Dear John,

We hope this finds you healthy and well. During an historic moment when representation matters more than ever, we are thrilled to announce the screenwriters selected for our upcoming Television Screenwriting Lab for Black Muslim Writers, held in partnership with The Blackhouse Foundation.

This lab is designed to provide eight talented screenwriters the opportunity to hone their craft, tighten their scripts, and prepare them to advance their careers in the industry. They come from all different backgrounds, across the country—and across the pond! 

The screenwriters chosen to participate in the lab are: Aiman Mimiko (NY, NY), Desha Dauchan (Altadena), Malika A. Shabazz (Redford, MI), Maria Warith-Wade (Los Angeles), Nadra Widatalla (Los Angeles), Sekinat Jumai Yusuf (Ashland, MA), Thembisa S. Mshaka (Brooklyn, NY), and Maram Ahmed (London, UK (not pictured)). Congratulations to all of them on this accomplishment!

We are very excited to work with The Blackhouse and these writers in a three-week lab that will take place following Ramadan. Their scripts include nuanced depictions of Black Muslims, which we rarely see on television, and their stories have the potential to help audiences find connection through common life experiences. This lab will help the selected writers tell those stories.

We want to thank all of the talented screenwriters who submitted their scripts for consideration for this lab. It was clear throughout the selection process that this community is full of creativity, imagination, and profound storytelling skills. We hope to hold more labs like this one because the desire and talent is definitely out there. 

We are so grateful for your support that makes this work toward inclusion and representation possible. Wishing you and your loved ones Ramadan Mubarak!

In peace,

Sue Obeidi
Director, MPAC Hollywood Bureau