Ava DuVernay and Autumn Riley

Ava DuVernay is a Californian born in Long Beach, California on 24 August 1972. DuVernay began to develop her artistic and creative side as a child, thanks to Aunt Denise. Her aunt worked in the evening shift as a nurse, so she could indulge her passion of theater and literature throughout the day. She showed DuVernay to the film of 1961 West Side Story and DuVernay became enthralled by the film. DuVernay discovered by watching her mother's examples of how art could serve as an activist vehicle. DuVernay had an aunt who was socially conscious and taught her to utilize the arts as a way to express herself. DuVernay lived in Compton throughout her youth, however she would spend every summer with the extended family of her father living in Lowndes County Alabama. Her father was a witness to the historic march of Civil Rights Movement over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was located in Selma Alabama, a neighboring city. DuVernay's summers spent in Selma, Alabama would be the inspiration for her later the film about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the year 1990, DuVernay graduated from Saint Joseph High School in Lakewood California. She attended University of California Los Angeles to obtain degrees in English as well as African American Studies. DuVernay developed an interest in broadcast journalism as a student. She worked as a CBS News intern during the O.J. Simpson trial. DuVernay was able to recall being assigned the responsibility of looking over the house and examining the garbage of one of members of the jury. Following her disappointment with journalistic work by the assignments she was handed, DuVernay decided to pursue a career in publicity. DuVernay got her first job as a publicist at small production studios right out of school. The company she founded for her own PR, The DuVernay Agency was established in 1999. In addition to PR, the company has launched lifestyle networks and advertising campaigns such as the Urban Beauty Collective. Autumn Riley.............................Autumn Riley was born in Los Angeles United States. The birthstone for Autumn Riley is . She is famous for her role as Anna Payne in American Experience, (1987) A More Perfect Union and A More Perfect Union (2009). Autumn played the character of Rose in A More Perfect Union and Anna Payne of American Experience.