4/24: Street Smart

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RECAP

- Dina LaPolt grew up in Upstate New York during the 70s, where her activist mother introduced her to social justice causes by taking her to protests with the Black Panthers and teaching her about advocacy.

- While working at a law firm in Los Angeles, she encountered Tupac's estate as a client, leading to her meeting Afeni Shakur in an LA courthouse. They connected well, with Afeni encouraging Dina to start her own law firm.

- Dina consulted with Suge Knight, who was imprisoned for RICO charges, and after his release, also collaborated with Afeni Shakur in releasing Tupac’s posthumous double album "Better Days."

- Initially brought in for technical support due to her music law expertise, Dina played a crucial role in negotiating terms with Suge Knight

- In the entertainment business today, Dina emphasizes the empowerment of creators, highlighting the numerous platforms available for music distribution and cautioning that record deal advances are essentially loans.

- She advocates for connecting with creatives to achieve artistic and professional goals and supports the pending "No Fakes Act," which aims to grant artists ownership of their likeness.

- Dina's background includes playing music and earning a music degree, where she also managed band business and organized concerts, showcasing her early passion for both music and business.

- Dina has authored a motivational book titled "Street Smart," detailing her journey, challenges, and strategies that drove her success, culminating in a message of giving back.

- Her book is now available for preorder on Amazon, offering insights into her life, career, and contributions to the entertainment law landscape.

photos courtesy of Howie:

Julie Pilat - CGO, FYI

Roneal Madlani - Head of Community, FYI

Sean Kantrowitz - Director of Media & Content, FYI

Emily Choi - Growth, FYI

Frankie Sandoval - Design, FYI

Taylor Weng - Growth, FYI

Meka Lolita - Music Curation, FYI

Aminah Muhammad - Social Media, FYI

Lilly Kam - Head of Product, FYI

Markus Nielsen-Kolding - Product, FYI

Giuliana Rodriguez - Product, FYI

Neima Hussain - Product, FYI

Jafet Chavez - Product, FYI

— — —
Dina LaPolt - Guest of Honor

Kalesha Madlani - Marketing Manager | SoundCloud

Laura Welch - Finance Boss Snowflake

Talia Boone - Postal Petals

Philip Patiño - Musician / Annenberg

Mica - Black Girls Code

Daniel Nzanga - Musician

Moxie Knox - Artist

Thea - USC Music Management
Nereya Otieno - Co-Founder | Rising Artists Foundation

Kristin Juel - Founder | Juel Concepts

JT - Writer / Producer
Bel Casas - Partner | True Friend Productions

Adrienne Riley - Host / Actor / Entreprenuer

LDorado Jonez - Artist

OFTN - Artist

Ural Garrett - Digital Editor | Know Your Rights Camp

Emily Jackson - Producer

MarKey Diwa - DJ

santedubois - Artist

Eugene - Music Exec. / Producer

Gabrielle Holmes - Actress / Host / Entreprenuer

Josh Spoon - Artist

Michelle Weatherspoon - Marketing Manager

Mel Hanks - Wellness Warrior

Daniel “MoJo” Johnson - Educator | CSD

Howard Miura - Music Consultant

Makensy Smith - Founder | Human Relations

Leslie Macias - Owner | Vine American Party Store

SPLASHWOE - Artist

MikeJerz - World’s Greatest Engineer

Sonum Kahlon - Artist

Memo NOC - Creative Director

Liz Hernandez - Wordaful & The Wave

Austin Brown - The Festival out now!

Enzo - Accountant

Luv Troi - Artist

Shell Amega - Mandala Diva

Will Brierre - Mixer / Engineer

Yasmine Mistry - Special Events | RMHC

Helen Sto - Host

Mona Dinal - Curator

Roset Halwadjian - Creative Curator

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