Ava Duvernay’s Array 360 Presents 2025 ‘Cinema & Conversations’ Lineup
Array 360 has become one of Los Angeles’ most distinctive film showcases
Ava DuVernay’s Array Collective has revealed the 2025 slate for its annual Array 360 showcase, Cinema & Conversations.
The series, staged at Array’s Amanda Theater in Los Angeles, will open with The Left-Handed Girl, Taiwan’s official submission for the Academy Awards, directed by Tsou Shih-Ching. The season will close with an all-day tribute to filmmaker Gregory Nava, revisiting his decades-long career with works such as El Norte and Selena.
Organizers described this year’s lineup as “global and intergenerational,” with the aim of connecting audiences through cinema and post-screening conversations. The centerpiece screening will be Hedda, the Amazon MGM feature from director Nia DaCosta. The spotlight presentation has been reserved for BlkNws: Terms & Conditions by artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph, Deadline reported.
Documentary work also plays a central role in Cinema & Conversations programming. Academy Award winner Ben Proudfoot will present Eyes of Ghana. Palestine’s Oscar entry, Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir, is scheduled, along with an anniversary showing of Jennie Livingston’s landmark 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, which chronicled New York’s drag ball culture.
Array 360 has grown since its founding into a multi-week event pairing screenings with conversations between artists, scholars, and activists. DuVernay has often said the purpose is to shift the conversation around who is given the platform to tell stories.
“As a model, ARRAY does steep itself in inclusion models to correct long-held absences. We believe in balance from the beginning. . . .ARRAY 360 is a reflection of our mantra that everyone has a place in true cinema,” Duvernay told the Wrap.
This year will also feature a spotlight on women-directed films across continents, continuing Array’s mission to broaden cinematic representation. A special program will honor director Ryan Coogler with a three-film series tied to his Black Panther franchise and related projects. The Coogler retrospective is designed to spark dialogue about Afrofuturism, blockbuster filmmaking, and cultural identity.
Now in its 7th year, Array 360 has become one of Los Angeles’ most distinctive film showcases. Events combine premieres, retrospectives, and cultural conversation; the program positions itself as both a celebration of cinema and a call for broader inclusion in storytelling.
Diedre Windsor Talks Company’s $90M Revenue Growth And 5 Consecutive Years On The Inc. 5000 List
Diedre Windsor reflects on her company's rapid revenue growth and her legacy.
Diedre Windsor, founder and CEO of Windsor Group LLC, has led her company to a fifth consecutive year on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies.
Windsor Group is an award-winning professional services company based in Bethesda, Maryland. Windsor provides best-in-class solutions to both public and private sector clients, identifying areas of weakness and helping resolve challenging issues to ensure optimal success and growth.
Windsor supports its clients in the areas of program and project management, professional and technical staffing solutions, IT support, training, and management consulting. Windsor is a woman-, minority-, and service-disabled veteran-owned small business, as well as an SBA 8(a) Business Development program participant and GSA Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) contract holder.
BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Windsor to talk about her company’s revenue growth and Inc. 5000 listings.
Windsor Group just landed on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for the 5th consecutive year—a milestone achieved by fewer than 1% of companies in Inc. 5000 history. How do you feel about achieving this milestone?
Windsor: It means staying power. It means we’re doing something right, hiring the right people for the right projects, and paying the right wage to ensure a high retention rate. It’s really about being consistent and proving that a Black woman- and veteran-owned firm can not only survive but thrive in business.
Walk us through the scale of Windsor’s growth. What stands out most to you about the journey from $100,000 in 2017 to millions today?
In our first year, Windsor Group secured a contract for an executive assistant position—essentially a secretary role. Even though I had just left my position as a senior executive in the federal government, I stepped in and fulfilled the role myself. For me, it was a prime contract that would give Windsor a past performance record to build on. That year, 2017, we brought in $103,000 in revenue. From that modest start, Windsor grew to $37 million in 2023 and $25 million in 2024. To date, we’ve generated more than $90 million in revenue on $95 million in prime contracts across 15-plus federal agencies. That growth has allowed us to employ over 260 professionals, engage 100-plus consultants, and 40-plus subcontractors, helping them expand in the process.
As a business leader, what would you say is Windsor Group’s number-one priority?
We are a for-profit business, so revenue—and, more importantly, profitability—is crucial. It allows us to sustain growth, invest in our people, and create opportunities for others. Every profitable contract creates a ripple effect that contributes directly to the economy: more income circulating in households, greater stability in communities, and long-term growth for other entrepreneurs.
What’s your message to those who want to build a business of real value but don’t see themselves as innovators, creators, or celebrities?
My message is simple: you don’t have to be known, popular, or invent the next big thing to build something meaningful. Service-based businesses are the backbone of the economy. Windsor Group doesn’t create content or sell products, and we’re not nationally known. We provide a full suite of professional services, including staffing, IT services, and marketing, that organizations rely on every day. In doing so, we’ve created hundreds of jobs, supported dozens of small businesses through consulting and subcontracting opportunities, and contributed thousands of dollars to charitable causes.
Windsor has managed some of the government’s most high-profile programs, including USDA’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. What did this project teach you about operating at scale?
DFAP was a turning point for Windsor. It was a $2.2 billion program providing relief to farmers and ranchers who had faced discrimination in USDA lending. Responsible for the entire East Coast, we opened 21 offices across 27 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—all within 45 days. That meant adding more than 70 Windsor employees, managing over 300-plus staff at the program’s peak, and coordinating numerous subcontractors. The experience taught us the value of strong infrastructure—executing agreements on time, ensuring timely invoicing, confirming insurance, and thoroughly vetting hires. DFAP pushed us to a scale we had never attempted, proving that success requires not just agility and logistics, but disciplined systems and unwavering trust in your team.
You mentioned subcontracting work to more than 40 small businesses. Why is this significant?
I often say, if you want to help another small business, put revenue into their business. We partner when it makes sense for the project and to demonstrate to clients our ability to build capacity and deliver at scale. Further, I’m a firm believer in lifting others as we climb. Subcontracting strengthens the ecosystem, not just our own company. When we work together, we deliver better outcomes, create opportunities, and strengthen the overall market.
Windsor is well-known for its philanthropy in the greater Washington, D.C. area, having been recognized on Washington Business Journal’s “Top Corporate Philanthropist” list three years in a row. Why is giving a priority for you?
Philanthropy gives my work a greater sense of purpose…and it’s my passion. There are so many nonprofits doing the hard work of bridging the gap between what the government provides and what communities truly need. To date, Windsor has donated more than $600,000 to charitable organizations supporting veterans, women, and underserved communities via groups like the Code of Support Foundation, Women Veterans Interactive Foundation, and the Williams Franklin Foundation.
You’ve spoken often about legacy. What kind of legacy are you building—not just for yourself, but for your employees and community?
I want Windsor Group LLC to be known as a company that takes care of our employees, delivers impact to our clients, creates jobs, empowers fellow small businesses, and gives back generously. When my employees can buy homes, when our subcontractors grow stronger, when nonprofits expand their reach because of our support—that’s legacy.
Goodwill CEO Unveils Hiring Managers Still Prefer Degrees Over Skilled Workers, Despite Leadership Wishes
Fortune 500 employers have eliminated degree requirements with some hiring managers suggesting a complete dumb by the end of 2025 but Preston says that's not the full story.
If you think employers are over the college degree status quo, think again, as Goodwill’s CEO, Steve Preston, reveals that a number of hiring managers are still seeking degreed employees over those with pertinent skills, Fortune reports.
In early 2025, reports came out that companies were actively eliminating degree job requirements for employment. A survey found that 84% of 1,000 participating hiring managers admitted to removing degree requirements as a positive, reporting an uptick in applications, a more diverse applicant pool, and being able to offer lower salaries.
Fortune 500 employers such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple have eliminated degree requirements, with some hiring managers suggesting a complete dump by the end of 2025, but Preston says that’s not the full story. The CEO says it’s difficult for leaders to have control over interviews, leaving a full range to hiring managers to hire based on degrees over skills. “Right now, employers are consistently saying they want to hire for skills, not necessarily degrees,” Preston said.
“But the proof is in the pudding. Not everybody does it. What I hear from a lot of people is, yeah, the top says we need to do this, but when it gets to the hiring professionals, it doesn’t always trickle down.”
The former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development believes the concept will make it much harder for the newest addition to the working class — Gen Z — to find stable jobs, which will add to the growing unemployment crisis, especially for young men. The demographic is being labeled as “NEETs,” an acronym for “not in employment, education, or training.” Data from the International Labour Organization found that 1 in 5 young people globally falls into the category, while in the U.S., the number jumps to roughly 11.2% of young adults.
However, Preston has a theory on why hiring managers are dialing back on their promise, saying there is a sense that those with degrees come with a certain foundation deemed “valuable.” “I think when somebody comes out with a four-year degree from college, there’s a certain sense that that person has a foundation that will be valuable in the workplace, and there’s a suspicion that if somebody hasn’t done that, they may be lacking some core skills,” he said.
His advice to those who may seem outnumbered but are still seeking stable employment in corporate America is to showcase those skills in other instances, such as volunteering. “Employers have to be able to see that many of those capabilities are acquired in different ways,” the Goodwill leader said.
Preston has been vocal about the state of corporate culture, even adding his two cents about where A.I. is headed — or not — in the workforce. According to WebProNews, he opened up about his concerns about A.I. taking down the lower-level employee, warning that it could eliminate youth unemployment. After more than two million potential employees took advantage of Goodwill’s employment services in 2024, Preston feels that with automation, the number will expand after entry-level jobs slowly disappear.
With a capacity of over 70,000 at Lucas Oil Stadium, only 3,000 people showed up
The Circle City Classic, which featured a game between the Morgan State Bears and the Miles College Golden Bears on Sept. 27 in Indianapolis, experienced the lowest turnout since the game started in 1984.
According to HBCU Gameday, the contest, held at Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a capacity of over 70,000, was reported to have sold around 3,000 tickets. That number represents just 4.3% of the stadium, raising questions about why the turnout was essentially nonexistent.
WTHR spoke with Alice Watson, the president and CEO of Indiana Black Expo, which runs the Circle City Classic, about the low turnout.
“We compete with over 25 classics now. This is one of the originals. But we’re really trying to figure out how do we morph it into something that’s a little bit different and more meaningful for the community.”
Pointing out that most of the attendance in recent years came from people traveling from out of state, it is difficult to get 70,000 people to attend the game, especially with no local HBCUs and the participating teams being from different regions. Morgan State is located in Maryland, while Miles College is in Alabama.
“We attempt to fill a stadium, but the reality is if we hit a number that is somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 in attendance, that’s a huge success,” Watson said.
She also states that the costs to host an HBCU football game, especially with more classics being played nationally, have become costly, and it can cost a school at least $500,000 to bring a football team to the city.
HBCU Gameday reported that 30 years ago, the Classic would regularly draw 50,000 to 60,000 fans when the game took place at the Hoosier Dome and RCA Dome. In 1994, the North Carolina A&T versus Southern attracted over 62,000. However, in recent years, those numbers have deflated. As other states started having their own HBCU classics, fans had more choices and no longer had to travel to Indiana to catch a football game.
By the mid-2000s, attendance had already begun a downward spiral, dropping from 60,000 to just over 30,000. Going into the 2010s, the numbers went down to the teens.
Watson said, “We used to not have those challenges with HBCUs. And we’re now competing with PWIs — predominantly white institutions — where they’re paying a lot more for HBCU teams to come and play them. It’s like upwards to a million dollars.”
She’s not giving up and believes that the Classic should have a renewed focus on youth programming, showcasing the benefits of post-secondary education to children.
“We still believe that it’s a viable model,” Watson said.
Grant Hill Found Another Way To Deal With Pain After Being Prescribed Opioids Early In His Career
After experiencing several issues after taking the drug, he found a better way to deal with pain after having multiple surgeries
The widespread opioid crisis that recently blared from headlines around the world had already gripped the sports world many years ago, as evidenced by and recalled by former NBA player Grant Hill in an article published in 2017, when he discussed how he dealt with pain while he was still playing basketball.
According to The Basketball Network, it looked back on a 2017 GQ article that featured Hill as he spoke about the detrimental effects of having to deal with opioids. Back then, players really had no choice after an injury that required surgery; they were often prescribed opioids to deal with pain management, making it easier for some to get hooked on them. Hill told GQ that most people, including him, did not know what the side effects were of taking the drug, but he had to do some research to figure it out. But, being that the drug was the only option, he tolerated what came with taking it.
He first took opioids in 1993 after his first surgery. By the time 2000 came around, he started to experience a negative reaction around his second or third surgery, which caused several issues while taking the drug.
“My first surgery was in ’93. From that point forward—for my next nine procedures—I was prescribed opioids. Sometime in early 2000, around my second or third surgery, I started to experience an allergic reaction to that medication. I felt nauseous and my stomach hurt, and I developed an itching sensation and a rash. My body was…not a fan.”
He decided to find out why the drug was having the effects he was experiencing.
“When I first had surgery, I didn’t even know what an opioid was, let alone anything about the potential side effects. This experience really incentivized me to learn more about why that was the case, and after talking with doctors, I became aware of the problems associated with opioids—their side effects and their addictive nature. At that time, though, that’s all they had for surgery. That was what you did.”
Hill decided later to just avoid opioids altogether and found other ways to deal with pain. He did state that he relied on long-acting local anesthetics injected during surgery, which was a better option than him taking any chance of becoming addicted to the drug.
Serena Williams To Mentor Early-Stage VC Founders In New ‘Entrepreneur-In-Residence’ Role
Serena Williams is deepening her commitment to empowering the next generation of business leaders.
When Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures over a decade ago, she didn’t have a mentor—an experience that inspired her to now serve as one for early-stage VC founders.
The tennis legend recently joined Reckitt Catalyst as an “entrepreneur-in-residence,” mentoring U.S.-based founders through the British hygiene company’s social impact investment program. Her guidance supports Reckitt’s mission to provide health and hygiene solutions to 5 million people worldwide by 2030, aligning with her passion for helping early-stage VC founders receive the guidance she wishes she had starting out as an investor.
“In hindsight, I feel like I should have had more mentors,” Williams told Business Insider.
While she values the lessons she learned along the way, she often asks, “Why learn them when you can learn them from someone else?”
Since retiring from a stellar sports career, Williams has fully embraced the world of venture capital. As part of her new role at Reckitt, the tennis champion and mother of two continues to challenge herself, learning and growing as both an entrepreneur and investor.
“I feel like you learn something new every single day,” Williams said of joining the initiative. “I loved school, and I feel like I’m in school all day.”
With a $111 million VC fund that has backed 16 unicorns, Williams understands what it takes to attract the right investors: addressing a real need and showing genuine passion for the product.
“The founder can be amazing and smart and super likable, but if it’s not needed in the market, then it doesn’t fit,” she said.
“If they have a true connection to it, the businesses tend to do better,” Williams added, “as opposed to ‘Oh, there’s a white space, so we’re going to do it.'”
Connection is crucial for attracting investors and mentors in a startup. Williams advises founders to focus on building meaningful relationships with potential investors, rather than relying solely on the strength of their idea.
“When I think about what mentorship means and what I’ve learned, it’s really just about connections and unlocking how to get people to know about your product,” she said.
The hip-hop mogul and Beyoncé returned to Jay-Z’s hometown of New York City on Sept. 27 for a star-studded celebration honoring his grandmother, Hattie White, on her 100th birthday. The Carters were joined by Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles; Roc Nation artist Megan Thee Stallion; her boyfriend, NBA champion Klay Thompson; Grammy-winning rapper Nas; Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin; and many more.
Legendary musician Stevie Wonder performed at the event, which Tina Knowles gushed about in an Instagram recap of the milestone event.
“Stevie said ‘Happy Birthday to Ms Hattie White,’” Tina wrote. “The mayor of Brooklyn declared Sunday Ms. Hattie White Day! The elegant, classy, beautiful lady turned 100 and was celebrated by her family and friends at a party, fit for the Queen she is!!!”
“Stevie Wonder, one of her favorite artist [sic] paid tribute to her with her own private concert!!!,” she added. “Stevie reminded us of the many hits that he’s made!!! We danced the night away. Those Carters know how to party!!!!!!!!!”
A follow-up post showed Stevie serenading Ms. White, “the Golden Lady of the night,” Knowles said.
“What a glorious human being she is,” Tina wrote. “I can hear her famous quote, ‘life gave me lemons and I made lemonade!’ Jay you showed out for your grandma and she deserved every moment of it!”
In a video from the celebration shared on X, Jay-Z beamed with pride while holding the microphone, as his grandmother — dressed in a blue suit — stood beside him and her impressive gold cake, addressing the guests.
“I want to thank you for coming out and celebrating my 100th birthday,” Ms. White told the crowd. “May God bless all of ya’ll who traveled the road that I have traveled.”
Jay-Z has always embraced honoring the strong women in his family and their resilience in raising their loved ones from humble beginnings in Brooklyn, a legacy he acknowledged when accepting the NAACP President’s Award in 2019.
“I grew up knowing that I could accomplish anything because of those strong women in my house,” he said of his mom, Gloria Carter, and grandmother. “I would like to dedicate this award to those beautiful women.”
California Governor Signs Law To Regulate Top AI Companies
'California has proven that we can establish regulations to protect our communities while also ensuring that the growing AI industry continues to thrive,' Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday, Sept. 29, aimed at enhancing online safety and establishing guardrails for artificial intelligence (AI).
According to the California Governor’s office, The Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, or SB 53, imposes new AI-specific regulations on companies, establishes transparency requirements, and establishes a framework for reporting AI-related safety incidents.
“California has proven that we can establish regulations to protect our communities while also ensuring that the growing AI industry continues to thrive,” Newsom said in a statement.
“This legislation strikes that balance,” he added. “AI is the new frontier in innovation, and California is not only here for it—but stands strong as a national leader by enacting the first-in-the-nation frontier AI safety legislation that builds public trust as this emerging technology rapidly evolves.”
What California’s AI Law Could Mean Globally
As NBC reports, California’s new law could have significant ramifications globally, as 32 of the world’s top 50 AI companies are based in the Golden State.
According to Newsom, the legislation follows a report he requested from a group of world-leading AI academics and experts on “sensible AI guardrails, based on an empirical, science-based analysis of the capabilities and attendant risks of frontier models.”
The report included recommendations on ensuring evidence-based policymaking, striking a balance between the need for transparency and considerations such as security risks, and determining the appropriate level of regulation in the evolving industry. SB 53 is responsive to the recommendations in the report.
“With a technology as transformative as AI, we have a responsibility to support that innovation while putting in place commonsense guardrails to understand and reduce risk. With this law, California is stepping up, once again, as a global leader on both technology innovation and safety,” said State Senator Scot Wiener (D-San Francisco), who authored the legislation.
Basketball Court Flooring With Michael Jordan’s Signature At The Center Of Legal Dispute
There’s legal dispute about the authenticity of a section of a United Center floor
In a legal dispute about the authenticity of a section of a United Center floor signed by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, boxer Logan Paul, who won an auction for what was marketed as “the ultimate Michael Jordan display piece,” has filed an injunction against Heritage Auctions.
According to ESPN, the popular YouTuber filed the paperwork in a Texas courtroom after he claimed that the auction house did not allow him to investigate the authenticity of the floor that was auctioned. The lawsuit states that the court’s condition “does not match the court from 1995-1998, as a result of the court either being replaced or, as Heritage claims, repainted and resurfaced.”
Paul says that Heritage informed him that if he did not initiate payment (his winning bid was $562,555.42) before Sept. 25, he could lose the rights to the item.
“It goes without saying that authenticity is everything in the collectibles community,” Josh Bernstein, Paul’s attorney, said in a written statement to the media outlet. “Collectors like Logan deserve, and are entitled to, proof of authenticity that holds up under scrutiny and addresses glaring holes and inconsistencies.”
Bernstein asked for and received a temporary restraining order and temporary injunction against Heritage Auctions, as the motion was granted on Sept. 26. The next court date for the temporary injunction has been scheduled for Oct. 9.
A spokesperson for the auction house stated that it does not believe the boxer’s injunction has any merit. Heritage claimed it made allowances for Paul “to accommodate any in-person inspection and reasonable efforts for additional review.”
“We stand behind every item that we sell,” Heritage said. “This lot would not have been included for sale at auction unless we were fully confident in its authenticity.”
The original listing described the floor as an 8-by-8-foot section of “1994-98 United Center Original Game Used Court,” which was signed by Jordan and includes the inscriptions “Air Jordan,” “5X MVP,” “6X Finals MVP,” “10X Scoring Title,” and “HOF 2009.” It was also listed with a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authentication, as well as third-party authentication from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services.
For those who have watched Taylor’s journey from MTV’s Super Sweet 16 to music superstar, Hollywood actress, and creative director, her inclusion on the TIME100 Next list comes as no surprise. For many, it’s an “about time” recognition, especially after her brief 2020 music retirement, when she cited feeling undervalued by the industry.
With new music released, an album on the horizon, and growing acclaim for her role in One Battle After Another alongside an A-list cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and Regina Hall, Taylor is finally entering a season of well-deserved recognition. Regina King noted that this success is a testament to Taylor staying true to herself from the very beginning.
“I first met Teyana Taylor years ago, when my son and his friends were putting together a pilot and she was one of the artists they interviewed,” King wrote in her TIME100 Next feature. “Even then, she struck me as singular … vibrant, confident, and unapologetically herself. That hasn’t changed.”
She’s captured global attention with her iconic dance performance in Ye’s “Fade” music video, taken fashion runways by storm, and wowed audiences with electrifying stage performances. Taylor seamlessly advanced her own music career while guiding artists like Summer Walker and NBA Young Boy as a creative director, enhancing their live performances, and choreographing for major names such as Beyoncé, the Backstreet Boys, and productions like The Color Purple musical, among numerous other projects.
She also moved moviegoers with her breakout role in the family drama A Thousand and One, a powerful story infused with nods to her New York City roots. All of this she accomplished while raising her two daughters, Junie and Rue, and recently announced her enrollment in culinary school to pursue her lifelong passion for cooking. It’s all a testament to her resilience, work ethic, and undeniable artistry.
“Teyana moves through the world as an artist in every sense,” King wrote. “Whether she’s dancing, directing, singing, creating, or simply speaking, there is a depth and honesty that radiates from her. Her work reaches people because it is rooted in truth. You feel it, you recognize yourself in it, and you want to move with her. When Teyana takes the stage, she doesn’t just perform. She ignites!”
Alongside Teyana Taylor in the Artist category of the TIME100 Next list are Emmy-winning actor Tramell Tillman, Sinners breakout star Miles Caton, actor Damson Idris, and actress Kara Young, among others. Glorilla and Rema were featured in the Phenoms category, while Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott appeared in the Leaders category. See the full list HERE.
