Oprah Winfrey Leads Conversations On The Vastness of Black Identity And Experience

(Black PR Wire) LOS ANGELES - OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today a special one-hour programming event presented by Procter & Gamble as a part of its 'Widen the Screen' initiative, "OWN and P&G Present: Widen The Screen - A Fuller View of Black Life" premiering on Tuesday, May 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. This special presentation is hosted by Oprah Winfrey and features short films and new content by Black creators that celebrate Black stories and the expansiveness of Black life, while honoring the anniversary of the tragic murder of George Floyd. 

The program will include a special airing of Tangled Roots, Ballet After Dark, and Gloves Off from the Queen Collective documentary film series, followed by a sneak preview of the four new Queen Collective films that will premiere in June 2021 during the Tribeca Film Festival.  

The one-hour special will also include These Hands, a world premiere on OWN from UNINTERRUPTED, the athlete empowerment brand created by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, in collaboration with P&G. These Hands aims to plant new seeds in the minds of Black children and their parents taking us on a journey through a child's imagination as a game of catch with his father opens his mind to all the possibilities of his future off the field. 

And the special will feature the world premiere trailer of 8:46 Films, four powerful stories created by P&G and SATURDAY MORNING, told in the time it took for a man's life to change the world. These films, which represent the reclamation of time stolen from Black communities to share stories of love and joy to build a legacy of hope, will premiere in their entirety during the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2021.

This special program will be joining the previously announced OWN Spotlight "Black Women OWN The Conversation: Mental Health and Trauma" premiering at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on May 25.

"For too long the narrative of Black life on screen has been one that reinforces limiting stereotypes. When we 'Widen The Screen' to include more stories from more Black artists and storytellers, we change the narrative of Black life on screen, and we 'Widen Our View'," said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble. "One year after George Floyd's death, which changed the world, we've come together to honor his life and to give voice to Black creators as they build a legacy of hope with their stories that portray a more complete view of Black life - one that is layered, beautiful, vast and dynamic."

"We are no strangers to the narrative created by our partners Procter & Gamble with the Widen The Screen initiative. OWN is dedicated to ensuring that our audience sees themselves brilliantly and lovingly reflected with both nuance and specificity while we also champion opportunities for underrepresented creators and storytellers," said Tina Perry, president of OWN.  "It is critical that we all find ways to expand the representation of Black people in media both in front of and behind the lens, and what better way to honor George Floyd than to lift up new voices and celebrate the rich tapestry of Black life." 

"When working with partners, it is critical that we authentically align with both their mission and the spirit and letter of their campaigns. Our first priority is to our audience and our integrity and credibility with our community must be maintained," said Sheereen Russell, group vice president, Ad Sales/Client Partnerships/Inclusion Audiences at OWN. "Procter & Gamble is an outstanding example of a brand using their powerful voice to both uplift Black creators and invite a wider view of Black experience.  Their example is a call to action for the industry to truly support the brands and storytellers that represent positive change." 

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