Roland Laird is a nationally acclaimed author, culture critic, and entertainment entrepreneur with a passion for his community. His work, which covers topics such as politics, relationships, societal issues, hip hop culture and entertainment, education and religion, has appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines, and broadcast outlets including NBC, CBS/CW Philly, ABC, and MTV.
A widely-received columnist, his writing appears weekly in the African American news and culture outlet TheLoop21.com, monthly in the international culture and music magazine PopMatters and daily on Examiner.com. He is also a frequent contributor to The Washington Post’s TheRoot.com, and The Grio, the first video-centric news community site, produced through the cooperation of MSNBC and devoted to providing African Americans with stories and perspectives that appeal to them but are underrepresented in existing national news outlets.
In August 2010, Laird was appointed a key adviser to Studio City New Jersey, a film and media production complex founded by filmmaker and photographer Shelton Minor, and only the fourth African American owned studio facility in the US. It is the first in New Jersey. The Studio City complex opened in May of 2010 and features soundstages in various sizes, video editing suites, a photography studio, and rehearsal space. Studio City New Jersey has the largest “green screen” in New Jersey, a 12,000 sq ft. Cyc wall large enough to accommodate vehicles and action scenes. For Studio City New Jersey, Laird provides his business development expertise to refine the studio’s growth strategy, ramp up marketing, and secure funds to complete the build-out of the 85,000 square foot facility in Trenton, New Jersey.
In February 2009, Roland re-released, Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans, a critically acclaimed work co-authored with his wife Taneshia, with an impressive scope: the entire history of Black America told in an accessible 216 page graphic-novel form. Originally published in 1997, it was updated and now extends from the arrival of the first Africans in 1619 right through to Senator Barack Obama's groundbreaking presidential campaign. Compared by many to Art Spiegelman's Maus, Still I Rise is a breathtaking achievement that celebrates the collective African-American memory, imagination, and spirit and the book has been embraced by colleges and schools throughout the country.
In addition, Roland Laird is the founder and CEO of Posro Media. In the early 1990s Posro was one of the first black-owned independent comic book companies publishing the hip hop-infused series MC Squared, and later, The Griots. Posro projects' positive imagery is designed to stand in sharp contrast to the mass media's often unrealistic and misleading portraits of the African American community. The company's fresh and historically accurate perspective on topics ranging from slavery to sports, politics, and superheroes have garnered praise from national media including The Today Show and MTV.
Via Posro, Roland is the co-founder and managing director of My Image Studios (MIST), a ten million dollar entertainment venue based in Harlem and scheduled to open in late 2011. This multifaceted 20,000 square foot venue will feature the art and culture of the African, Latino Diaspora and include 3 screening rooms, a restaurant, cafe and post-production facility. MIST is located in the Kalahari Condominiums, a 250 unit
mixed income LEED certified "green" building. MIST will be the first green convergent entertainment complex in the United States.
All speaking requests should be directed to Megan R. Smith, Brownstone PR, megan@brownstonepr.com, 215.410.9879.
About Roland Laird, CEO of Posro Media
