Golden Globe Award-winning actor David Oyelowo is launching “Mansa Mix,” a free streaming service on The Roku Channel that will put Black stories on screen. Mansa Mix is an ad-supported station that will offer a curated selection of films and television series that celebrate Black culture from around the globe.
“Mansa is dedicated to showcasing a wide array of narratives that are authentically steeped in Black culture,” Oyelowo announced in a statement to The Wrap. “We’re thrilled to deepen our relationship with Roku with the launch of our first FAST Channel, Mansa Mix, that elevates and celebrates the richness of the culture worldwide.”
Oyelowo founded Mansa in 2021 in an effort to “reclaim our stories.” Actors Nate Parker and Chiké Okonkwo, along with entrepreneur and investor Zak Tanjeloff, are co-founders of the Mansa platform, and since its inception, Mansa has accumulated over 2,000 hours of content. Now, through his partnership with Roku, Oyelowo will be able to bring the programming to an even wider audience.
“We’re tearing down barriers and bringing all formats together. We’re showcasing new talent and vets with stories from across the globe, [offering] a deep library of familiar, fresh and original stories and collections to keep you entertained for hours,” the founders of Mansa share on their website.
This channel launch comes on the heels of recent cancellations of several beloved Black-centric TV series and a push for more diversity in television media in response. In a recent interview, actress and producer Issa Rae announced her intention to start a new studio that will help produce content that prioritizes Black programming after her own series was canceled by HBO Max.
“Distribution through streaming presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to start to reclaim the curation of Black culture by the creators of it for and to its global audience,” Oyelowo shared on the Mansa site. “The effect this will have is to deepen the global scope of what Black culture is, which will, in turn, benefit world culture as it breaks down stereotypes and exposes the world to the many layers and levels of arguably the most influential culture on the planet.”
The Roku Channel is free and accessible via Roku devices or TheRokuChannel.com, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TVs, Samsung TVs, Google TVs, and other Android TV OS devices. Mansa Mix and the full streaming service are available now on Channel 301 on The Roku Channel.
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