Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Announces 2nd Annual Mentorship Lab For Marginalized Creatives

deadline.com:

Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s development and production company Hillman Grad Productions has announced the return of its mentorship lab which offers support and opportunities to marginalized creatives.The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab is an 8-month, tuition-free program that offers mentees the opportunity to enhance their creative skillset through personalized instruction from industry professionals, creating additional pathways to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into the entertainment industry.As part of the program, mentees will participate in a variety of workshops, educational resources, professional development, and networking opportunities for a cohort of diverse writers, actors, and aspiring creative executives.Tracks include television writing, screen acting, and executive development, instructed by Carolyn Michelle Smith (co-director of Acting Track), Behzad Dabu (co-director of Acting Track), and Michael Svoboda (director of Writing Track), among others.Participants will also have the opportunity to work with and directly interact with notable actors, directors, casting directors, editors, union reps, and publicists.

Previous guests have included Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), Kendrick Sampson (HBO’s Insecure), Carmen Cuba (casting director), and Femi Oguns (CEO, Identity Agency Group), among others.“Since the inception of Hillman Grad, it has been our ultimate goal to break down barriers to entry into Hollywood for new and diverse artists, while also ensuring they are paid for their art,” said the executive team at Hillman Grad in a statement. “The program was built around the idea of an informational coffee meeting.