seed for Plug In South L.A. were sown. The group provides a network for founders.
</p><p>
Building those networks are key for Black and Latino entrepreneurs who have historically been excluded from the inner circle of largely white, male tech and venture capital circles, making it more difficult to raise money and get ideas off the ground.
</p><p>
Just 1% of venture-backed founders were Black in 2018, according to a study led by Silicon Valley Bank. Another survey by the National Venture Capital Association and Deloitte found on 3% of investment partners are Latino and another 3% Black.
</p><p>
South Los Angeles is largely Black and Latino and has a long history of segregation and poverty. The
<a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/2502/takeaways-from-the-transformation-of-south-los-angeles/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South LA region </a>spans 28 communities and 50 square miles, bordered by the Alameda Corridor, Imperial Highway, Baldwin Hills and Interstate 10.
</p><p>
"It's easy to tell a young person, 'Oh, just go to Santa Monica and go to this conference or, you know, go somewhere like that.'" said Gunn, who has founded several companies and recently raised $3 million for PLLAY, a game wagering platform. "You're not always felt welcome there, right? Or you have all your defenses up. So when you see people, men and women that kind of look like you, and are potentially going down a path that you want to go down...That means a lot."
</p><p>
Like a lot of founders of color, Gunn said, the task felt nearly impossible and he looked outside traditional venture capital firms for funds. In Los Angeles, where Hollywood, sports and tech collide, there's opportunity.
</p><p>
"There are high-net worth individuals that are starting to open up to the concept of becoming early-stage investors," he said.
</p><p>
To his point, Rae and Davis are both investors. The slain rapper Nipsey Hussle was also working on real estate investments in the region when he was killed. Gunn said there's also crowdsourcing and accelerators.
<br/>
</p><p>
Grid110, a nonprofit that runs an accelerator focused on minority founders, this year created its first
<a href="https://medium.com/grid110/the-2020-grid110-south-la-cohort-7c87cab3aed2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South LA cohort. </a>
</p><p>
Jessica Santana, who trains youth in South Los Angeles schools, said that these options help but the narrative must also be changed.
</p><p>
"Generational poverty has obviously taken a toll on the way that (the youth) seek opportunities in their own communities," she said. "What we do is helping young people reimagine the way that they see technology in the first place, so that they can see themselves as creators of it and not just the ones who, you know, are on the platform."
</p><p>
Now she said, she'd like to see more people opening the doors to hiring and writing checks.
</p><p>
For more, watch the video.
</p><p>
<em><span></span>This event is in partnership with <a href="http://pluginsouthla.com/" target="_blank">Plug In South LA</a> & <a href="https://utc.pluginsouthla.com/" target="_blank">Urban Tech Connect // Forward 2020</a>.<br/>
</em>
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<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8ab014abf30c73fede072db5bdc9443e"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oWyNx4HnvLU?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Strategy Session: Is South L.A. the Next Tech Hub?</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWyNx4HnvLU" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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</p><h2>Speakers</h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYxNjMyMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjUwNzk4NX0.Q-fTgUZCIvrn4UHVOBVtiVSmVbJuAV2FZeYGIfBLO6s/img.jpg?width=980" id="fce87" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="94e347c9cfbfb8e68a749bd99d9f5975" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Sheila Marmon, Founder & CEO of Mirror Digital
Sheila Marmon, Founder & CEO of Mirror Digital
<span id="selection-marker-1" class="redactor-selection-marker" data-verified="redactor"></span><p>Sheila Marmon has a passion for the launch and operation of new businesses in the digital media industry and has created innovative platforms for over 20 years. As founder + CEO of Mirror Digital, an interactive media and advertising company, she helps Fortune 500 brands tap into the fastest growing U.S. consumer base - the multicultural market. Sheila has executed over 450 digital campaigns in this space for clients including AT&T, Clinique, Disney, Ford, General Motors, Intel, Macy's, Netflix, Procter & Gamble, Universal Pictures and other leading brands and advertising agencies.</p><p>Sheila has been featured in leading publications including the Financial Times, and Media Post; she was also profiled in a cover story for Minority Business Entrepreneur Magazine. She serves on the Boards of The American Advertising Federation, A Better Chance, and Cate School and she is also a founding member of the Council of Urban Professionals. Sheila has received The Network Journal "Forty Under 40" Outstanding Achievement Award, the Code Breaker Award from Digital Diversity Network, and has been named a Catalyst in Media & Entertainment by the Council of Urban Professionals.<span id="selection-marker-2" class="redactor-selection-marker" data-verified="redactor"></span></p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYxNjU5Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTE0MTI4NH0.MEc2Spr-V1JSnzt5fLT8bJltnt9K3wkCWIafOzJ6f88/img.jpg?width=980" id="1ea13" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c6a561ca4cba068398988b3bee840343" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Shawn Gunn, CEO & Co-Founder at PLLAY Labs, Inc.
Shawn Gunn, CEO & Co-Founder at PLLAY Labs, Inc.
<p>Shawn Gunn has successfully exited from five technologies companies during his career as an executive, investor and entrepreneur. Today, he is co-founder and CEO of PLLAY Labs, an artificial intelligence-driven behavioral data and wagering platform focused on the broader video gaming industry, and former founder and CEO of Persona, a personal data security and monetization platform.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYxNjc1NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjIxNDY1OH0.UHmNPJaF6Iv65IW2evFgYxdxn8x9kRs3AsFLWbh2Kig/img.jpg?width=980" id="69299" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7baf376c4af747191456cb4dc2f04184" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Jessica Santana, Founder & CEO of America on Tech
Jessica Santana, Founder & CEO of America on Tech
<p>In 2014, Jessica co-founded America On Tech (AOT) which is an organization that creates pathways for students into degrees and careers in tech. Their work has been featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, CNN, Wells Fargo, Sirius XM Radio, Huffington Post, TechCrunch, BET, Black Enterprise, AlleyWatch and The Network Journal. AOT has offices in NY and L.A.</p><p>She has presented and spoken to over 100+ different audiences that include SXSW Edu, TechCrunch, Google for Entrepreneurs, White House, Thomson Reuters and Bloomberg. Her commitment to philanthropy and community engagement is evidenced by her world travels and work in parts of Europe, China and South America to work with nonprofits, private companies and social enterprises that better local communities and economies. She is a board member or PowerMyLearning and the Office of Multicultural Advancement at Syracuse University. She graduated with undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting and information technology from Syracuse University.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYxNjk3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2OTQxOTM1MH0.MS88fT7vEDUgDXdkCM4qECQqd3G9jZMXeSX4E3scEsA/img.jpg?width=980" id="dfa5a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="20d445b92981e968cc61f514b41e33e6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Rachel Uranga, Reporter at dot.LA
Rachel Uranga, Reporter at dot.LA
<p>Rachel Uranga covers the intersection of business, technology and culture. She is a former Mexico-based market correspondent at Reuters and has worked for several Southern California news outlets, including the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Los Angeles Daily News. She has covered everything from IPOs to immigration. Uranga is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and California State University Northridge. A Los Angeles native, she lives with her husband, son and their felines.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Is South Los Angeles the Next Tech Hub? - dot.LA ›
- PledgeLA Releases Report on Diversity in Los Angeles Tech - dot.LA ›
- How Can L.A. Tech Promote More Diversity in Its Ranks? - dot.LA ›
- South LA Could Be The Next Tech Hub - dot.LA ›
- South LA Could Be The Next Tech Hub - dot.LA ›
- Trading Apartments for Houses, LA Tech Workers Move to Cheaper Cities - dot.LA ›
- PLLAY Labs Raises $3M for Its Gaming Betting Platform - dot.LA ›
- The Fund for South LA Founders Announces Its First Cohort - dot.LA ›
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