Chasing The Dream While Black

Retha Jones has been tickling funny bones across America for nearly 20 years. She started her career as a model and actress, and discovered her talent for comedy after touring with Shelly Garrett’s hit stage play, Beauty Shop. From there, she hit the comedy club circuit and felt at home making audiences erupt in laughter. In addition to performing at several comedy clubs and venues across the U.S., she has performed on several television comedy shows, including HBO's Def Comedy Jam, BET’s Comic View, and Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, among others. Jones has won several comedy competitions including the 1st Annual California Comedy Festival and California's Funniest Female Contest. She was also named the first runner up in the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition and won the hearts of America as one of the Season 5 semi-finalists of NBC's hit show, Last Comic Standing. Most recently Retha was a featured guest on ABC's The View where she was invited by her friend Sherri Shepherd to showcase her hilarious comedy. Erin Jackson is one of the fastest-rising comedians in New York City. She works nightly in the city’s top comedy clubs, and most recently made her Netflix debut as part of Season 2 of Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready. She’s also appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, CONAN, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, This Week at the Comedy Cellar, truTV’s Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, Last Comic Standing, and Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. Erin's debut comedy album, Grudgery, was released in 2018 and debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy charts.  Dawn Boatman “Dawn B” is a comedian, host, actress, and radio personality. Hailing from Chicago Il., Dawn B began her career over 20 years ago performing at local comedy clubs and bars around the country and internationally. She joined an improvisational group called "The Forgotten City".  Dawn B honed her comedic career when she decided to move to the east coast while working for the clothing company Sean John as a district merchandiser. She later moved to New York City and performed at clubs like Caroline’s and The Improv. Dawn B started travelling internationally and performing for the military.  She has told jokes in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Haiti. Dawn B’s raw talent and quick wit for comedy, has always been in her soul.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), Hysterical at FX on Hulu,  Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf