Ava DuVernay and Autumn Riley

Ava DuVernay was born on August 24 1972 in Long Beach California. Her aunt Denise inspired her love of the arts and her creative side. She worked as a night nurse so that she could give her aunt the time she required during the days to be able to enjoy theatre, literature, and art. DuVernay loved the film West Side Story, which she was able to introduce her. DuVernay recognized that art is a powerful tool to promote social activism. DuVernay was trained by her mother who was social conscience and encouraged DuVernay to show her creativity through art. While DuVernay was raised in Compton with her family she lived at Lowndes County Alabama where her parents lived for many generations. DuVernay's father remembered watching the historic Civil Rights march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in neighboring Selma Alabama. DuVernay used the time that she spent in the state to stimulate her future film, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. DuVernay was a graduate from Saint Joseph High School Lakewood California in the year 1990. She went to the University of California Los Angeles to obtain degrees in English along with African American Studies. DuVernay developed an interest in journalistic broadcasting while in school. DuVernay began working as an intern at CBS News, during the O.J. Simpson's trial. DuVernay recalls being asked to investigate the waste inside the home of one of the jury. In the aftermath of being dissatisfied in journalistic work by the assignments she was assigned, she was inspired to start a new career in publicity. DuVernay began her professional career as a junior assistant to publicity in a tiny film studio, right after graduating from college. In this role, she launched her own PR company called The DuVernay Agency in 1999. The agency was the first to launch a variety different lifestyle and promotional networks, including Urban Beauty Collective and Urban Eye. Autumn Riley.............................Autumn Riley was born in Los Angeles United States. Autumn Riley was born under the guidance of. She is an actress most well-known for American Experience (1987) and A More Perfect Union (2009). Autumn played the roles of Rose and Anna Payne from A More Perfect Union.