Hillman Grad Productions—a development and production company founded by Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani that is committed to providing a platform for BIPOC and underrepresented voices across all mediums—is once again kicking off The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab.
In its second year, the lab will be spearheaded by Program Director Lacy Wright and Program Advisor Justin Riley, who will handle day-to-day operations under the direction of Waithe, Rajani (president of TV/film) and Chief Operating Officer Ericka Pittman.
The eight-month, tuition-free program offers mentees the opportunity to enhance their creative skill set through personalized instruction from industry professionals, creating additional pathways to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into the entertainment industry. Tracks include television writing, screen acting and executive development.
Among others, alumni include Nova Cypress Black (they/them), who is now a staff writer on season three of L Word: Generation Q; Ranard Caldwell (he/him), who was hired as director of development for Sunny Hostin’s production company, Roots & Wings; and Arturo Luis Soria (he/him), who was cast as a series regular in Apple TV+’s upcoming show Bad Monkey.
Applications are due Feb. 11, with finalists being notified at the beginning of March and the lab starting March 12. See http://www.hillmangrad.com/mentorship-labs.