Artesia Balthrop is a line producer and production professional with more than 13 years of experience on linear, digital, film and advertising projects. She has worked for a variety of flagship cable media brands like VH1, Bravo, TLC and E!; on Essence magazine’s award-winning website, ESSENCE.com; and with JAY Z on his award-nominated YouTube channel, Life + Times. She executive produced the independent short African Booty Scratcher (2008, dir. Nikyatu Jusu) which premiered at the American Black Film Festival and was licensed by HBO for their Black History Month collection. She also produced the viral documentary on JAY Z’s inaugural concert series to open the Barclays Arena, Where I’m From. She attended Duke University and learned to embrace key Quaker values like simplicity, equality and community by attending The Brooklyn Friends School. She now imbues her visual projects with similar ideals and is a staunch proponent of using film and television as a storytelling tool.