Expert Available: Maggie Smith, the British actress known for her more recent roles in “Harry Potter” and the TV series “Downton Abbey, has passed away at the age of 89. Her career spanned six decades across TV, film and theater and she notably won Oscars for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and “California Suite.”

If you would like more context on this, please consider Imani M. Cheers, an associate professor of digital storytelling at the George Washington University. Cheers is an award-winning digital storyteller, director, producer, and filmmaker. As a professor of practice, she uses a variety of mediums including video, photography, television, and film to document and discuss issues impacting and involving people of the African Diaspora.

Her scholarly focus is on the intersection of women/girls, technology, health, conflict, agriculture, and the effects of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. Cheers is also an expert on diversity in Hollywood, specifically the representation of Black women in television and film. Newswise/SP