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SPIKE LEE TO SPEAK AT UAPB FEBRUARY 6
Oscar award winning Director Spike Lee will be the featured speaker during the annual black history month assembly at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The free, public event will be held Tuesday, February 6 at 10:30 a.m. in the Kenneth L. Johnson, Sr. HPER Complex.
In addition to being an award-winning director, Lee is also a, Writer, Actor, Producer, Author, and NYU Grad Film Tenured Professor whose body of work has continued to grow over the last three decades. Lee co-wrote his latest film Chi-Raq with Kevin Willmott based on the Greek comedy Lysistrata by Aristophanes. He has directed and produced over 30 films since his first feature film, the independently produced She’s Gotta Have It which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986 and received the esteemed Prix de la Jeunesse Award. Lee continues to produce Cinematic works of Art that display his skill and ability to showcase outspoken and provocative socio-political critiques that challenge cultural assumptions, about Race, Class and Gender identity. His film, Do the Right Thing, released in 1989, earned Lee an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and remains still relevant today.
Lee has also produced several documentaries, including the Academy Award nominated 4 Little Girls and the Peabody and Emmy Award winning films When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts and If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise, all with HBO. In addition to his Michael Jackson trilogy of Documentary, BAD 25, original ‘off the wall’ and the upcoming widely anticipated trailer. In addition to his prolific film career, Lee has directed and produced numerous music videos and his commercial work began in 1988 with his Nike Air Jordan campaign. Ever moving into new areas, Lee combined his extensive creative experience into yet another venture with DDB Needham to create Spike/DDB, a full-service advertising agency. Lee has also authored several books, including Five For Five, a pictorial
reflection of his first five features, Best Seat in the House, with Ralph Wiley, and two children’s books Please, Baby, Please and Please, Puppy, Please, co-authored with Tonya Lewis Lee, his wife.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Brooklyn, Lee returned south to attend Morehouse College. After graduation, he returned to New York City to continue his education at NYU/Tisch, where he received his MFA in Film Production. After graduation, he founded 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, based in Brooklyn. He began teaching a course on filmmaking at Harvard in 1991 and in 1993 he started on the Faculty at NYU/Tisch in the Graduate Film Program where he was appointed Artistic Director in 2002, a position which he still holds.
Acclaimed performer, advocate, television host, and community leader Wendy Stuart, also known to many as Wendy Darling, was honored with the Activism Award at the 2026 Catskills Pride Awards Night held at The Eldred Preserve in New York.
The event celebrated individuals whose work has made a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, leadership, artistic achievement, and public service. Among a distinguished group of honorees, Stuart was recognized for decades of unwavering commitment to visibility, inclusion, and support for LGBTQ+ causes.
For many in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, Wendy Stuart has long been a familiar and respected voice in the LGBTQ+ community. Her activism dates back decades, including participation in the historic New York City Pride March and service as an original board member of Triversity, The Pride Center serving communities throughout the tri-state region.
Beyond her advocacy work, Stuart has used her talents in entertainment and media to amplify LGBTQ+ voices. As host of Triversity Talk and co-host of If These Walls Could Talk, she has provided a platform for activists, artists, community leaders, and changemakers whose stories might otherwise go unheard.
During the awards ceremony, attendees celebrated Stuart’s remarkable ability to combine entertainment with purpose. Her efforts as a member of the Imperial Court of New York have also helped raise awareness and funding for countless LGBTQ+ organizations and initiatives over the years.
Standing before an audience of supporters, fellow honorees, and community leaders, Stuart accepted the recognition with the same passion that has defined her career. The honor reflects not only her decades of activism but also her continuing commitment to education, advocacy, and community engagement.
The Activism Award serves as a fitting tribute to a woman whose influence extends far beyond the stage and television screen. Through her work as a performer, advocate, and media personality, Wendy Stuart has consistently demonstrated that visibility matters and that one voice can inspire meaningful change.
Her personal mission remains as powerful today as it has throughout her career:
“I advocate, I educate, I entertain. I’m blessed to do so.”
As Catskills Pride recognized its 2026 honorees, Wendy Stuart’s award stood as a celebration of a lifetime devoted to uplifting others, strengthening communities, and ensuring that LGBTQ+ voices continue to be heard, respected, and celebrated.
Other honorees at the event included actress Melissa Gilbert, community leader Paula Campbell, artists Barry Becker and Tony Coscia, and artistic achievement recipient Nonna Hall, making the evening a memorable celebration of leadership, service, and pride throughout the region.
Watch Wendy Stuart’s speech at the Catskills Pride Awards on Youtube here:
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