non-profit logo
non-profit type	501(c)(3) non-profit organization
founded date	2000
founder	Stacy CodikowAmy Shomer
location	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
key people	Stacy Codikow, Executive directorLisa Thrasher, President of Film Production & Distribution
focus	Motion pictures
method	Funding, producing
non-profit slogan	Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up!
homepage	http://www.powerupfilms.org/
footnotes	}}

POWER UP (the "Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up") is an American non-profit organization and film production company with the stated mission "to promote the visibility and integration of gay women in entertainment, the arts, and all forms of media". It was founded in 2000 by film producers Stacy Codikow and Amy Shomer. Its members include women and men, gay and straight.

POWER UP provides funding and assistance to filmmakers, as well as producing its own films. After several short films, its first feature film was the comedy ''Itty Bitty Titty Committee'' directed by Jamie Babbit. In 2004, POWER UP was awarded the Leadership Award by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Films

2001: ''Stuck'' - Jamie Babbit

2001: ''Chicken Night'' - Lisa Ginsburg

2001: ''Breaking Up Really Sucks'' - Jennifer McGlone

2003: ''Give or Take an Inch'' - Lee Friedlander

2003: ''Fly Cherry'' - Jessica Sharzer

2003: ''D.E.B.S.'' - Angela Robinson

2003: ''Intent'' - Mary Ann Marino

2004: ''Little Black Boot'' - Colette Burson

2004: ''The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder'' - Buboo Kakati

2004: ''Billy's Dad Is a Fudge-Packer'' - Jamie Donahue

2005: ''Promtroversy'' - Leanna Creel

2005: ''Starcrossed'' - James Burkhammer

2007: ''Itty Bitty Titty Committee'' - Jamie Babbit

2008: ''The Nitty Gritty Behind the Itty Bitty Titty Committee'' - Lisa Thrasher

2010: ''Girltrash: All Night Long!'' - Alexandra Kondracke

See also

List of LGBT-related organizations

References

External links

Official site

Category:Film production companies of the United States Category:Lesbian organizations Category:LGBT arts organizations Category:LGBT organizations in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations established in 2000 Category:Women's film organizations

name	San Quinn
background	solo_singer
birth name	Quincy Brooks IV
born	October 24, 1977
origin	San Francisco, California
genre	Hip hop
occupation	Rapper
years active	1991 - present
label	Get Low, Done Deal Ent., SMC
associated acts	Ya Boy, JT the Bigga Figga, Messy Marv
website
notable instruments	}}

Quincy Brooks IV (born October 24, 1977) better known by his stage name San Quinn, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California.

Career

Born in Oakland, California, Quincy moved to the Fillmore district of San Francisco at the age of three. He went to George Washington High School.He made his first appearance as an opening to Tupac and Digital Underground at the age of 12 and recorded his first album at only 15 years old. He's also part of the Get Low Playaz with JT The Bigga Figga, D-Moe and Seff Tha Gaffla. Quinn's most notable track is "Shock the Party" in which the video was filmed in the high-rise O.C. (Outta Control) Housing Projects, which were torn down in the late 1990s. One of San Quinn's most renowned raps could be "San Francisco Anthem".

Discography

Solo albums

''Don't Cross Me'' (1993)

''Live N Direct'' (1995)

''The Hustle Continues'' (1996)

''The Mighty Quinn'' (2001)

''I Give You My Word'' (2004)

''The Rock: Pressure Makes Diamonds'' (2006)

''Extreme Danger'' (2007)

''From a Boy to a Man'' (2008)

''The Tonite Show: Addressing The Beef'' (2009)

''The Redemption of Quincy Brooks'' (2011)

''Can't Take The Ghetto Out A Nigga'' (2011)

Compilation albums

''17 Reasons'' (1998)

''4.5.7. Is The Code'' (2000)

''Heated Speeches'' (2001)

''Repossessions'' (2002)

''Quinndo Mania! - The Best Of San Quinn'' (2003)

''One Moe Reason'' (2002)

''4.5.7. Is the Code Part II'' (2005)

''4.5.7 Is the Code Part III'' (2006)

''The Color of Money'' (2007)

Collaboration albums

''Explosive Mode'' (1998) - with Messy Marv

''100 Racks In My Backpack'' (2006) - with C-Bo

''Explosive Mode 2: Back In Business'' (2006) - with Messy Marv

''Explosive Mode 3: The Mob Gets Explosive'' (2006) - with Messy Marv, Husalah, The Jacka

''A Warrior and a King: Lyrical Kingdom'' (2007) - with T-Nutty

''41Feva'' (2008) - with Boo Banga & Big Rich as All City

''Welcome to Scokland'' (2008) - with Keak da Sneak

''Never Say Die'' (2011) - with Loyal-T

With Get Low Playaz

''Straight Out the Lab'' (1995)

''The Family Business'' (2000)

''The Package'' (2000)

With The Done Deal Fam

''Runs in the Family'' (2002)

MixTapes

''Pimpin & Ballin(2010) - with JB Da Original, Bread Ed off the mixtape PureCaine.com v1.0''

''Definition of Hyphy(2010) - Presented by DJ Amen of KMEL''*

References

External links

http://www.dubcnn.com/interviews/sanquinn/ dubcnn.com Interview

Category:Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:People from San Francisco, California Category:African American rappers Category:1978 births Category:Living people

name	Will Smith
birth name	Willard Christopher Smith, Jr.
birth date	September 25, 1968
birth place	Wynnefield, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
other names	The Fresh Prince
occupation	Actor, rapper, film producer, record producer, television producer
years active	1985–present
spouse
children	Trey Smith Jaden SmithWillow Smith
website	http://www.willsmith.com/ }}

Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, film producer and rapper. He has enjoyed success in music, television and film. In April 2007, ''Newsweek'' called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood. Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won multiple Grammy Awards.

In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office and the only one to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at #1 spot in the domestic box office tally.

Fourteen of the 19 fiction films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million, and four took in over $500 million in global box office receipts. As of 2011, his films have grossed $5.7 billion in global box office. His most financially successful films have been ''Bad Boys'', ''Bad Boys II'', ''Independence Day'', ''Men in Black'', ''Men in Black II'', ''I, Robot'', ''The Pursuit of Happyness'', ''I Am Legend'', ''Hancock'', ''Wild Wild West'', ''Enemy of the State'', ''Shark Tale'', ''Hitch'' and ''Seven Pounds''. He also earned critical praise for his performances in ''Six Degrees of Separation'', ''Ali'' and ''The Pursuit of Happyness'', receiving Best Actor Oscar nominations for the latter two.

Family and early life

Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Smith also spent time in Germantown in Northwest Philadelphia. His mother, Caroline (née Bright), was a school administrator who worked for the Philadelphia school board, and his father, Willard Christopher Smith, Sr., was a refrigeration engineer. He was raised Baptist. His parents separated when he was 13, and did not actually divorce until Smith was around 30.

It is untrue, though widely reported, that Smith turned down a scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he never applied to the school, although he was admitted to a "pre-engineering program" there. According to Smith, "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."

Recording and acting career

Early work (1985–1995)

Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer as well as Ready Rock C (Clarence Holmes) as the human beat box. The trio was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime". They gained critical acclaim and won the first Grammy awarded in the Rap category (1988). He had a line in "Voices That Care", a 1991 Gulf War song by a celebrity group. Smith spent money freely during his early career and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990 when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', around him. The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world," studying box office successes' common characteristics.

Breakthrough (1996–2000)

In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's ''Independence Day''. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw. In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in ''Enemy of the State''. Smith turned down the role of Neo in ''The Matrix'' in favor of ''Wild Wild West''. Despite the disappointment of ''Wild Wild West'', Smith has said that he harbors no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what he himself (Smith) would have achieved.

International success (2001–present)

In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending a record breaking three premieres in a 24-hour time span.

He has planned to star in a feature film remake of the television series ''It Takes a Thief''.

On December 10, 2007, Smith was recognized at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the world renowned theater in front of many fans. Later that month, Smith starred in the film ''I Am Legend'', released December 14, 2007. Despite marginally positive reviews, its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique". A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood." On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith has been selected as one of America’s top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.

Smith is currently developing a film entitled ''The Last Pharaoh'', in which he will star as Taharqa.

President Barack Obama has stated that if a film were to ever be made about his life, he would have Smith play his part, because "he has the ears". Obama stated that the two have discussed a possibility of a film based on the 2008 election, but this may not happen until the end of the Obama presidency.

He is currently filming ''Men in Black III'' for a 2012 release playing Agent J one of his more popular earlier roles, making this his first major starring role in four years.

On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to make a new album. Edwards has worked with artists such as T.I., Chris Brown, and Game.

Personal life

Smith was raised by his parents in West Philadelphia. Smith credits his father's dedication when discussing his own involvement in the lives of his three children: "I look at my father and how he was able to keep four kids fed and clothed and still managed to find time to spend with us." Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had a son, Willard Christopher Smith III, also known as "Trey", but divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us". Smith married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997 and practice an open marriage. Together they have had two children: Jaden Christopher Syre (born 1998), his co-star in ''The Pursuit of Happyness'', and Willow Camille Reign (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in ''I Am Legend''. Along with his brother, Harry Smith, he owns Treyball Development Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. Smith and his family reside on Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida and in Los Angeles, Stockholm, Sweden and Philadelphia.

Smith was consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40. He donated $4,600 to the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama. December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, when Obama had won the prize.

Smith has said he has studied multiple religions, including Scientology, and he has said many complimentary things about Scientology and other faiths. Despite his praise of Scientology, Smith said "I just think a lot of the ideas in Scientology are brilliant and revolutionary and non-religious" and "Ninety-eight percent of the principles in Scientology are identical to the principles of the Bible.... I don't think that because the word someone uses for spirit is 'thetan' that the definition becomes any different." He has denied having joined the Church of Scientology, saying "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions, and I respect all people and all paths." Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [...] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel". Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy, which has attracted controversy and speculation over its use of Study Technology, a teaching methodology developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

Discography

With DJ Jazzy Jeff

''Rock the House'' (1987)

''He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper'' (1988)

''And in This Corner...'' (1989)

''Homebase'' (1991)

''Code Red'' (1993)

Solo

''Big Willie Style'' (1997)

''Willennium'' (1999)

''Born to Reign'' (2002)

''Lost and Found'' (2005)

Filmography

! Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
	''Saturday Morning Videos''	Host	TV
''ABC Afterschool Special'' – "The Perfect Date"	Hawker	TV
''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''		TV (1990–1996)
		Fresh Prince	TV, Cameo, episode 18 "I'm with the Band"
''Where the Day Takes You''	Manny
		Tea Cake Walters
	Paul
1995		Detective Mike Lowrey
1996		Captain Steven "Steve" Hiller, USMC	MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
			MTV Movie Award for Best FightMTV Movie Award for Best Song From a Movie
''Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child''	Pinocchio	TV Series;Episode 14 of Season 2 which aired on April 13, 1997.Episode also starred Chris Rock and Della Reese
1998		Robert Clayton Dean	Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
	''Torrance Rises''		Cameo
''Wild Wild West''	Captain James "Jim" West
	''Welcome to Hollywood''	Himself
''The Legend of Bagger Vance''	Bagger Vance	Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
2001		Muhammad Ali	MTV Movie Award for Best PerformanceNominated—Academy Award for Best ActorNominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
	''Men in Black II''		BET Awards
Girlfriend by [[B2K	Himself	Music video
	''Bad Boys II''	Detective Mike Lowrey	Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
''All of Us''	Johnny	TV, 3 episodes (2003–2004); Creator/Executive Producer
	''A Closer Walk''	Narrator	Documentary
	Himself	Uncredited Cameo
''American Chopper''	Himself	TV, Cameo
	Detective Del Spooner	ProducerNominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
''The Seat Filler''		Executive Producer; Independent Film
''Shark Tale''	Oscar	Voice
	''There's a God on the Mic''		Documentary
	Alex "Hitch" Hitchens	ProducerNominated—BET Awards
2006	''[[The Pursuit of Happyness''	Chris Gardner
2007		Dr. Robert Neville
		John Hancock	ProducerNominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor
''Lakeview Terrace''		Producer
		Producer
''Seven Pounds''	Ben Thomas	Producer
2010			Producer
			''Post-production''
''Men in Black III''		''Filming''
2013	''The Last Pharaoh''	Taharqa	''Pre-production''

Box office grosses

! Year	! Title	! Budget	! U.S. gross	! Worldwide gross
1992	''Where the Day Takes You''		$390,152	$390,152
		$44,942,695	$104,942,695
	$6,284,090	$6,284,090
1995		$23m	$65,647,413	$141,247,413
1996		$75m	$306,169,255	$817,400,878
1997			$250,690,539	$587,790,539
1998		$111,549,836	$250,649,836
1999	''Wild Wild West''	$170m	$113,805,681	$222,105,681
2000	''The Legend of Bagger Vance''	$80m	$30,695,227	$39,235,486
2001		$107m	$58,183,966	$84,383,966
2002	''Men in Black II''	$140m	$190,418,803	$441,818,803
2003	''Bad Boys II''	$60m	$138,540,870	$272,940,870
		$120m	$144,801,023	$348,601,023
''Shark Tale''	$75m	$161,192,000	$367,192,000
2005		$70m	$177,784,257	$366,784,257
2006	''The Pursuit of Happyness''	$55m	$162,586,036	$306,086,036
2007			$256,393,010	$585,055,701
		$227,946,274	$624,346,274
''Seven Pounds''	$55m	$69,369,933	$166,617,328

References

Further reading

External links

in 2002 Category:1968 births Category:Actors from Pennsylvania Category:African American film actors Category:African-American film producers Category:African American rappers Category:American beatboxers Category:American hip hop musicians Category:American rappers Category:American television actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Interscope Records artists Category:Living people Category:People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Rappers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:Saturn Award winners

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