
Byron Hurt
Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker
Byron Hurt is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, published writer, anti-sexist activist, and lecturer. Hurt is also the former host of the Emmy-nominated series, “REEL WORKS with BYRON HURT.” His documentary, “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens. The former Northeastern University…
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Full Bio
Byron Hurt is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, published writer, anti-sexist activist, and lecturer. Hurt is also the former host of the Emmy-nominated series, “REEL WORKS with BYRON HURT.” His documentary, “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens.
The former Northeastern University football quarterback was also a founding member of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program, the leading college-based rape and domestic violence prevention initiative for college and professional athletics. Hurt also served as an Associate Director of the first gender violence prevention program in the United States Marine Corps.
Byron’s writings have been published in several anthologies, including Michael Eric Dyson’s “Know What I Mean” Kevin Powell’s “The Black Male Handbook,” and Shira Tarrant’s “Men Speak Out.” In the media, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The L.A. Times, O Magazine, Mother Jones, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Philadelphia Tribune, The Final Call, AllHipHop.com, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, Access Hollywood, MTV, BET, ABC News World Tonight, Black Enterprise, C-Span, and many other outlets have featured Byron’s work.
Byron’s latest film, Soul Food Junkies is critically acclaimed and won the CNN Best Documentary award at the American Black Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City. The film made its national television premiere on PBS’ Emmy award-winning series, Independent Lens in January 2013. Soul Food Junkies is currently touring the country and playing in front of large audiences and is receiving rave reviews.
A member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Hurt’s next film is entitled, Hazing: How Badly Do You Want In.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!

LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!

MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!

SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!

SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!

CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!

PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.

GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!

FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
Beyond Beats and Rhymes: A Hip-Hop Head Weighs in on Manhood in Hip-Hop Culture is a riveting documentary that examines representations of gender roles in hip-hop and rap music through the lens of filmmaker Byron Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist. Conceived as a “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” Hurt tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture.
About Soul Food Junkies
Food traditions are hard to change, especially when they’re passed on from generation to generation. In this PBS documentary,award-winning filmmaker Byron Hurt shares his journey to learn more about the African American cuisine known as soul food. Baffled by his dad’s reluctance to change his traditional soul food diet in the face of a health crisis,Hurt sets out to learn more about this rich culinary tradition and its relevance to black cultural identity.He discovers that the love affair that his dad and his community have with soul food is deep-rooted,complex, and in some tragic cases,deadly. Through candid interviews with soul food cooks,historians,and scholars,as well as doctors, family members,and everyday people,Soul Food Junkies blends history,humor, and heartwarming stories to place this culinary tradition under the microscope. Both the consequences and the benefits of soul food are carefully addressed.So too is the issue of low access to quality food in black communities,which makes it difficult for some black people to eat healthy. In the end,Hurt determines whether or not black people are addicted to this food tradition that has its origins in West Africa and the black south, yet is loved all over the world.
About Barack & Curtis
A short documentary film examining the contrasting styles of manhood exhibited by then Presidential candidate Barack Obama and rapper/mogul Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent.
About I Am A Man: Black Masculinity in America
Award-winning filmmaker Byron Hurt explores what it means to be a black man in America. Traveling to more than 15 cities and towns across the country, Hurt gathers reflections on black masculinity from men and women of a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and a host of leading scholars and cultural critics. What results is an engaging and honest dialogue about race, gender, and identity in America. Features bell hooks, Michael Eric Dyson, John Henrick Clarke, Kevin Powell, Andrew Young, Dr. Alvin Poussaint, MC Hammer, Jackson Katz, and many others.
About If Five-O Shoots
In April 2008, I watched CNN as three detectives, Michael Oliver, Gescard F. Isnora, and Michael J. Padino, were found not guilty of all charges in the 2006 murder of 23 year-old Sean Bell. The three off-duty officers fired a combined 50 shots at Bell, who was unarmed, outside of a club in Jamaica, Queens just hours before Bell’s wedding. I was so profoundly moved by the jury’s decision, that I decided to attend a rally in Queens, NY to show my support for Bell and his family. I brought my video camera with me, and recorded the protest. Later, I went home and wrote the narration for If Five-0 Shoots. I sent my footage and narration to editor, Nonso Christian Ugbode, who edited the compelling visual images, and my words together, to make this heartfelt 5-minute piece.
About Hazing: How Badly Do You Want In
In Development: Hazing: How Badly Do You Want In will be a 60-minute documentary film that will explore why the controversial practice of hazing continues to be widely seen as a meaningful and legitimate rite of passage, despite mounting lawsuits, fraternity/sorority chapter suspensions, increased media coverage, serious injuries, arrests, and tragic deaths.
Videos
Byron Hurt interview on "Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes"
Men in Action Conference: Byron Hurt
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