Lana Melman, Combating Cultural Boycott: Antizionism IS Antisemitism
Lana Melman is an attorney, a 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry and the CEO of Liberate Art Inc.
Since 2011, she has been a leader in combating the cultural boycott (BDS) campaign against Israel working both behind the scenes with the people artists trust the most – their representatives – and in the public discourse. She began her career in the entertainment industry as an attorney for Columbia Pictures Television and a business affairs executive at CBS. She later worked as a creative executive at CBS, Warner Bros., and Paramount, then as a writer and executive producer. Lana served as the premier director of Creative Community for Peace from 2011-2015 and founded Liberate Art in 2015.
Her book, ARTISTS UNDER FIRE: The BDS War Against Celebrities, Jews, and Israel, puts the boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign against Israel (BDS) on trial. Lana tells the stories of artists and entertainers like Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, and Carlos Santana caught in its crossfire. Artists Under Fire won the Nellie Bly Prize Blue Ribbon for Nonfiction Journalism (2022) and the NYC Big Book first prize for Cultural & Social Issues (2023), also an Amazon New Release Best Seller in four categories.
Lana helped circulate a statement supporting Israel’s right to defend itself signed by over 300 Hollywood luminaries, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Seth Rogen, Kelsey Grammer, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Arnold, Benji Madden, and Sarah Silverman.
Come learn about the important work Lana has been doing during a worldwide surge of antisemitism and the thousands of artists pressed to boycott Israel and cancel concert performances in Israel. Lana will be autographing her book at the end of the meeting.