In 2006, inspired by Nobel laureate and American author Toni Morrison, the idea developed to photograph and film renowned African Americans, telling their stories of struggle and perseverance. This idea became The Black List: Volume 1, an HBO Documentary that premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. In 2009, it won the NAACP Spirit award for best documentary, and portraits were exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Eight additional List Series films followed, each one giving voice to marginalized communities through direct-to-camera interviews with prominent African Americans, Latinos, Women, Gay and Transgender individuals from all walks of life. The films and accompanying portraits have had residences at the Brooklyn Museum, The Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Annenberg Center for Photography, and additional exhibitions.

The List Series’ multimedia content, which uniquely captures the complexity of the American identity, can used by institutions – corporate, education, non-profit – to facilitate dialogue around diversity, inclusion, belonging, race, gender, sexuality, struggle and success. List series content can be integrated into existing initiatives, or used to build customized, original programs.