Mauli Junior Bonner

Mauli Junior Bonner is a songwriter and part of The Bonner Family. He works with pop stars and wrote the soundtrack for the Excel Entertainment film, Jane and Emma.

He and his family performed in the Be One celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Church’s lift of the priesthood ban.

“I learned things I didn’t know about early Black pioneers,” Mauli said. “It really swung the door wide open for me to want to learn more. I began meeting with historians. Reading turned into writing.” In the short summer months, he became a screenwriter, producer, and director for His Name is Green Flake, a movie that tells the true story of an early Latter-day Saint who is remembered for his unwavering faith and pioneering spirit. The film opened virtually on June 8, 2021. The film won best film in the Los Angeles Film Awards (2020), the Venice Film Awards, the London Independent Film Awards and other festivals. Bonner also won awards for Best Original Story and Best Director (Feature).[1]

Proceeds from the movie, as well as the benefit concert held in May 2021, were used to create a monument honoring Flake and other early Black pioneers. A monument was dedicated at the This Is the Place Heritage Park on July 22, 2022. Mauli was the monument coordinator and was one of the speakers at the dedication.

Mauli is married to Chantel Bonner and they have two children. They work to provide economic resources and musical outlets to underserved and disabled children internationally through their nonprofit, Lift Up Voices.[2] They also wrote a children’s book entitled A Child of God.