Tanya Kersey (entrepreneur, entertainment journalist, who founded the Hollywood Black Film Festival) died Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest in Rancho Cucamonga. Facebook confirmed the news via her sister Lisa M. Kersey, Brittany Love and Monique Love. She was 61.
Lisa M. Kersey, in a tribute, wrote that her sister had “been battling multiple health issues for many years”Before she “passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.”
“She was a fighter and fought a long hard battle with dignity & grace,”She continued.
Kersey was appointed executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival in 1998. This annual event brings together independent Black filmmakers from both established and emerging countries. Kersey is also known as “The Hollywood Black Film Festival”. “The Black Sundance,”HBFF has had Sidney Poitier (foreign Whitaker), Sanaa Lathan and Ice-T (foreign Whitaker), John Singleton/John Singleton, Tim Story/Malcolm Lee, Bill Duke, Devon Franklin and George Tillman as its guests. More than 1000 films from more than 25 countries have been shown at the festival since its inception.
Kersey was also the founder and CEO of Black Talent News, an industry trade publication, as well its digital arm, BlackTalentNews.com. The Kersey Group is a boutique film consultancy firm. She also led public speaking workshops and mentored filmmakers.
Kersey previously dabbled with modeling and acting before moving to entertainment journalism. The book was co-authored by Kersey. “Black State of the Arts: A Guide to Developing a Successful Career as a Black Performing Artist”1991
She was remembered by her daughters as an a “beautiful mom & the best ‘Gama’ in the world… respected by many in her field.”
“She loved to travel, was a dancing Queen, fighter, fashionista, and overall super star”Who “loved her family dearly,”They posted their thoughts in the respective posts.
Kersey is also survived her two grandchildren.
