LSU Reilly Center, Loyola School of Communication and Design to Partner on Racism Series, Host Conversation on Black Horror Film Pathology

October 17, 2022

BATON ROUGE—LSU’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is thrilled to announce the School of Communication and Design at Loyola University New Orleans as the newest Racism Dismantling the System series partner. Loyola’s School of Communication and Design will make its debut in the next event in the series, “Looking in a Mirror: How Black Horror Film Pathology Supports Racist Tropes,” on Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m. CT.

In season five, episode two of the series, experts will investigate the popularity of Black horror films and discuss the danger of plots and scripts that perpetuate harmful stereotypes of BIPOC people as disadvantaged or oppressed. Panelists will share ways viewers can be entertained while still being advocates. Panelists are as follows:

Ty Lawson, Moderator, The Marion M. and John S. Stokes Visiting Professor in Race and Culture in Media, Loyola University’s School of Communication and Design
Geretta Geretta, Writer | Director | Actress
Dagmawi Abebe (Dag), Director
Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Writer | Director

Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, Ph.D., director and associate professor at the School of Communication and Design at Loyola University New Orleans, is a former contributor to the series and played an instrumental role in establishing the partnership.

“We’re very excited to join the Racism: Dismantling the System series. This collaboration underscores our commitment to fostering ethical practitioners and leaders, as well as the Jesuit ideals of truth, service and justice,” Haydel said. “As a previous partner, I understand the incredible impact these conversations can have, and we’re proud to join the Reilly Center to not only facilitate critical dialogue, but also bring about real change in our communities.”

The episode will be hosted using Zoom and broadcast live on the Reilly’s Center Facebook page. Admission is free, but you must register in advance on Eventbrite to receive the Zoom meeting access code. The episodes will also be recorded and uploaded to the Manship School’s YouTube channel.

The School of Communication and Design is one of two schools housed in Loyola’s College of Music and Media and strives to educate students to become intellectual, ethical and creative practitioners and leaders in journalism, advertising, design, filmmaking and public relations.

Loyola’s School of Communication and Design joins the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs, Southern University and A&M College's Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences, Louisiana Budget Project, NAACP Louisiana State Conference and the LSU Office of Diversity & Inclusion on their mission to facilitate necessary conversations about past and present inequities that inspire solution-oriented actions for a more just, inclusive and equitable society.

For more information, contact acharbonnet1@lsu.edu.

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The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is partnership-driven, action-oriented and dedicated to exploring contemporary issues at the intersection of mass communication and public life. Its interdisciplinary approach draws together experts from diverse fields to advance research and dialogue. The intent is to inspire our communities to think deeply, take action, develop solutions and broaden knowledge. Underlying the Center’s endeavors is to strengthen and advance the Manship School’s national and state leadership in media and politics.

LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: Master of Mass Communication, Ph.D. in media and public affairs, certificate of strategic communication, and dual MMC/law degree.

The Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences at Southern University aims to educate students who will matriculate with the spirit of service, superb competence and employability skills needed in a global marketplace. The College is located on the campus of Southern University and A&M College, the flagship of the only HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) University System in the nation.

The Louisiana Budget Project (LBP) monitors and reports on state public policies and how they affect Louisiana’s low- to moderate-income families. Using research, outreach and advocacy, LBP educates policymakers, the nonprofit community and the public about the economic and racial barriers that Louisianans face each day, and looks for solutions that can create a more widely shared prosperity.

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

The LSU Office of Diversity & Inclusion is a division of the Office of Academic Affairs and provides support, referral and information to students, faculty and staff on issues and concerns related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information, please visit lsu.edu/diversity.

Loyola’s College of Music and Media serves as the preeminent center of performing and visual arts study among all Jesuit colleges and universities throughout the United States. The College recognizes the historical role of music, visual arts, and communication throughout the world. The School of Communication and Design educates students to become intellectual, ethical, and creative practitioners and leaders in journalism, advertising, design, filmmaking, and public relations. In addition, the School offers a master’s in marketing and communication to better prepare students for dynamic careers with multiple pathways to sustainable success.