Our 2025 Keynote Speaker

Our 2025 Virginia Black History Month Gala keynote speaker is a veteran actress, director, producer, and activist Ms. Ericka Alexander  

Her Distinguished Bio 

Erika Alexander is an actress, trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, director, and one of the country’s boldest, most daring, and most powerful voices. Recognizing the power of storytelling, Erika believes that though content must be entertaining, stories have a tremendous capacity to create impact and meaningful social change. As co-founder of Color Farm Media, she is on a mission to bring greater equity, inclusion, and diverse representation to both media and electoral politics.

Erika is beloved for her iconic acting roles including:

• Maxine Shaw (LIVING SINGLE, garnering two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress/Comedy Series)

• Detective Latoya (GET OUT)

• Cousin Pam (THE COSBY SHOW)

• Perenna (BLACK LIGHTNING)

• Linda Diggs (WUTANG: AN AMERICAN SAGA)

• Barb Ballard (RUN THE WORLD; nominated for NAACP Best Guest Actor)

• Meredith Lockhart (SWIMMING WITH SHARKS)

• Abby Keegan (SHINING GIRLS, the critically acclaimed Apple+ series with Elisabeth Moss)

• Miss Carmen (EARTH MAMA which premiered at Sundance 2023)

Erika has recently stepped boldly into the arena of film director, with her debut film THE BIG PAYBACK, co-directed with Whitney Dow. The film debuted at the Tribeca Festival and premiered on PBS on MLK Day 2023. The documentary chronicles the story of the first reparations bill for African Americans in U.S. history.

She is also the creator/writer/producer of 2022 Audible Original’s Best True Crime Series and DuPont Columbia award-nominee, FINDING TAMIKA, and producer of the three-time, Emmy-nominated Best Documentary and winner, NAACP Best Documentary, JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE.

Her upcoming projects include THE UNTITLED NOVELIST project, directed by Cord Jefferson; with Jeffrey Wright, Tracy Ross, Sterling K. Williams, and Issa Rae.

A critical thought leader on racial and gender equity and leadership, she serves as a board member for One Fair Wage and is highly involved with social and racial justice organizations including The Poor People's Campaign, Color of Change, NAACP, and UNCF, among others.