Actor, Producer, Humanitarian Danny Glover's Pan African Film Festival Underway/ Cote d' Ivoire Film & Delegation in Attendance

April 23, 2022

POSTED COURTESY OF WRIGHT ENTERPRISES SAN FRANCISCO~DALLAS COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Wright Enterprises-Community Spotlight

(Greatest Message of All time) April 22, 2022

W.E. COMMUNITY NEWS

"Le Ticket a Tout Prix"("The Ticket at Any Cost" ) one of the films featured at The 2022

Pan African Film Festival in LA to Showcase in LA (Louisiana) at the African Heritage Series Kickoff at Nicholls State University

Los Angeles-The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), founded by San Francisco's own, Actor, Producer and Humanitarian, Danny Glover with Ja’net DuBois (August 5, 1945-February 17, 2020 best known for her role as Willona in the TV series “Good Times”) and PAFF Executive Director, Ayuko Babu is underway now through May 1st, celebrating 30 years. This year's festival has over 170 films from 55 countries with 18 different languages from a total of 1071 submissions from 89 countries. PAFF will be in theaters and presented virtually.

"Le Ticket a Tout Prix" ( "The Ticket at Any Cost") is one of the French language films featured at this year's Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. The film will be screened in LA and LA.

The cultural economic tourism collaboration generated by Damon Batiste's NOSACONN (New Orleans and South Africa Connection) between Africa and New Orleans is resulting in new opportunities for education, commerce, and cultural exchange.

Dr. Vivian Ray, a trained chef and educator appeared on the first edition of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight video podcast to speak about her experience in Senegal and the Ivory Coast as an education leader and a woman. Dr. Vivian Ray spoke about "Le Ticket a Tout Prix" being featured at fundraiser sponsored by the NAACP at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA.

Dr. Ray, with over 30 years as a chef and educator, spoke Thursday on the first episode of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight. Ray shared news of the upcoming NAACP sponsored fundraiser April 30th kicking off the African Heritage Series; her role as a cultural ambassador representing NOSCACONN in March during Women's History Month; and next step cultural exchanges between Nicholls State University, NOSCACONN and the Ivory Coast.

Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight episode:

https://youtu.be/q_2sePZHp8o.

Dr. Ray explained that "The Ticket at Any Cost" ("Le Ticket a Tout Prix") that will be shown twice at the Pan Africa Film Festival in Los Angeles (https://paff.eventive.org/schedule/6245b08810687f0069832477)

will be a significant element of the NAACP fundraiser on April 30^th.

The Ivory Coast cultural and tourism delegation consists of Mr. Dramane Coulibaly, the CEO of the lottery company of Cote d'Ivoire, LONACI. Alain Guikou, director and producer of the movie The ticket at all costs; Alfred Zebi, partner Sol Prodd Consulting; Fate Toure, actress, co-producer of "Le Ticket a Tout Prix" and top model and Necy N'Dri, actress and TV host for cooking show.

"We are pleased to see the efforts of NOSACONN culminating with a visit from a delegation from the Ivory Coast that will be a part of the historic Pan African Film Festival and Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University," said Damon Batiste, founder of NOSACONN in 1998.

Batiste has recently returned from Africa where he and business associates launched a $5 million dollar deal that will focus on cultural exchange and the economic empowerment of BIPOC communities. "Grammy Party in the BUSH," was the launching event that also celebrated another member of "NOLA's Royal Family of Music," Batiste's first cousin, Jon Batiste, who was nominated for eleven Grammys and walked away with five of the top musical awards.

"When I heard about the number of trips (82) that Damon had taken to Africa and his plans around economic empowerment for BIPOC communities in Africa and the U.S., I knew there was synergy between us since I have made several trips to Africa," said Dr. Vivian Ray, Chef and Educator at John Folse Culinary Institute of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

"Dr. Ray is a creative innovator. Her curriculum vitae is filled with firsts and the development of culinary departments at several colleges," said Jackie Wright, host of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight.

"What I love about her work is that Dr. Ray has worked with HBCU's and many of her students over these 30 years are well-placed in hotel chains and other corporations. If it had not been for her creative efforts, a lot of students of color would not have had great careers. Wright, also a non-profit leader, has created a workforce development program (https://sfbayview.com/2022/04/ncbw-sf-teams-up-with-doris...) that focuses on placement in the hospitality industry.

Find out about the April 30^th African Heritage Series Fundraiser (https://linktr.ee/africaheritageseries) Sponsored by NAACP to help students train in the Ivory Coast.