{"id":6359,"date":"2017-08-02T15:07:57","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T19:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gsa.buffalo.edu\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=6359"},"modified":"2017-08-02T15:07:57","modified_gmt":"2017-08-02T19:07:57","slug":"distinguished-speaker-series-jesse-williams","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/ubwp.buffalo.edu\/gsa\/event\/distinguished-speaker-series-jesse-williams\/","title":{"rendered":"Distinguished Speaker Series ~ Jesse Williams"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jesse Williams | Nov. 18, 2017<\/h2>\n

Free tickets available for graduate students on Nov. 2nd at the SBI Ticket Offices (221 Student Union and 135 Diefendorf Hall).\u00a0 2 per UB ID.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Actor and Activist<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Undergraduate Student Choice Speaker<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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More About Jesse Williams<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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A native of Chicago and graduate of Temple University, Jesse Williams began his professional career teaching high school in low income Philadelphia public charter schools. From there he moved to New York City and, after working at a law firm, began his professional acting career, performing off-Broadway at The Cherry Lane Theatre under the direction of award-winning playwright Edward Albee in \u201cThe Sandbox.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams is \u2018Dr. Jackson Avery\u2019 in ABC\u2019s hit series \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy.\u201d \u00a0He served as senior producer and correspondent for the EPIX docuseries \u201cAmerica Divided\u201d with Norman Lear. He also executive produced the documentary \u201cStay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement,\u201d which premiered summer 2016. His feature credits also include Lee Daniels\u2019 \u201cThe Butler,\u201d \u201cThe Cabin in the Woods,\u201d \u201cBrooklyn\u2019s Finest,\u201d \u201cThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2,\u201d \u201cThey Die By Dawn,\u201d and 2017 releases, \u201cJacob\u2019s Ladder\u201d and \u201cBand Aid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams is founder of the production company, farWord Inc. and the executive producer of \u201cQuestion Bridge: Black Males,\u201d a series of transmedia art installations, films, curriculum and website (QuestionBridge.com). The exhibition was an official selection of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival New Frontiers and continues to be exhibited in museums nationwide.<\/p>\n

Off screen, Williams co-hosts the sports and culture-themed podcast \u201cOpen Run,\u201d through a partnership with LeBron James\u2019 digital network, Uninterrupted. He is co-owner of Scholly, a mobile app that connects students to scholarships for which they\u2019re eligible. Additionally, Williams and partners launched Ebroji, the first curated GIF keyboard designed specifically to enhance the way we already communicate.<\/p>\n

Williams gained international attention for his acceptance speech when presented\u00a0with the 2016 BET Humanitarian Award as a champion of civil rights. He also sits on the Board of Directors of Advancement Project, a leading national civil rights advocacy organization and Harry Belafonte\u2019s arts and social justice organization Sankofa.org.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For source or more information, please visit:<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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