The PBS Ignite Mentorship for Diverse Voices & PBS Accelerator Fellowship for Diverse Voices Begins in Spring 2023
ARLINGTON, VA; May 17, 2023 – Today, participants in two key programs that are part of a larger Diverse Voices Initiative were announced at the 2023 PBS Annual Meeting. The PBS Ignite Mentorship for Diverse Voices & PBS Accelerator Fellowship for Diverse Voices support the careers of early and mid-career filmmakers from underrepresented communities to further diversify public media.
“PBS is proud to support creators who have unique ideas that will resonate, foster dialogue, and bring new engagement across the public media system,” said Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming at PBS. “We look forward to the contributions these talented individuals will bring to our wide variety of PBS content.”
PBS Ignite Mentorship for Diverse Voices
To help reduce barriers and increase access for diverse filmmakers within the public media system, PBS launched a robust mentorship program for early-career filmmakers. Through immersive experiences, PBS will support these filmmakers as they build relationships within the public media system and produce content for public media platforms.
This is a hybrid one-year program for 12 early-career filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Whether participants have a current project underway or are starting a new one, they will be provided with professional development opportunities. Mentees are: Benita Ozoude, J. Faye Yuan, Siyi Chen, Brit Fryer, Ciara Ingram, Isabel Guayasamin, Eugenia Renteria, Fernando Rocha, Cai Thomas, Katsitsionni Fox, Mariana Gongora, and Theo Moore.
See the full list of mentees with their bios.
PBS Accelerator Fellowship for Diverse Voices
Through the PBS Accelerator Fellowship, mid-career content makers are hired as full-time, paid employees for a term of one-year and will work on programs with our producing partners, including GBH, Twin Cities PBS, KQED, American Documentary, ITVS, and Day's Edge Productions. Fellows are: Jon Crawford, Joua Lee Grande, Paloma Hernández, Juan Izaguirre, Christine Lin, Chris Neighbors, and Rosa Tuirán.
See the full list of fellows with their bios.
The PBS Ignite Mentorship for Diverse Voices and the PBS Accelerator Fellowship for Diverse Voices have been made possible, in part, through funding secured from Anne Ray Foundation.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.
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