Discovery, OWN to Air ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ Docu

The national My Brother’s Keeper initiative will be the subject of a Father's Day documentary that will be simulcast by Discovery Channel and OWN.

The Rise: The Promise Of My Brother’s Keeper documentary, debuting June 21, will explore the lives and families of boys and young men of color from four programs derived from the White House-inspired My Brother’s Keeper initiative, said network officials.

The documentary, directed by Dawn Porter (Gideon’s Army) will feature an interview with President Barack Obama regarding his boyhood experiences and his commitment to the initiative, which looks to ensure all youth complete their education and find employment once they’ve left school.

 “As President Obama has made abundantly clear, now more than ever we need to change the narrative in this country around boys and young men of color,” said John Hoffman, Executive Vice President of Documentaries and Specials for Discovery Channel in a statement. “Dawn Porter’s artful storytelling serves as a powerful testament to the vital importance that strong communities, involved families, and dedicated educators all play in ensuring that all of our children have an equal chance at success.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.