By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — Ri-Karlo Handy’s journey through the entertainment industry is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion.
With a career spanning 25 years, Handy, who began his television production career at the age of 14, has navigated the complex Hollywood ecosystem, along the way earning a PRISM Award, a Daytime Emmy nomination for “Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward,” and an NAACP Image Award nomination.
The industry veteran’s credits include working with artists like Bone, Thugs & Harmony, Snoop Dogg, and Master P, and shows like “Love Island,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “The Jersey Shore” and “Hulu’s Saints & Sinners,” where he served as a showrunner.
But Handy’s impact goes beyond his own achievements.
As the founder of Sunwise Media, a certified minority business enterprise that bridges the intersection of content and branding, and the Handy Foundation, he’s on a mission to democratize access to Hollywood careers, particularly for underrepresented communities. One of the ways is through the Handy Foundation’s apprenticeship program, which has proven successful with several participants landing highly-coveted gigs, including work on movies like the recently released box office hit, “Michael.”
Handy described the Handy Foundation as a registered apprenticeship program that trains participants for the technical services behind the scenes in Hollywood. The foundation trains people on how to use software and other technology for jobs that service the creative vision for whoever is making content.
To recognize National Apprenticeship Week (April 27-May 2), Handy’s nonprofit is hosting a series of events, including an apprenticeship information webinar, workshops, high school field trips, an honoree party, an alumni wellness event, plus an industry mixer and red carpet screening of “Michael.”
The Handy Foundation is actively training and placing apprentices in real film and television jobs, embodying the spirit of National Apprenticeship Week, which highlights how registered apprenticeships drive career growth and economic development.
“I want to make Hollywood a place where you can become a professional, just like you can become a nurse or a plumber,” Handy said. “We need to build systems that allow people to learn, grow and succeed in this industry.”
As Hollywood grapples with labor shortages and pipeline gaps, apprenticeship programs are proving to be a game-changing solution. By bridging the gap between major productions, studio needs and untapped talent pools, Handy’s model is creating a scalable, repeatable pathway into Hollywood careers — and strengthening the industry’s workforce from the ground up.
Handy said he focused on the technical side of the entertainment industry because “That’s the secret to Hollywood.”
“That’s speaking to everything,” he said. “I think a lot of times colleges train people to be the CEO or the head of a department, but they don’t actually train you how to work inside of a business and work your way up for a career.
“A lot of times, people focus on being creative and the arts, because that’s the most visual thing. But really, the real money, the real decisions, the real things are happening behind the scenes in rooms that not everybody has access to see,” he added.
Handy said he was lucky because he “Grew up in those rooms and knows how the business works.”
“If you know how the business works, you know that every single famous person you know started with a technical skill,” he said.
The Handy Foundation’s registered apprenticeship program is equipping the next generation of creatives with the tools they need to succeed.
“It’s not just about being creative,” Handy said. “It’s about understanding the business, knowing how to work behind the scenes, and being able to contribute to the team.”
Christina Beatty, a 2023 graduate of the Handy Foundation’s assistant editor program, has hit the ground running. She second-assisted on three docuseries, including NBC and Golf Channel, and PBS, and landed apprenticeships on AMC’s “Tallamasca – The Secret Order” and Netflix’s “The Altruist,” where she was bumped up to assistant editor.
“My goal was to diversify my skills and position myself for my first assistant editor gig,” Beatty said. “But the program gave me so much more — a supportive community and lifelong friends.
“If you have the opportunity to be an apprentice, definitely take it. It allows us to see the editorial process from beginning to end. It ensures that the next generation has a good grasp of their role goals prior to officially taking on the role. It makes them efficient and confident,” she added.
Beatty’s enthusiasm is infectious and it’s clear that Handy’s vision for empowering the next generation is resonating. Beyond the technical skills, Handy’s approach fosters a sense of community and connection. And it’s this same passion for storytelling and community empowerment that drives his own creative projects.
Handy’s commitment shines through in his hit series, “Harlem Globetrotters: Secret of the City,” now in its second season on Aspire TV.
The feel-good travel show reveals the Globetrotters’ favorite destinations, eats, and hacks.
“It’s about aspirational travel,” Handy said, “giving folks a guide to experience these places like a local, through the African-American lens.”
The show recently took the Globetrotters to Little Ethiopia and Italy, where they met Pope Leo XIV, presented him with a custom jersey, and taught him to spin a basketball — a moment that went viral.
It’s this kind of community-driven storytelling that Handy aims to amplify through the Handy Foundation.
The foundation’s focus on program participants is clear: they’re not just learning skills — they’re gaining access to a world previously out of reach.
“I had a lot of great mentors growing up,” Handy says. “I wanted to create that same experience for others, especially those from my community who don’t have the same opportunities.”
A self-made industry professional who didn’t go to college or film school, but had solid support, Handy decided to pay it forward by helping others.
“My vision is to create opportunities like the ones I had,” Handy said. “I didn’t have a traditional Hollywood background, but doors opened for me. I want to do the same for others in my community who lack access to information.
“Knowledge is power, and I want to make Hollywood a place where you can become a professional, just like any other industry.”
Handy encourages high school students and other interested parties who are looking for career technical education in California to check out the pre-apprenticeship programs.
“We work with about 30-40 high schools around the state,” Handy said. “But we want to work with more. Starting early with high school students getting this pre-apprenticeship opportunity and doing work-based learning is key.
“Teachers, administrators, and folks who actually do career technical education, these are the folks that we want to connect with,” he added. “Knowledge is power, and access to information is key. We’re opening doors and creating pathways to success, one apprenticeship at a time.”
To learn more, visit the Handy Foundation’s website at handyfoundation.com.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
