EPISODE 14
Lyah Beth LeFlore Ituen is a TV music producer who's leading a nonprofit in St. Louis that focuses on advancing the literary arts
In this episode . . .
Lyah Beth LeFlore-Ituen is a distinguished author and a New York Times bestselling writer who has received numerous awards. She is also a respected producer in film and television, a community advocate, and a cultural activist. With more than thirty years of experience as a television and film executive, producer, music supervisor, and author of eight highly praised books, she is regarded as one of the most versatile and talented creatives in the entertainment field. In this interview, LeFlore-Ituen discusses with host Gabrielle David her journey from working as a Hollywood TV music producer to becoming a cultural activist in St. Louis. She is currently achieving her greatest success leading a nonprofit organization named after her mother that is dedicated to promoting the literary arts.
““Hollywood allowed me the space to help tell and create stories, but my parents taught me why they matter. Now, I’m building spaces where all artists—across every culture and background—can be seen, heard, and celebrated.”
—Lyah Beth LeFlore Ituen, executive director of the Shirley Bradley LeFlore Foundation
Bio
Lyah Beth LeFlore Ituen started her career at Nickelodeon and later held key roles in development and production. Throughout her career, she collaborated with notable entertainment figures such as the late Andre Harrell, renowned TV producer Dick Wolf, Emmy-winning director Anthony Hemingway, and her mentor Alan Haymon, a leader in live entertainment and boxing. She was the music producer for New York Undercover (1994-1995, 2019), produced UPN’s Grown Ups (1999-2000), and was the executive producer and creator of BET’s 8 Days a Week (2011), which is based on her young adult book series The Come Up (2010). She also worked as producer and music supervisor for USA’s limited series Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. (2019).
Beyond producing other projects, LeFlore Ituen has written, directed, and produced various independent works. She produced, wrote, and hosted the documentary Poetry In Motion: STL Poets Take The Mic (2021), which was recently aired on Nine PBS in St. Louis, produced three docu-shorts for the STL Made Campaign (2020), and produced and co-wrote the indie film Word Warriors III (2016), which featured the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner. She also executive-produced and co-created the digital series Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Presents: Conversations & Conversations Live (2014–2018).
Between 2007 and 2015, LeFlore Ituen authored eight books, including Wildflowers (2009), and co-wrote the award-winning The Strawberry Letters (2012) by Shirley Strawberry, which earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Debut Author, and The New York Times bestseller I Got Your Back (2009) by Eddie Levert and Gerald Levert.
LeFlore Ituen founded Sunflower Media Group LLC and co-founded the literary arts nonprofit, The Shirley Bradley Price LeFlore Foundation (SBLF). She currently serves on the boards of CounterPublic and 2Leaf Press Inc. A graduate of Stephens College, she served two terms on its Board of Trustees, becoming the second African American and the youngest person ever to hold that position. She is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
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