Joe Young’s Story
A Connecticut native, is an award-winning cartoonist, filmmaker, producer, writer, and teaching artist. He is the president of Joe Young Entertainment, LLC and the Creator of the socially engaged KEMET, THE TIME TRAVELER comic property. Young also is the writer and executive producer of Hartford’s first major homegrown book-to-film project, Diamond Ruff. In early 2015, Cinedigm Entertainment, the largest independent content provider in the United States, nationally distributed Diamond Ruff, the Movie. Currently the movie can be viewed on TubiTV. Young is a Co-Founder and President of Hartford’s Got Talent!, an arts non-profit organization that showcases talent and connects the community. He is a Guinness World Record Holder for creating the World’s Longest Comic Strip, which included the participation of thousands of Greater Hartford-based youth. In 1999, Young received the prestigious Daily Point of Light Award from the White House for volunteering his time in bringing the arts to otherwise access-less youth. He and his work have appeared in People, Ebony, GQ and Jet Magazine, the Boston Globe, New York Times, C-Span, CNN, the Black Family Channel and other national media outlets.
2020 COMMITEE/BOARD WORK
Chair of the City Hartford Film and Media Commission
Board Member – Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving – Artist of Color Advisory Board
Board of Trustees – The University of Bridgeport
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS/RECOGNITION
• Vision Award in Arts and Education – Charter Oak Cultural Center (2019)
• Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition – US Ambassador of Bully Awareness
(John Larson, Member of Congress (2015)
• The Dr. Ivor Echols Community Service Award – The Greater Hartford Alliance of
Black
Social Workers (2015)
• 100 Men of Color Award (2015)
• NAACP 100 Most Influential Blacks in CT (2013)
• Amazon National Bestselling Author, Diamond Ruff (2010)
• State of Connecticut General Assembly Official Citation – Community Leader (2009)
• Big Time Saver – National Public Service Award – National Newspaper and Education
Award (2005)
• Longest Comic Strip in the World – Guinness Book of World Records (1999)
• Daily Point of Light Award – White House (1998)
• Olympic Torchbearer – (1996)
• Joe Young Day – City of Hartford (1994)
• Making A Difference – An Anti-drug, Violence and Aids Awareness Campaign (1991)
• Man of the Year Award – Howard Business Focus Newspaper (1991)
• Outstanding Community Service Award – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (1991)
The World’s Greatest
Cartoon Workshop
Mailing Address
Joe Young, President
Joe Young Entertainment
P.O. Box 777
Hartford, CT 06142-777
Call Us
(860) 995-0344
Email Us
joeyoungstudios7@gmail.com