Leah Daniels Butler on the Black Casting Directors Who Paved the Way (Guest Column)
Leah Daniels Butler Being in the entertainment industry is challenging but comes with rewards, so when I was asked to talk about what Black history meant to me, I couldn’t start the conversation without mentioning the history of Black casting directors who made it possible for me to be in the position I am in now.I am blessed to have been mentored by a casting legends Jaki Brown and Kimberly Hardin, two phenomenal women whose shoulders I stand on. They gave me an opportunity and platform to be a part of some of the greatest history in Black cinema.There is also Monica Swan, Chemin Bernard and Robi Reed, who have all played a big part in the history of Hollywood, paving the way in championing diversity both on and off the screen.