Emmai Alaquiva, is a 4-Time Emmy Award-winning film director, photographer, and composer. Once homeless, Alaquiva is now the CEO of Ya Momz House, Inc., co-founder of Hip-Hop On L.O.C.K. and curator of OpticVoices. Alaquiva has been nationally honored as Black Enterprise Magazine’s “Top 100 Modern Men of Distinction”, appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf to serve on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and is a national BMe Community Leader recognized by President Barack Obama. Most recently, Alaquiva wrote and directed a viral PSA, called “Unspeakable” featured on Good Morning America and seen by over 300 million people in over 60 countries which aims to amplify the voices of the Deaf, hard of hearing and those with disabilities. Emmai won two 2021 Emmy Award for his social justice work and was selected by GOGLE as a contributing film director for the 2021 Google Year End Search film released globally.
Lit Fridays is a literary-focused, virtual salon presented by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, featuring conversations and guest performances on the last Friday* of each month at 6:00p EST via Facebook Live and Zoom Webinar. All conversations are moderated by AWAACC Literary Curator, Jessica Lanay.
