Cultural Strategy and Narrative Change

Meet cultural strategist Sonya Childress, co-founder of Color Congress; award-winning journalist Tre’vell Anderson, author of We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film; and film strategist Asad Muhammad, the Vice President of Impact and Engagement strategy at POV.

This powerhouse trio will walk us through practical ways storytellers can use their work to transform how 2SLGBTQIA+ folx are seen and understood. We’ll discuss the movies that have paved the way for today’s queer and trans visibility to exist, and imagine a future where films create a new array of possibilities for us all. Join us to dream up a new queer canon. Moderated by: Lucy J. Mukerjee.

Register to watch the live stream of this free panel talk on Zoom.

Closed captions will be available.

Bios:

Sonya Childress believes in the transformative power of film to heal, shift narratives and animate social justice movements. As a Senior Fellow with the Perspective Fund, she conducted initiatives that moved the documentary field towards equity and transparency. She spent twenty years leading impact campaigns at Active Voice and Firelight Media, where she piloted an Impact Producer Fellowship. She is a board member of the Center for Cultural Power, a member of the Documentary Accountability Working Group, on the Advisory Board for the Constellations Cultural Fund, and was a 2015 JustFilms/Rockwood Fellow. Her writing has been commissioned for Documentary Magazine, SEEN Journal, the Ford Foundation & MacArthur Foundation. Sonya is from Los Angeles (Tongva land), of Puerto Rican/African American descent, and a proud mother of two.

Tre’vell Anderson (they/them) is a film critic, award-winning journalist, noted podcast host, and authoress doing world-changing work around society and culture. they are also the authoress of “We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film” and “Historically Black Phrases: From ‘I Ain’t One Of Your Lil’ Friends’ to ‘Who All Gon’ Be There?’” (September 2023). Named to The Root’s 2020 list of the 100 most influential African Americans, they have dedicated their career to centring those in the margins, grey spaces, and at the intersections of life. Tre’vell co-hosts two podcasts, Crooked Media’s “What A Day” and Maximum Fun’s “FANTI.” Founder and Chief Imagination Officer of Slayzhon, Inc.

Asad Muhammad (he/him) is an impact strategist, organizational leader, professional listener, and father. As VP of Impact & Engagement Strategy at American Documentary | POV, Asad extends the impact of nonfiction films beyond their public broadcast date through community engagement, education, and public station relations work. With twenty years of service in public education, nonprofit leadership, restorative justice, and community development, Asad believes that trauma-informed care and harm reduction can be integrated into the duty of care to documentary filmmakers, protagonists, and audiences. From orchestrating impact campaigns to organizing film screenings, Asad is a passionate witness to how nonfiction storytelling connects to the hearts and minds of underserved communities, policymakers, and leaders – inspiring folx to focus their power better and fight for change and transformation.

Moderator: Lucy J. Mukerjee is dedicated to elevating the careers of underestimated storytellers and leveraging the power of film to expand perspectives and change culture. Lucy’s 20+ years of industry experience include the roles of Director of Programming at Outfest and NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festivals, Senior Programmer at the Tribeca Festival and currently Director of the Documentary Lab at Firelight Media. She co-founded the Programmers Of Colour Collective, a global group of BIPOC film festival programmers calling for transparency and accountability in the curatorial process.