Peter Ramsey, Carl Jones and Jorge Gutierrez are among the speakers set for upcoming April 23-26 event; co-founder is also taking his ‘Margin to Mainstream: The Evolution of Black Animation’ lecture series on a national college tour and developing a documentary film.
Media and technology executive Keith White, Co-Founder of the AfroAnimation Summit and creator of the lecture series, “Margin to Mainstream: The Evolution of Black Animation,” is expanding a slate of education, cultural, and technology initiatives in early 2026, including a national lecture tour, an upcoming documentary project, the AfroAnimation Summit 6.0, and the launch of a new video platform.
In early 2026, White is bringing “Margin to Mainstream: The Evolution of Black Animation” to audiences nationwide through a college lecture tour that launched last month and continues in March, with appearances at USCBAC, Academy, SVA, and AfroAnimation partner institutions. The multimedia lecture series, through a combination of storytelling, archival imagery, short video clips, and case studies, examines the history and cultural impact of Black animators from 1956 to the present, highlighting pioneers and contemporary creators whose contributions have shaped animation. The tour is positioned as an educational forum focused on workforce development, access, and creative ownership.
The initiative is also expanding through the upcoming Margin to Mainstream documentary film, currently in development, which will profile figures including Floyd Norman, Leo Sullivan, Brenda Banks, Bruce W. Smith, Matthew A. Cherry, Eddie Murphy, Peter Ramsey, and Aaron McGruder.
White will also lead AfroAnimation Summit 6.0, scheduled for April 23–26, 2026, in Burbank, California, which will connect artists, technologists, and storytellers with major studios and entertainment companies including Disney, Netflix, Marvel Studios, DreamWorks Animation, BBC, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros. The summit focuses on access and career pathways across animation, gaming, and immersive media.
Scheduled speakers at AfroAnimation 6.0 include Peter Ramsey, who directed Rise of the Guardians and co-directed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; Carl Jones, producer of The Boondocks; Jorge Gutierrez, co-creator of The Book of Life and El Tigre; and Evan Waite, co-executive producer of Family Guy.
White’s lecture at the summit will focus on the evolution of Black animation from early trailblazers to modern studios and creators, and will include discussion about representation, career pathways, and how new technologies are shaping the future of animation.
In parallel with these initiatives, White is preparing to launch Loopi, a short-form video platform intended to support cinematic storytelling and new monetization opportunities for creators. The platform builds on White’s prior work founding ZoogaTV and GigFlick AI and raising capital to support projects across entertainment and creative technology.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
