My 2012 Movie of the Year and Moving Ahead to 2013

As I look back at 2012 I see a year of progress and a year to build on.

2012 was the year that internet sensation and Youtube star, Issa Rae (who created, produced and directed the hit series Awkward Black Girl) teamed up with Shonda Rhimes to collaborate for an upcoming comedy series for ABC. This development was huge for Rae of course, but it also marked the first time a webisode focusing on a character of color paved the way for a transition to the small screen. The web is increasingly becoming a backdoor way to breaking into traditional forms of media, like film and television.

2012 was the year that Matthew Cherry directed his first feature film, "The Last Fall" and saw it receive critical acclaim along with a number of accolades.

Every Year Every Christmas (1995)

R.I.P., Luther.

When Violence Goes Viral: The Social Repercussions of Standing By

Earlier this month, a man was pushed down a subway tunnel and could not be saved. But his snapshot was.

That event sparked not only every New Yorker's most subconscious fear -standing too close to the edge of a platform and being pushed over- but also outrage for the lack of action taken to save a man fighting to get out of the path of an oncoming train. The most glaring outrage was directed at photographer R. Umar Abbasi, for taking a photo of the man just before he was struck by the train. The NY Post would publish the haunting photo the next day.

"Self Destruction" (1989)

A rap video with a serious message.

The Use of Media in the Recognition of World AIDS Day

Yesterday, December 1st, was World AIDS Day. Since 1988 World AIDS Day has been recognized as a day to not only remember those who have passed from the disease, but also to acknowledge the more than 30 million people worldwide still fighting with it every day.

The awareness of AIDS by individual people, communities, cities, nations and the global community, has come a long way since AIDS was first diagnosed in 1981. Looking back on media and newspaper articles from the late 80s and early 90s shows just how far we've come as a society in accepting people with the disease. That's not to suggest that everyone thinks like this or that there is no longer a stigma associated with AIDS, but it is no longer as publicly denounced as it once was.