As blackface, KKK and noose racist imagery and scandals involving Jussie Smollett, R. Kelley, etc., threatened to overshadow the yearly Black History Month celebrations, the L.A.-based Pan African Film Festival continued to emit a dazzling light of brilliant positivity and hope. Billing itself as America’s biggest Black-themed filmfest, from Feb. 7-18 PAFF screened more than 100 fiction, documentary, animated and short productions, plus workshops, panels and an art expo, all highlighting the history and experiences of people of African ancestry. Superstars, such as rapper/actor Common (who wrote the lyrics for the short Hats) and actor Danny Glover (who narrated and appeared in the documentaries Power to Heal and The Robeson Effect, also shown at PAFF), made personal appearances at Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and the Directors Guild of America Theater, where the opening night gala screening of the Aretha Franklin film Amazing Grace took place.

Sustainability is no longer a niche effort. Today, it’s a global initiative that’s demanded by society and practiced by businesses across all industries. Car companies, from newer additions like Tesla to old standards like General Motors, understand this and are doing what it takes to get on board.

One reason why American car manufacturers are focusing on sustainability is to compete with foreign car manufacturers – and to improve where those have failed. Additionally, a big portion of jobs in the U.S. auto industry relies on sustainable products. According to a study by the BlueGreen Alliance and the Natural Resources Defense Council, "Building clean vehicle technology directly supports 288,000 manufacturing and engineering jobs in the United States.”