Join us in giving our flowers to BlackStar's Chief Executive & Artistic Officer @maorikarmael! This week, Maori was named one of @phillymag's 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia. 👏🏽⁠ ⁠ "When [...] Maori Karmael Holmes launched BlackStar as a film festival 10 years ago, she never thought it would grow into a multi-faceted organization that fills a void for genre-nonconforming work by Black, Brown and Indigenous people," wrote Philadelphia Magazine. "Holmes sees BlackStar going global — it became an Oscar-qualifying festival [for short films] in 2021 — but it starts here, with programs like the Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab, a year-long fellowship for [eight] up-and-comers that provides equipment and other needs."⁠ ⁠ Maori is on the list beside BlackStar board member and entrepreneur @215tayyib, @harrietts_bookshop's founder Jeannine Cook, @helloyowie’s founder Shannon Maldonado, president and CEO of @aampmuseum Ashley Jordan, and other major leaders in the city. ⁠ ⁠ Check out the full list at the link in our bio!