People Of Culture Studios Names Former Senior White House Advisor Nick Rathod As President Of Impact

Labid Aziz's People of Culture Studios (PoC Studios) announced today that esteemed advocacy advisor and former senior member of the Obama-Biden White House, Nick Rathod, will serve as President of the company's new Impact division. The groundbreaking new division is designed to shift the paradigm and approach to storytelling by blending together the two most powerful forces in America - culture and politics. Rathod also comes on board as an official Partner of PoC Studios.

Continuing PoC Studio's mission to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of Hollywood, the Impact division will provide a platform that centers around the individuals and stories that are the backbone to the American experience while centering real world impact. Rathod will oversee the production of both unscripted and scripted content, with a focus on political and influential narratives; partnerships with studios and third-party companies to craft and execute philanthropic initiatives tied to and surrounding upcoming titles; create compelling campaign tools for politicians and candidates designed to educate and inspire; as well as provide consulting to non-profit organizations and political candidates.

"I am thrilled to join PoC Studios as President of Impact and as a Partner in the company," stated Rathod. "Our mission is clear: to spotlight the diverse stories and voices that define the American experience. Through impactful content, innovative partnerships, and political engagement, we aim to make a real difference in society. I look forward to leading this groundbreaking initiative and bringing positive change to the forefront of the entertainment industry."

Over the span of his 20-year career, Rathod has built successful campaigns, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and worked as a key advisor to the nation's leaders. He most recently served as the campaign manager for Beto O'Rourke's race for Governor of Texas. The campaign was the largest gubernatorial campaign in American history and Rathod was also the first person of South Asian descent to run a statewide campaign of that magnitude. Previously, Rathod served as the Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs in the White House and was the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama-Biden Transition Team. As a senior member of the White House staff, Rathod was President Obama's liaison to states and U.S. territories, handling political and policy engagement across the states, territories and tribal governments. Rathod also assisted Elizabeth Warren in building and establishing a newly formed Government Agency that was designed following the 2008 financial crisis, called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and later served as an Assistant Director to Warren.

In 2014, Rathod founded and served as the first Executive Director of the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), which was created and designed to build progressive power in state legislatures around the country. During his tenure, he grew SiX to a multimillion-dollar organization which significantly impacted state policy and helped achieve key legislative wins on pay equity, minimum wage, LGBTQ rights, access to voting and restrictions on guns, among others.

Bringing this experience to entertainment, Rathod and PoC Studios' co-founder and CEO Labid Aziz launched the #ImmaBeHonest campaign earlier this year tied to PoC and Kim Bass' feature A Snowy Day in Oakland. The film tells the story of a psychologist (Nicole Ari Parker) who moves to Oakland to start her own practice in a predominantly African American and psychologically ignored neighborhood. Through her work, she turns the community on its emotional ear.

The initiative's goal is to address the stigma surrounding talking about one's mental health, specifically within the Black community. To do this, the #ImmaBeHonest campaign takes up to 50% of A Snowy Day In Oakland's PVOD/TVOD profits and designates them towards sponsoring life-coaching certifications for barbers.

Aziz added, "We're incredibly fortunate to welcome Nick Rathod to PoC Studios. Nick's track record of driving meaningful change and his deep understanding of both politics and storytelling make him the ideal leader for our new division. With Nick on board, we're confident that our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and societal impact will not only be strengthened but will prove to become a beacon for others."

PoC Studios is a forward-thinking content studio that offers an all-inclusive approach to producing, financing, and distributing film and TV content intended for a global audience. PoC's slate includes the zombie mockumentary Among the Dead, a co-production and co-financing venture with Japan's Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. with Hiroshi Shinagawa set to direct, Tokyo Under Night, a film written by Academy Award winner Ron Bass (Rain Man) and Sky & Luna, a collaboration between PoC, Man of Action Entertainment (Ben 10, Big Hero 6), Creation Station, and Composition Media, among others. PoC has also entered into a joint venture with the management and production company Atomik Content.

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