Dear John,

We hope this finds you healthy and in good spirits. MPAC’s Hollywood Bureau is honored to announce Participant’s support of the inaugural Television Screenwriting Lab for Black Muslim Writers, which was held in partnership with The Blackhouse Foundation. The lab wrapped this week with the screenwriters presenting their projects and personal stories to Participant television executives and a press release in The Wrap.

Participant, the leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires audiences to engage in positive social change, is uniquely positioned within the industry to engage a rapidly growing audience and bring global awareness and action to today’s most vital issues. 

The scripts and writers were chosen from a competitive pool of submissions and the lab was held on Smashcut, a platform for online film education. Talented industry creatives and executives Qasim Basir, DMA, Hanelle Culpepper, and Fanshen Cox worked with the selected screenwriters to refine their craft, characters, and pitches.

We are so grateful to Participant, The Blackhouse Foundation and to the inspiring instructors for recognizing the need for these voices and stories, and so proud of this cohort of screenwriters. This is a huge step in our work toward full inclusion in the industry, and we’re excited to watch their careers blossom and grow.

In peace,

Sue Obeidi
Director, MPAC Hollywood Bureau