Urban Storytelling and Black Creatives ft. Will Adams
Join Catherine Quinlan for a live podcast episode of Black Representation in the Curriculum: Conversations on Teaching, Culture, Equity, and Belonging. This episode features guest Will Adams.
About Will Adams:
Will Adams is an award-winning Chicago filmmaker, director, and producer and the founder of Lokekey Productions, a fiercely independent production company dedicated to bold urban storytelling and amplifying new voices in film. Known for turning limitations into launchpads, Adams has built a reputation for creating high-quality, thought-provoking films regardless of budget or circumstance. His early feature films, Sex Ain’t Love and Step Off the Block, established him as a fearless voice in relationship dramas and urban coming-of-age stories. During the COVID-19 shutdown, he pivoted quickly, launching the viral digital series Plight of the Independent Filmmaker, proving that creative resilience can outpace industry disruption.
In 2024, Adams expanded into sharp satire with Tube‑E Movie, a comedy that skewers streaming culture and the “so-bad-it’s-good” movie trend. The film earned festival buzz at the Urban Film Festival and Chicago IndieCon, further solidifying his reputation for culturally relevant storytelling with a comedic edge.
Across short films, features, and digital series, Adams blends hard-hitting drama with razor-sharp comedy, consistently platforming underrepresented talent and stories. With multiple projects in development for 2025, he continues pushing the boundaries of independent cinema — proving that visionary storytelling is fueled by perseverance, not permission.
View the 2024 Tube‑E Movie for free on Plex.
About the Host: Dr. Catherine L. Quinlan, Ed.D.
Dr. Quinlan is a researcher, professor, and curriculum design expert. She currently holds the Brenda B. Brodie Endowed Chair for Teacher Education in the School of Education at North Carolina Central University, Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Learn more about Dr. Quinlan's research on her websites and YouTube channels.
- Personal Website of Dr. Catherine L. Quinlan
- Visibility In STEM
- TEDx Talk: The Clarity We Need For Belonging
- Recent Academic Book: Black Representation in the Science Curriculum: Implications for Identity, Culture, Belonging, and Curriculum Development.
- Keystone Passage, Chapter Series Book
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