OUR TEAM

Brigid Maher (she/her/hers) is a tenured professor in the School of Communication at American University. Maher is a Senior Fellow of the Community Voice Lab at American University. She is an award-winning filmmaker focusing on women; from women’s issues in the Middle East to women’s health and beyond. Maher’s latest film is Experimental Curator: The Sally Dixon Story, about a little-known pioneer in the male-dominated art world who transformed experimental cinema by helping film artists make it and the public see and understand it. The film has won numerous awards and is currently screening on the festival circuit. Maher is the Creative Director of the first-ever Anacostia Youth Media Festival, a groundbreaking initiative producing an arts education event led by youth in historically disadvantaged wards of Washington, DC.

Ethan Baker is a master’s student at American University, studying Film and Media Production. He has a BS in Communication and New Media from Shepherd University with a digital filmmaking concentration and a minor in journalism. He was a Label Assistant and Video Editor at NexGen Music, a record label and project studio in Shepherdstown, WV, and a multimedia journalist for The Picket, Shepherd University’s news organization, creating short-form feature story videos on events across campus. As a documentary filmmaker and multimedia journalist, much of his work is centered on special interest and biographical topics, exploring the intersection of race and class with that of art and pop culture. He most recently produced a capstone documentary piece titled THE FUTURE OF GEN Z, exploring the significance, misconceptions and future aspirations of Generation Z.

Toni is a 4th year undergraduate at American University who is majoring Film and Media Arts with a Literature minor. She has previously worked with a company called Slapbox Creative where she edited photos and videos for organizations like Nike, Slam Magazine, T-MOBILE Little League Home Run Derby, and Steph Curry’s Underrated Tour. Toni has also worked with the Girls EYBL basketball circuit including stops in Virginia and Texas as well as the championship tournament Nike Nationals in Chicago. Another one of her passions is giving back to underserved communities through media distribution. With this, she has worked with several grassroots basketball tournaments in New York City including Bobbito Garcia’s Full Court 21 and NY vs NY. Toni wants to further her work in video production so that she will be able to shine light on women in sports who are not getting the exposure they deserve.

Spencer is a fourth-year student studying Film and Media Arts at the American University, along with a minor in Business and Entertainment. Filmmaking is his passion, and he has gone on to work in film and television as a lighting technician, assistant set designer, and production assistant. At AU, he has produced and directed many short films and educational videos, worked with NBC-4 Washington to bolster their online presence, and edited projects for his professors. His time working with organizations such as the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Nourish International, and Bailey’s Team for Autism allowed him to perfect his visual storytelling and strategic communication skills to help spread awareness of various social causes. In his free time, Spencer enjoys taking photos of his friends and architecture around DC, painting, planning his future creative projects, and spending time at home on Cape Cod with his family.”

Samiya Amrani is a grad school Film & Media Arts student at American University, concentrating on Doc Filmmaking. Besides school, she currently works at an Arabic TV station based in VA as a News Operations Coordinator. Samiya graduated in 2018 from a private institute for TV broadcasting and radio, she developed her passion in the storytelling/production field & showcase stories with social impact. She was an intern at VOA for the English department, Fox45 in Baltimore, and Kali TV online where she worked on remarkable stories around the DC area.

She holds a BA degree in Applied Linguistics & Translation from Algeria, North Africa where she was born and raised before immigrating to the states a decade ago. Samiya speaks Arabic & French beside English and very fluent in other Arabic dialects.

Susie DeFord is a filmmaker, writer, musician, & dog trainer. She is a Master's student in the Film and Media Production program at American University. Susie is passionate about mentoring and teaching production in the community by utilizing smartphone filmmaking and other budget conscious equipment to level the playing field and nurture underrepresented voices. She believes great storytellers come from diverse backgrounds and that economics and education shouldn't dictate whose stories are told.

R. Kayeen Thomas has been involved in the Washington, D.C arts scene since he was teenager, when he won numerous awards for his writing and spoken word, including the White House Correspondents Essay Prize. After writing more scripts and screenplays, Kayeen ventured into the filmmaking arena. In 2015, he enrolled in the School of Communication at American University, and graduated in 2018 with a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Electronic Media. He has already won multiple awards for his films, and has had his work screened in such festivals as the DC Black Film Festival, the Bethesda Film Festival, the Richmond International Film Festival, and the March on Washington Film Festival. Kayeen is currently employed as a Public Affairs Specialist and Multimedia Producer with the federal government.

Malik A.D Singleton, an accomplished radio host and producer, earned accolades for his work. Completing his BA in Communications from Harris-Stowe State University in 2021, Malik's roots trace back to Detroit, Michigan. With 16 years in media and film production, he has contributed to commercials, radio shows, music videos, and films. Notably, Malik is an on-air personality on TMZ on FOX. His media and philanthropic efforts have garnered numerous awards and honors, showcasing his wide-ranging expertise. Presently, Malik is pursuing a Masters in Film & Media Production at American University.

Blake is a freelance graphic designer with six years of experience in a wide range of spaces, from the bass music industry to higher education to esports. His design skills include typography, social media, branding, apparel, and production design. He focuses on branding and digital marketing and loves creating designs that leave a lasting impression. Whether developing a comprehensive branding strategy or creating eye-catching social media posts.

Brigid Maher (she/her/hers) is a tenured associate professor in the School of Communication at American University. Maher is a Senior Fellow of the Community Voice Lab at American University. She is an award-winning filmmaker focusing on women; from women’s issues in the Middle East to women’s health and beyond. Maher’s latest film is Experimental Curator: The Sally Dixon Story, about a little-known pioneer in the male-dominated art world who transformed experimental cinema by helping film artists make it and the public see and understand it. The film has won numerous awards and is currently screening on the festival circuit. Maher is the Creative Director of the first-ever Anacostia Youth Media Festival, a groundbreaking initiative producing an arts education event led by youth in historically disadvantaged wards of Washington, DC.

Ronald Moten is a community leader in the Anacostia community of Washington, DC. He also a humanity scholar in Go-Go music. He has worked on the Don’t Mute DC campaign and has extensive experience working with youth in the DC area. He also is currently leading the Social Media Caucus. Moten will mentor the youth jury as well as the young filmmakers on how they can amplify their media work, using the festival as their platform and launching pad. He will do this through hosting a monthly Social Media Caucus meetings via zoom which will be open to all youth in DC to learn about how to amplify their films and media positively through social media. His latest endeavor includes launching the "Social Media Caucus" to address social media's adverse side effects on

Lalanya Abner is a graduate of Howard University where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre with a focus on Acting/Directing and a minor in Philosophical Arts. Lalanya is the creator of Imagine Beyond Boundaries’ Young Indigo series of books and content. She also founded and ran the top acting workshop in Atlanta, THE ALCHEMY OF ACTING. Lalanya studied with Cirque Du Soleil performance coach Shelley Lynn at the Vision Space. In 2008 Lalanya founded the AOA Studios by combining her training in meta-cognitive learning skills with her background in film and theater as a way to increase literacy and learning for children in under-resourced communities.

Ava Clarcq is a junior at American University pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability & Global Health as well as a Masters in Global Environmental Policy. Some of her past experiences include working with Impact Earth as their Social Media Coordinator, and working as a Brand Ambassador for Beyond Meat during the summer of 2022. She also served as a Peer Mentor for the American University Community Service Learning Project where she advised a group of students as they completed the CSLP program serving the DMV community. In her free time she enjoys spending time outside, listening to podcasts, and traveling.

Tambra Raye Stevenson is a Ph.D. student at the American University School of Communication, where she completed an M.A. in media, technology, and democracy. She was a research assistant in the Playful City Lab with Dr. Stokes and co-authored civic media research involving game design. She takes an intersectional lens to her research and will assist in the marketing research for the Anacostia Youth Festival. She is a resident of Ward 8, where she raises her family. Also, she is the founder of WANDA, serves on the DC Food Policy Council, and NAACP DC Branch Executive Board, and is a contributor to U.S. News and Eating Well.

Aspen is a sophomore at American University, studying Film and Media Studies and minoring in Graphic Design….

Hélène Lupa (ell-ENN LOO-pah) - Hélène is an MFA candidate in the Game Design & Interactivity program at the American University Game Center. She previously graduated, with honors, from the University of Chicago, class of 2019. Hélène's wide-ranging interests include games & game design, cinema & television, sequential art, and more. Her ludic projects range from the serious (Call of Justice: Modern Lawfare, an examination of the hypothetical aftermath of military shooter games) to the silly (Riverdale: The Role-Playing Game, an attempt to simulate the poetics of the CW teen soap in a tabletop environment).

Sonya A. Grier is a Professor of Marketing in the Kogod School of Business at American University. Her research examines s issues of race, diversity, and equity in the marketplace, with a focus on how inclusive marketing practices can enhance individual and community well-being. She shares her research in academic journals as well as through photographic narratives and two award-winning documentary films. At American University, she teaches courses on “Marketing for Social Change” and “Race in the Marketplace” to graduate and undergraduate students and has also taught high school students, corporate executives, and non-profit leaders. She is a co-founder of the Race in the Marketplace (RIM) Research Network which works to advance our understanding of the role of race across diverse markets. She received her Ph.D. in Marketing, from Northwestern University, and is originally from Detroit Michigan.

Grace Chen is a Taiwanese-American filmmaker, director, writer, and visual artist currently based in Washington, D.C. She is currently a sophomore Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholar at American University, a prestigious full-ride scholarship granted to five students in every year, pursuing a BA in Film and Media Arts. In her work, she hopes that by highlighting marginalized stories and uplifting other young creatives, she can bring even the tiniest bit of much-needed hope, awareness, and empathy into this dark yet beautiful world.