“Mom came from what has been called the poorest place in America - Lake Providence, Louisiana. She was born on the south side of the Mississippi which was mainly African American and even poorer than the rest.”

American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBTQ rights activist

Dustin Lance Black is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBTQ rights activist. He is known for writing and producing the film Milk, and he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009. His work also includes the screenplays for J. Edgar and Rustin, and he created the 2022 true crime limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. Across his career, he is closely associated with film and television projects that combine biography, history, and social issues.