Our Story

The African Artists’ Association (or the 3As as we are lovingly called) was born when a small passionate group of creative individuals came together in 2008 to voice our frustration over the negative portrayal of characters’ African heritage in a number of popular Hollywood films. We understood the urgent need to create an international organization that would not only be a voice for the voiceless; but would also stand up against the negative portrayal of Africans in the film and arts industry.

The 3As holds an ongoing commitment to the psychological well-being of the African Diaspora; we provide options for mental health support to our membership; and we are the space that the industry can turn to for appropriate guidelines and information about how African imagery and African diaspora content can be depicted and handled respectfully.

The African Artists’ Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Hollywood, California. We are a globally diverse, international talent pool of business minded artists and industry professionals from a broad spectrum of disciplines, including actors, producers, filmmakers, writers, dancers, singers, models, photographers and musicians; post-production specialists, art department, entertainment business and legal professionals who are supportive of the mission of the organization.

Mission Statement

The mission of the African Artists’ Association is to inspire and facilitate the meaningful creation, dissemination and progression of images and artistic cultural representation of people of African Heritage and the African Diaspora. Our organization is committed to providing empowering information, educational tools, an invaluable database and a contact point for artists affiliated to the African Diaspora, located here in Hollywood and globally.

Objectives

  1. To maintain a professional resource database that would allow 3As members access to synergistic, creative, professional connections with fellow artists, relevant companies and organizations.
  2. Encourage and support innovative and inclusive forms of artistic expression. Including those with outreach into the broader African Diaspora and wherever internationally relevant.
  3. Provide monthly guest speaker seminars and/or workshop presentations to empower our members to move forward within their fields of activity, while broadening their knowledge and insight of their business.
  4. Present opportunities for 3As members to expand their areas of focus, or find the right collaborative opportunities through local and global networking.
  5. Provide an accessible monthly community forum for our members.
  6. Provide a safe space community to nurture and support new, emerging or established African Diaspora talent and our specific needs.
  7. To actively promote dialogue, creative ideas, synergy and creative opportunities between Artists from the African Diaspora and other global creatives – irrespective of creed, color, race, gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
  8. The 3As will provide an accessible, progressive conduit between African Diaspora Artists and the global business community.
  9. Support and where possible facilitate screenings and productions that support our mission statement.

Meet Our Board of Directors

President

Francis Onelum
Vice President

Rodney Charles
Board Member

Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Board Member

Constance Ejuma
Board Member

Nathaniel Simons
Board Member

Segun Aluko

President

Francis Onelum

Francis Onelum is the founder and president of the African Artists’ Association, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that supports the development of African actors, filmmakers and entertainment industry professionals living and working in Southern California.

Francis has been a fixture in the Los Angeles media market for close to 20 years. His deep relationships within the entertainment, marketing and advertising industries have allowed him to forge broad, collaborative partnerships and resulted in powerful cross-media promotions.

Vice President

Rodney Charles

Rodney Charles, Vice President of The 3As, is an award winning writer, filmmaker and actor. He is the writer, producer of ‘Once Upon A Time’ a BBC short drama and winner of the Greater London Arts award. Rodney is also writer, director & co-producer of ‘The Disciple’ winner of Best New Director honorable mention at the Pan African Film Festival 2008. Rodney completed ‘African Cowboy’, a western he wrote, directed and produced, shot on location in Namibia 2012.

As an actor Rodney has collaborated with directors including Wim Wenders, Mike Figgis & Antoine Fuqua. His Acting has been balanced with a career as an international male model represented by the FORD Model Agency resulting in Rodney’s exposure to diverse global cultures and an acute understanding of how film, imagery and advertising impact on self-awareness and identity globally. This has heavily influenced his dynamic and original collection of trans-cultural, socially conscious and internationally relevant feature screenplays.

Board Member

Hakeem Kae-Kazim

From Blockbusters to the primetime small screen, Hakeem Kae-Kazim has made his impact in the world of entertainment and has worked alongside many industry greats. This talented actor gained international notoriety for his wonderful portrayal of George Rutugunda in the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda, which led to leading roles in the TNT movie Librarian 2; opposite Noah Wyle, and The Triangle opposite Eric Stoltz and Sam Neill. Enjoying playing feisty and exciting characters, Hakeem’s list of impressive credits include Pirates of the Caribbean III, Lost, Cane with Jimmy Smits, Law & Order: SVU with Mariska Hargitay, The Triangle with Sam Neill, The Librarian with Gabrielle Anwar, X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Hugh Jackman, The 4th Kind alongside Milla Jovovich and Darfur with Billy Zane.

Hakeem is often recognized for his recurring role as Colonel Dubaku, through which he wowed audiences with his stunning performance in 24’s’ Season 7, and in the prequel movie Redemption. Hakeem both produced and starred in Black November with Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, as well as the award-winning film Man on Ground and Last Flight to Abuja. Hakeem’s recent films include Half of a Yellow Sun and A Chance of Rain

His distinctive voice has also been shared in many popular video games including Halo, Call of Duty and The Bourne Conspiracy. Hakeem is well loved for his TV work, which recently has included many primetime shows including Human Target, Criminal Minds, NAVY NCIS, Law and Order, Cobert Affairs, Strike Back and Gotham. He also starred as Mr. Scott in Michael Bay’s exciting series Black Sails, which was commissioned for a third series, also starring as The Prophet, in NBC’s Dominion, and as Samson, in the exciting miniseries Roots.

In the BBC/Netflix drama Troy – Fall of a City, Hakeem starred as Zeus and voiced the role of Krogan on the Disney Channel’s hit series How to Train Your Dragon. Hakeem’s recent films include 24 Hours to Live and the drama Serenity, starring Mathew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. He also appeared in the US drama Forty North and joined the remake of the classic TV series Dynasty starring as the Colby Patriarch.

Hakeem recently filmed the much-awaited feature King Kong v Godzilla playing Admiral Wilcox, BLACK BEAUTY starring Kate Winslet Mambo in Local film Riding with Sugar, Zimbabwean revolutionary Robert Mugabe in MUGABE Joseph Damba in the TV series Deep State II. and has just finished tv series Intergalactic for Sky one TV.

Board Member

Constance Ejuma

Constance Ejuma is an actress and producer of Cameroonian descent. She studied theatre at the University of Toronto and spent some time in the UK pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mass Communications. She has acted in various plays including Carry The World, 40 Plays for 40 Presidents, Romeo and Juliet, Death and the King’s Horseman and Things Fall Apart. She has also had the privilege to work with great artist like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and Academy Award Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo.

Constance is the star and producer of Ben & Ara, a feature film directed by Nnegest Likké. Her TV credits include Future Man, Proof, Eagleheart, Southland, and Monk. Constance is currently working on a web series called Con$equences which she produces and stars in.

Profile:IMDB

Reel:Demo Reel

Website:constanceejuma.com

Board Member

Nathaniel Simons

While Nathaniel believes inspiration comes in many forms, he is a strong advocate of personal testimonies because they encourage the soul. His leadership experience has allowed him to recognize that motivational leaders are developed through their efforts to humble themselves and form relationships. Nathaniel graduated from the University of Southern California as Business Administration Major with a joint emphasis Entrepreneurship and Marketing and a Minor in Cinematic Arts. At USC, Nathaniel anchored a show for Trojan Vision Television, served on Undergraduate Student Government, was a Resident Adviser, an active member of Delta Kappa Alpha Cinema Fraternity, among other activities. He currently works as a social media consultant.

Nathaniel believes in living life with purpose, irrespective of financial or social constraints and for the past four years has been pursuing acting in Los Angeles. As an actor, Nathaniel is currently represented commercially, theatrically, and for voice-overs. He feels blessed to have the opportunities he does and in the future will travel back to Ghana, West Africa to open a production company dedicated to portraying the African continent more holistically.

Nathaniel’s hobbies include poetry, spoken word, traveling, and indoor rock-climbing.

Website:beingencouraged.com

Board Member

Segun Aluko

Segun Aluko is an associate in the entertainment and digital media practice group of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, where his practice focuses on transactional entertainment matters, including rights acquisitions, development, first look and overall deals, production, talent deals and guild-related matters, and financing, licensing, and distribution for motion pictures as well as scripted and unscripted television productions. He advises studios, production companies, independent producers, and digital content creators in all aspects related to the creation and exploitation of motion pictures, documentaries, television series, and animated projects. Mr. Aluko also works with entertainment clients on corporate matters related to mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, venture capital, private equity, and corporate finance.
 
Previously, Mr. Aluko was a business affairs executive at William Morris Endeavor, collaborating with and counseling literary and talent agents on film, television, podcasts, and digital media deals. He started his legal career as an associate at Aluko & Oyebode, representing clients on corporate matters related to mergers and acquisitions, project finance, and general commercial transactions.
 
Mr. Aluko received his LL.B. from Obafemi Awolowo University and his LL.M., with Entertainment, Media, and Intellectual Property Certificate, from the USC Gould School of Law. He also received his M.B.A., with specializations in finance and entrepreneurship, from the UCLA Anderson School of Management

Website:https://www.sheppardmullin.com/saluko

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/segunaluko

©2024 African Artists' Association

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