PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 6, 2024--
Comcast today announced the exclusive premiere of Our Blues Make Us Gold, a feature-length documentary that examines the history and global impact of North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, the country’s largest historically Black university, from filmmakers Brandon Gerard and Ashley Shanté. The documentary is available for free as part of Comcast’s Black Experience on Xfinity and Xumo Play.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206243624/en/
Launched in 2021, Comcast’s Black Experience is a comprehensive content destination that features the ultimate in Black storytelling from diverse programming partners and film studios and has released a variety of original documentaries to showcase diverse talent and content creators. Black Experience is available across Xfinity’s entertainment devices, including X1, Flex and Xumo Stream Box, as well as on Xumo Play, a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) app available on major streaming platforms.
Our Blues Make Us Gold explores the legacy and future of North Carolina A&T and captures the university’s unique position as both a powerhouse in STEM education and a historically agricultural institution, sharing the voices and viewpoints of alumni and students who bring its story to life.
“We are honored to collaborate with filmmakers Ashley and Brandon to bring this remarkable documentary to the Black Experience on Xfinity and Xumo Play,” said Loren Hudson, SVP & Chief Diversity Officer, Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast.
Behind the lens are Ashley and Brandon, a husband-and-wife duo with over 20 years of professional experience in film production. Through their production company, From A2B Entertainment, they deliver stories that blend emotional depth with a fresh, contemporary style.
"A few years ago, I was in the writers room pitching for a new character to be an HBCU graduate,” shared Ashley. “The painfully loud silence of my colleagues was eventually followed by really insulting questions. I left the room feeling angry that day. That anger fueled the conversation I had with Brandon, which resulted in our big idea, to show the greatness and impact of a real life HBCU and bring it to a mainstream audience. We were told many times this couldn't be done. We refused to accept that."
“We wanted this film to feel like stories by the campfire with ancestors, mixed with the urgency of a call to action to protect sacred and necessary institutions like North Carolina A&T,” said Brandon. “We are thankful to Comcast, Xfinity and Xumo for partnering with us to amplify the stories of our community’s real-life superheroes.”
Xfinity customers can find the Black Experience on X1, Flex or Xumo Stream Box by saying “Black Experience” into their voice remote. X1 customers can also enjoy a curated channel of some of the best and most popular programming Black Experience has to offer on channel 1622 within the programming guide. Additionally, the Black Experience destination and channel are both available on Xumo Play, bringing programming like Our Blues Make Us Gold to customers across the country.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
Comcast Premieres "Our Blues Makes Us Gold" on Black Experience on Xfinity (Graphic: Business Wire)
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the air crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the crash that remained unknown.
Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan after flying east across the Caspian Sea.
The plane went down about 3 kilometers (around 2 miles) from Aktau. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft lying upside in the grass.
On Thursday, national flags were lowered across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course.
“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he said.
Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that preliminary information indicated that the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.
According to Kazakh officials, those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals.
As the official crash investigation started, theories abounded about a possible cause, with some commentators alleging that holes seen in the plane's tail section possibly indicate that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems fending off a Ukrainian drone attack.
Ukrainian drones had previously attacked Grozny, the provincial capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, and other regions in the country's North Caucasus. Some Russian media claimed that another drone attack on Chechnya happened on Wednesday, although it wasn't officially confirmed.
Osprey Flight Solutions, an aviation security firm based in the United Kingdom, warned its clients that the “Azerbaijan Airlines flight was likely shot down by a Russian military air-defense system.” Osprey provides analysis for carriers still flying into Russia after Western airlines halted their flights during the war.
Osprey CEO Andrew Nicholson said that the company had issued more than 200 alerts regarding drone attacks and air defense systems in Russia during the war.
“This incident is a stark reminder of why we do what we do,” Nicholson wrote online. “It is painful to know that despite our efforts, lives were lost in a way that could have been avoided.”
Asked about the claims that the plane had been fired upon by air defense assets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “it would be wrong to make hypotheses before investigators make their verdict.”
Officials in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have similarly avoided comment on a possible cause of the crash, saying it will be up to investigators to determine it.
Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Aida Sultanova in London, contributed to this report.
In this image released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Thursday, Dec. 26 , 2024, after a plane of Azerbaijani Airline crashed. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this image released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers prepare to carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Thursday, Dec. 26 , 2024, after a plane of Azerbaijani Airline crashed. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo released by Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers work at the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)
In this photo released by Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers work at the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)
The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Azamat Sarsenbayev)
In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)
In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)
