2025 Honoree

Ri-Karlo Handy

Handy Foundation

Cause + Action

Recognized for opening doors to create greater diversity and inclusion within the industry through The Handy Foundation. By rallying partners to create tangible pathways through training, mentorship and career opportunities, his efforts have not only changed individual lives but enriched the industry with fresh perspectives and voices that might have otherwise gone unheard.

Ri-Karlo Handy is a trailblazing entertainment executive with over 25 years of experience in editing, producing, and showrunning. He serves as SVP of Unscripted at Blink 49 and is the Founder and CEO of the Handy Foundation, championing content innovation and advancing underrepresented talent in Hollywood.

The Cause + Action award celebrates champions of change, and the skills training programs run by The Handy Foundation do just that, by creating access and building diversity in the industry. Through the Handy Foundation, Handy has established groundbreaking partnerships with Netflix, Lionsgate, AMC, and others, training underrepresented talent and creating pathways for inclusion in over 115 productions. On the content front, as an independent producer, Handy founded Sunwise Media, producing acclaimed projects like Hope Village and OWN Presents: Rebuilding Black Wall Street. His career spans collaborations with major networks such as MTV, OWN, BET, and STARZ, and accolades include a Daytime Emmy nomination for Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward, a PRISM Award, and an NAACP Image Award nomination.

At Blink 49, he oversees creative development for unscripted hits like The Braxtons and Toya & Reginae. Previously, as VP of Original Programming at Bounce TV, he spearheaded the hit series Saints & Sinners, now streaming on Hulu.

His innovative leadership during the pandemic led to the creation of The Post House Collective, a virtual post-production facility supporting remote workflows. Affiliated with Local 700, NATAS, PGA, and the Entertainment Equity Alliance, Ri-Karlo continues to drive industry transformation, fostering inclusion and sustainable growth in entertainment.