The Diaspora Times Feature: Black Writers in Focus
On July 29, 2021, The Diaspora Times published an article on Diverso’s summer fellowship program for Black student screenwriters: Black Writers in Focus (BWIF). The Diaspora Times is a publishing platform for diverse voices to share their perspectives on multicultural film, TV, media and culture in the entertainment industry.
Journalist Dino-Ray Ramos commends the program for its success in attaining impressive mentorship and funding from various entities. BWIF’s three student fellows were paired with Joe Robert Cole (Black Panther), Juel Taylor (Space Jam: A New Legacy), and Justin Hillian (The Chi). Financial sponsors of the program include WarnerMedia, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN, Madison Wells Media, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Miranda Family Fund, Issa Rae’s Hoorae, Lagralane, and Couper Samuelson at Blumhouse.
Program directors Matt Zhang and Mallom Liggon raised an initial $90,000 for the program with help from their Diverso teammates. Liggon is featured in the article:
“As a Black screenwriting student myself, Black Writers In Focus is exactly the type of program I wish existed for me and my peers when I was in school,” said Liggon. “It is a dream opportunity to assist in the creation of this revolutionary program that will open doors for our Fellows, and many more Black creators in the future.”
Read the rest of the article here and check out other articles on Diaspora’s Culture and News column.
