Sisters in Cinema Announces Inaugural Fellowship Program


Sisters in Cinema Announces Inaugural Fellowship Program

Sisters in Cinema (SIC) with support from Chicago Women’s Foundation LBTQ Giving Council has awarded three first-time feature filmmakers with a $2,500 grant for the production of a documentary film.

This program is an initiative created to support Black women and gender nonconforming non-fiction directors working on films that center LBTQ stories.

In this year-long fellowship award recipients receive a financial award, fiscal sponsorship and individually tailored mentorship focused on both professional and project development from Sisters in Cinema founder and CEO, Yvonne Welbon. The Sisters in Cinema Documentary Fellowship is by invitation only in its inaugural year.

Filmmakers Cai Thomas, Luchina Fisher, and Ashley O’Shay tell stories centered at the intersection of race, gender, and social justice. Two films capture the untold narratives of Black women activists fighting for themselves and their communities at large. Luchina Fisher’s “Mama Gloria” tells the story of Gloria Allen, a trailblazing 73-year-old black transgender woman who transitioned before Stonewall, and started a charm school for homeless transgender youth in her 60s.

Ashley O’Shay’s “Unapologetic” focuses on Janaé and Bella, two Black, queer women organizers and provides an intimate peek into the personal and political battles that have transformed the city of Chicago. In her “Untitled Black Lesbian Elders” documentary, Cai Thomas focuses on the growing population of housing insecure LGBTQ elders.

The LBTQ Giving Council of Chicago Foundation for Women is committed to providing grants to organizations and programs benefiting lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning women and girls in the Chicago region.

Sisters in Cinema is a Chicago-based non-profit with an inclusive mission to entertain, educate, develop and celebrate Black girls and women media-makers and future generations of storytellers and their audiences.

The organization supports the creation of media that centers and explores the lives of Black girls and women. In addition, SIC’s inclusive programming focuses on supporting, educating and training community members who are passionate about the intersection of art and social justice.

To learn more about Sisters in Cinema visit www.sistersincinema.com or contact Delrisha White: info @sistersincinema.com

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