The Native American Media Alliance announced the recipients of the 2nd Annual Native American Writers Accelerator Grant. With support from Netflix, the organization launched the Native American Writer Accelerator Grant for fellows from the highly successful TV writers lab.
“This initiative is an incredible opportunity that gives Native American writers the ability to develop their work, strategize their careers and, most importantly, to write new material,” declared Ian Skorodin, Director of Strategy for the Native American Media Alliance. “Our first cohort of grantees found staffing positions, produced films and took the necessary next steps in their writing journey.”
Created to give new opportunities to Native American writers, the Native American Writer Accelerator Grant provides $10,000 grants and professional support to help recipients develop their craft, pitch their projects and bolster their careers. In its second year, the Native American Writer Accelerator Grant will award 12 Native American writers from the 7th Annual Native American TV Writers Lab.
The Native American Writer Accelerator Grant is also designed to encourage Native American writers to expand on their current opportunities. According to numerous industry diversity reports, the Native American population represents the largest disparity when it comes to representation in all of entertainment.
The collaboration with Netflix on the Native American Writer Accelerator Grant is part of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, where Netflix will invest USD $100 million dollars over the next four years in a combination of external organizations with a strong track record of setting underrepresented communities up for success in the TV and film industries, as well as bespoke programs that will help Netflix to identify, train and provide job placement for up-and-coming talent globally.
Recipients of the Native American Writer Accelerator Grant:
Jamie Brunton (Colville/Spokane)
Kristen Calderon (Acjachemen/Kumeyaay)
Jena Carter (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Benjamin Flores (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa)
Charine Pilar Gonzales (San Ildefonso Pueblo)
Kelli Jones (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Justin H. Reed (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation)
Meilani Wenska (Native Hawaiian)
Check out the first Writers Accelerator Grant cohort!
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