The HBCU First LOOK Film Festival and Initiative (HBCUFLFF) announces the launch of its innovative and inspiring HBCU First LOOK Spotlight Podcast, hosted by award-winning editor and media personality Cori Murray. The podcast is an extension of the HBCUFLFF which brings together and empowers the next generation of future storytellers and Celebrates Black Filmmakers Rooted in the HBCU Culture.
“Energized by our 2025 mission to Elevate Future Storytellers, we are proud to have the talent and expertise of Cori Murray as host of the podcast and Roy Wood Jr. as our inaugural guest, ” says Sheila Eldridge, president and CEO of Miles Ahead Entertainment and Broadcasting, and founder, HBCUFLFF. “Cori is an alumna of Hampton University and Wood is an alumnus of Florida A&M University; both have incredible journeys that our students and just everyone need to hear.”
“Our listeners are in store for an extraordinary lineup of HBCU alumni guests who will motivate and inspire them toward greatness in every facet of their lives and careers,” said Murray.
A writer, editor, producer and host, Murray is a multi-platform storyteller. As the former Deputy Editor at ESSENCE, she led the brand’s digital and print platforms that serves 31 million Black women. For 10 years, she led programming for the Black Women In Hollywood awards and served as co-producer of the annual Oscars week event.
Murray has penned cover stories for InStyle, Women's Health and EBONY and contributes to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmys.com, and more. She is a member of the African American Film Critics Association with stage and screen appearances including OWN’s docuseries, Time of Essence, and as a cultural critic in numerous national media platforms including Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, CNN, MSNBC and Ava DuVernay’s 2010 documentary, My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip Hop.
Roy Wood Jr. began his comedy career in 1998 at 19 while attending Florida A&M FAMU. He recently released his fourth stand-up comedy special “Lonely Flowers” on Hulu and host the popular CNN series “Have I Got News for You,” which takes a comedic look at the top news stories of the day. He’s best known as a correspondent on the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning Comedy Central series “The Daily Show.”
Tune into the HBCU First LOOK ‘Spotlight’ Podcast @MOCHAPODCASTSNETWORK available wherever you listen to podcasts and on the HBCUFLFF YouTube channel at
https://www.youtube.com/@hbcufirstlook. For more information on the HBCU First LOOK Film Festival, please visit HBCU FirstLOOK Film Festival at
https://www.hbcufirstlook.com/. All social platforms: #hbcufirstlook #HBCUSPOTLIGHT #HBCUSpotlightpodcast
About HBCU First LOOK Film Festival
Founded by Howard University alumni Sheila Eldridge, the HBCU First LOOK Film Festival is inspiring a new generation of minority talent and storytellers in the film, television, and broadcasting industry by teaching HBCU students practical skills to improve their craft, creating platforms to showcase their work, connecting executives and students to build a pipeline of talent and career opportunities that is a celebration of Black filmmakers rooted in the HBCU culture.
Past sponsors and media partners include AARP, HBCYOU, Andscape, NBC, TVOne, Oxygen True Crime, HBCUGO.TV, Howard University Television + Film, Howard University Television (WHUT), Howard University Radio Network, SiriusXM Channel 141 & 142 and the Cafe Mocha Radio Network.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Wednesday, May 14th 2025 at 4:22PM
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