The UCLA Department of African American Studies will hold its Commencement Celebration on:
Saturday, June 11th, 2016
11:30am at the Lenart Auditorium in the Fowler Museum
*Students are recommended to come at least 45 minutes prior to the ceremony. Line up time is at 10:00am.
Additional Commencement Information: www.commencement.ucla.edu
Guest Keynote Speaker: Jerrika Hinton, Grey’s Anatomy actress.
Bright, enterprising, strikingly beautiful, multi-faceted, and an undeniable talent are all ways Jerrika Hinton can be described. In 2016 Hinton can be seen starring as the ambitious and headstrong “Dr. Stephanie Edwards” on ABC’s long running, award winning series “Grey’s Anatomy.” Joining the cast in season nine [2012] Hinton quickly became one of the most talked about characters on the show. In addition to “Grey’s Anatomy” Hinton is currently in pre-production on SOLACE, an independent film which she is producing. Written by filmmaker Tchaiko Omawale, the film is a dark, coming-of-age story about a young girl sent to live with her estranged family after the death of her father. Loneliness and sadness cause her to strike up a questionable friendship with the girl next door, who further pushes her to spiral out of control. Hope Olaide Wilson [“The Last Ship,” TNT] is set to star in the project. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Hinton has been performing since the age of three. She landed her first professional role at the age of eleven in a theatrical production of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Hinton went on to attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas where she studied directing and playwriting at the Meadows School of the Arts. By the time she graduated she had directed three productions, funded a small theatre company, had written five shows, and was awarded the SMU Rosenfield Award for Playwriting. Upon graduation Hinton traveled the US, performing both classical and original works including most notably, “Viola” in Twelfth Night (Utah Shakespearean’s Festival) and the political satire she co-penned, Dreaming America (Echo Theatre). Continuing her commitment to developing new work, she eventually moved to Massachusetts to collaborate with New WORLD Theater’s annual Project 2050 program, a revolutionary multicultural and multidisciplinary youth arts program. In 2012 Hinton wrote, produced, and directed the short film THE STRANGELY NORMAL, which received the distinction of being official selections at the San Francisco Black Film Festival, Out In The Desert LGBT Film Festival, and the Atlanta Black Film Festival. That same year she landed a series regular role on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ! While working behind the camera has always been one of Hinton’s passions, fulfilling her love of bringing characters to life on screen has been of equal importance. Over the last few years, she has held roles on top television series such as ABC’s “Scandal,” FOX’s “Bones,” the short lived yet critically acclaimed series “Terriers” for FX, and FOX’s “Lie to Me.” When not working in film or television Hinton loves to nourish other aspects of her creative side, including taking photos (her abstract photography can be found on her website, taken mostly by her favorite camera, the Olympus PEN), throwing themed events for her friends and family, and studying French. She is also a bit of a daredevil; her next mission is to take a course on stunt driving. Hinton has been a longtime supporter of The Innocence Project. She has also maintained her commitment to both creativity and community service, teaching at numerous theaters and most recently serving as an artist-in-residence at the East LA Classic Theatre. She currently volunteers with The Actors Fund.
