Gloria Dulan-Wilson Blog/ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS: Jamal Joseph's Book, PANTHER BABY, to become CBS TV Series

By Gloria DULAN-Wilson

Hello All:

Hope all is well and that you are enjoying this wonderful season of Spring and renewal.

You know I am always happy to share good news about a friend or someone in our community, and I am over the moon about my brother friend, Jamal Joseph, whose book, "PANTHER BABY," has been selected to be a CBS TV series. Absolutely AWESOME!!!

Jamal is the consummate all around genius - writer, producer, artist, child development specialist. His IMPACT Repertory Theatre has transformed the life of many a child who needed the proper guidance to display his or her talent, into a major individual tour de force. They have toured all over the world, and have been nominated for an Oscar for "RAISE IT UP" with Jamia Nash, in 2007.

It's clear that Jamal has always been devoted to Black people, and through enhancing all our talents and capacities. Starting at such a young age, his awareness and commitment led him away from negative gang and street activities to becoming a member of the Black Panthers. I truly hope CBS allows him to display the story to its fullest.

Jamal was my writing mentor during my days at the Harlem Screen Writer's guild, and often mentioned he was in the process of penning the Autobiography. When he finally completed it, he as also in the middle of putting together a tour for IMPACT, among other things. I have so much admiration for his and Voza Rivers drive, energy, dedication and activism and the fact that these two empower themselves, each other, and so many of us around them.

Make sure you watch out for, and support PANTHER BABY when it comes out. In fact, get the book in advance of the movie - it's well worth the read. And most definitely support the series when it comes out.

My congrats to Jamal for yet another milestone.

Stay Blessed &

ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria DULAN-Wilson

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,

New Heritage Theatre Group is very proud to announce that its Senior Executive Artistic Director, Jamal Joseph's book "Panther Baby" has been selected by

CBS to become a TV Series.

Writer, Director, Producer, Poet, Activist ,OSCAR nominee and Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University School of the Arts in the Film Department Jamal is also an a co-founder of IMPACT Repertory Theatre. and heads up New Heritage's Film Division, New Heritage Films.

As a teenager Jamal Joseph was incarcerated for his active participation in the New York Chapter of the Black Panther Party. Upon his release from prison he was introduced to Clarence B. Jones (former personal attorney to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) Voza Rivers and Lainie Cooke who had recently formed Greenlight Films. Greenlight optioned Jamal's script Liberated Territory about his experiences as a young Black Panther . In 2012 Liberated Territory became part of the source material for Jamal's celebrated book Panther Baby.

Last week CBS announced Jamal Joseph’s gripping memoir "Panther Baby" will be adapted as a TV series with Gina Prince-Bythewood directing and The Queen’s Gambit‘s Scott Frank, Timberman/Beverly and Reggie Rock Bythewood producing.

The friendship between Jamal, the Bythewoods and Scott Frank is a treasured one . Jamal met Scott Frank at a session spent at Sudance. Jamal and Reggie Rock Byethewood met at the home of legendary fellow activist Yuri Kochimaya when Jamal was first released from prison. They have been friends ever since. The Byethewoods and Scott Frank have been constant supporters of Jamal's work including being donors to IMPACT Repertory Theatre the youth arm of New Heritage Theatre Group

Jamal and Voza, along with Joyce Joseph, Courtney Bennet and Alice Arlen began IMPACT REPERTORY THEATRE

in 1997 as the youth and empowerment program at New Heritage. Over the last 20 plus years, the IMPACT program has received many honors and has seen its members attend college, become professionals in many fields and also come back to run the program.

Over the years IMPACT has been honored by the support of many Below Harry Belafonte and the IMPACT members and Janet Jackson performing with IMPACT during HARLEM WEEK