Provocative. Truth Telling. Myth-buster. Powerful storytelling of OUR Stories, that’s who Lisa is. Newark NJ native, Lisa Durden, is also an award-winning director, producer, content creator and multi-hyphenate media maker. In 2010, Ms. Durden took the leap and launched, Lisa Durden Unlimited Productions, a Multi-Media Company, specializing in developing content for film, television, streaming and live audiences,
Lisa is a national media contributor, committed to shaping narratives that speak to the diversity of underserved communities, not just the trauma. Often, when we think of social justice, we think of people protesting in the streets. However, there is a more nuanced element as well, and that is media, content and the power of telling our own stories…in front of and behind the camera! Lisa’s voice is her activism! She’s best known as a brilliantly outspoken social justice
Lisa has committed her life’s work, to holding those in power accountable for highlighting varied perspectives and experiences within the Black community. Whether it is a story about a new dynamic Black mayor of a big city with a bright political future, like Cory Booker, where Lisa served as Associate Producer of the Peabody award-winning, Prime-Time Emmy and NAACP Image awards nominated, Sundance Channel’s, docu-series, Brick City 1, or Director of the powerful short documentary, Girls Matter, that highlights young girls in a positive light, which also WON Best Animation at the Tokyo International Short Film Festival ’21 - for it is her belief, representation matters! Her efforts were the focus of an NJ Spotlight interview, Reel Sisters PROTECT HER Filmmaker Q&A, and Bloomfield College’s Center For Student Leadership film screening and live chat. Ms. Durden’s freelance projects includes, Associate Producer of the A&E Network Series, Neighborhood Wars Season 2; Assistant Director of the Verizon Commercial, Conver
In her continued quest to tell untold, universal stories that represent the complexity of our community, she created The Ultimate Soul Food Cook Off, her reality sitcom in development, set on an authentic soul food tour, which also garnered her selection as an Everywoman Studios 2021 Propelle Finalist; a content accelerator program for women-owned production companies. Additionally, concerned about the racial unrest, during the summer of 2020, Lisa launched her new podcast, Stop Brutalizing Black Bodies, also serving as host and producer. As WINNER of the Lightbeam TV National Pitch Competition at the 2021 African American Women In Cinema International Film Festival, Lisa is currently leading the production of ‘Blind Divas,’ a documentary that explores the lives of Krystle Allen and Naquela Wright-Prevoe, two Black women, entrepreneurs, determined to challenge the stigmas and stereotypes about the blindness community. Her journey is featured in such media outlets as The Patch, WBGO Journal, and Newswires respectively.
In 2017, My Sister’s Keeper & Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, honored Lisa with the “Phenomenal Business Women Award" for her resilience, tenacity and unwavering ability to persevere despite adversities. The previous year, Lisa received the “Vanguard Award for Excellence in Communications” from her alma mater, Seton Hall University’s Black Alumni Association; the “Outstanding Journalism and Community Service Award” from Project Redirect Youth & Family Services; “The Woman On Fire Award For Outstanding Dedication To Media” from the Newark Circle Of Sister; “The Leadership In Communication Award” from Prog
Ms. Durden has spent her entire career, ensuring that the power in our truth gets told from concept, to execution! She recently earned
