BWIC Laff Fest Presents: JOKE SISTAS

The 2nd Annual Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest is returning after a global pandemic shut everything down in 2020. This year’s (4) four day Laff Fest will convene at various locations across Brooklyn and Manhattan June 16-19th with the last day of the festival, June 20th, focusing on three important themes during a private event: sisterhood, self-care and social distancing.

The founder of the Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest Joanna Briley, noticed a lack of diversity in the comedy industry and recognized the need to amplify the hidden yet ever-present comedic voices of Black Women in the comedy community. By creating a platform for so many diverse, powerful, yet often overlooked voices, Ms. Briley, a comedian and successful producer for over ten years, is excited to continue building solid relationships within the entertainment industry for years to come.

The annual event is sponsored by Stand Up! Girls™, a NYC nonprofit teaching young black girls from underserved communities to write and perform stand-up comedy with a special showcase during the festival featuring 10 students and the second Sponsor Lois Thompson, Comedian and Real Estate Broker and Certified Negotiation Specialist at Compass.com. Thompson hosts and produces the all-female Blacklight Comedy Show at Brooklyn Moon Cafe in Brooklyn, NY.

“The Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest was born out of rage! Black women are often left out of the comedy conversation when it comes to who’s moving up in the writer’s room or land late-night TV appearances, yet we've always been a shiny, paramount thread in the fabric of America,” said Hollie Harper, Stand Up! Girls board member. “In its second year, we continue to honor the devastatingly hilarious Black women that keep comedy clubs and zooms laughing all over this country.”