2006 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations

Keynote Speaker: Kristal Brent Zook, Ph.D.
An investigative journalist and scholar who holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies, Kristal Brent Zook writes about race, gender, politics, and popular culture in America.

Currently an NABJ Award-winning contributing writer for Essence magazine where she writes long-form features on "Truth and Justice," Zook is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and national commentator on NPR's "News & Notes with Ed Gordon." Her stories deal with issues of race, gender, and empowerment, such as education, health disparities, the prison system, and environmental justice. Her forthcoming book is Inside of Inspiration: 10 Portraits of Modern Black Women's Lives (working title) and is due out in February of 2006.

Dr. Zook's first book, Color By Fox: The Fox Network and the Revolution in Black Television, was published by Oxford University Press in 1999. In it, she explored the politics of race and representation in shows such as In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Martin, New York Undercover, Living Single, Roc, and South Central. Zook has also written about new African American cable networks for The New York Times Sunday Magazine.

Dr. Zook's work has appeared in many publications. She was a contributing writer for The Washington Post Arts/Style section, and she has been published in USA Weekend, The Village Voice, The LA Weekly, Vibe, SAVOY, Emerge, and The Boston Globe Magazine among other outlets. She has also worked as an editor and producer for television and radio, and has appeared on national television shows such as CNN's Entertainment Report and Both Sides With Jesse Jackson, as well as on MTV and the Fox network. A woman who has dedicated her life to documenting neglected experiences and truths in her reporting, Zook's feature articles are always on-point and universally reflective of the society we live in.