Mara Brock Akil has written and produced nearly 400 episodes of television, truly leaving her mark on Hollywood. Groundbreaking in many ways, Akil created the seminal television series Girlfriends in 2000. The series was a witty, intelligent and honest exploration of the many facets of black womanhood. During its 8-season stint on air, it was one of the highest-rated scripted shows among African-Americans ages 18-34. Additionally, Akil developed the spin-off series The Game, which premiered in 2006 as a quick fan-favorite as well. In fact, loyal fans of The Game rallied behind the series upon its cancellation in what was then an unprecedented way, taking to social media to launch a campaign to save the series. Taking notice, BET stepped up and struck a deal to renew the series and develop additional episodes. When season 4 of The Game premiered on BET in 2011, the series exceeded all expectations drawing in 7.7 million viewers, becoming the most-watched scripted-series premiere ever on ad- supported cable. The series continued on for a total of 9 seasons, earning praise throughout its run for its verisimilitude and, during the reality television boom, was one of the few shows on television that felt truly specific to its moment. In 2013, Akil developed her first one-hour drama, BET’s Being Mary Jane, further cementing her ability to tell powerful and engaging stories that speak to women through honest, true-to-life reflections. Unquestionably, Akil’s work put BET scripted series on the map for the first time ever with back-to-back hits gleaning such large audiences. Akil has continued that legacy and passion through her most recent projects, including The CW’s Black Lightning and OWN’s Love Is__. Beyond her work as a writer and producer, her peers have consistently recognized Akil as a leader in the industry. In 2019, Akil was honored with the prestigious Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award by NATPE for exhibiting extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through her work, as well as for her contributions to the medium of television as a content creator. In 2017, she was inducted into Northwestern’s Medill Hall of Achievement and received the distinguished Northwestern Alumni Medal, the highest honor bestowed unto alumni by the Northwestern Alumni Association. She garnered both of these awards from her alma mater within the same year. Some of her prior accolades include Essence magazine’s Visionary Award during their annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, being named to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter’s Showrunner Power Lists, as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power100, multiple times.