Jesse L. Kearney Jr., a playwright, a recipient of the Dramatists Guild’s Jonathan Larson Musical Theater Fellowship and the vice president of the advocacy group Black Broadway Men United, died Thursday, March 6, at a hospital in Newark, New Jersey, of complications from a cerebral arteriovenous malformation.

His death was announced by his wife Jacquelyn Bell Kearney, co-founder of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition. “In moments like these,” she said in a statement, “I think of how bright one soul can shine and pierce the hearts of so many people. Jesse’s light grows stronger every day.”

An attorney and arts activist, Kearney made significant contributions to both the legal and performing arts communities throughout his career. As the Content Acquisition and Development Manager at Audible, Inc., he championed diverse voices in audio storytelling. He was a cofounder and General Counsel of The Stage Network, a streaming media platform devoted to the performing arts.