As you may know, we are soon launching our inaugural competition – Writers Room. Writers Room is a 6-week contest for Black Ohioans. They will team up with another writer for a chance to win a free Final Draft subscription and have the opportunity to get their script turned into a film!
Now let’s meet the wonderful facilitators that will guide our participants.
NATASHIA BOBBITT, she/her
Natashia Bobbitt is a Paraprofessional in the mental health field. Originally from Fayetteville, NC, she relocated to Augusta, GA in 2017. She has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Psychology. Natashia is a Mother, Writer, Filmmaker, Producer, and Certified Mental Health Coach who believes, you can accomplish anything when your passion meets purpose. Natashia has been a gifted writer for over twenty years. Natashia is currently the CEO of N.C. Bobbitt Productions an entertainment company focusing on family friendly entertainment that focuses primarily on social issues that impact our communities, her goal is to educate while entertaining. Natashia is a Playwright turned Filmmaker whose play “The Words I didn’t Say” was selected and performed in Los Angeles, CA. She now has a short film streaming on Amazon Prime titled “Intoxicant” and multiple projects that are in various development stages. Natashia is the Senior Writer for Gdavis TV, a contributing writer for Pretty Women Hustle magazine and FEMI magazine. Natashia has been blessed to have healed from situations in her life and gifted to show others how to heal.
Natashia is leading the “Creative Writing as an Individual” lesson and can be found on Instagram at @ncbobbitt
Kaili Y. Turner, she/her
Kaili Y. Turner is a Black Indigenous (Natick Nipmuc) comedian, writer, producer, puppeteer and an award winning actress and director. She is a 2022 fellow in Collective Five’s Showrunners Program, a participant of the 2022 Native American TV Writers Lab and a 2021 recipient of the SNL/Second City Scholarship. Kaili’s play Indian Country has had readings at the National Black Theater Festival, New Voices in Black Theater, Eagle Project, and Native American Indian Center (NY) at the Greene Space, and was a semi-finalist in the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference and Native Voices at the Autry. Kaili has written children’s stories, published poetry, several produced radio plays, and sketches.
Kaili is leading our “Creative Writing in a Group” lesson.
Follow Kaili on social media and check out her website at www.KailiYTurner.com
IG: @mdamstarlight, @fkdup_n_Fabulous, @ComedyGoldenGirls, @IamQueenOnika
Demi Canty, he/him
Dem’s current interests are in telling Black stories within a diverse range of artistic disciplines, while also giving a platform for other artists to express their own experiences through their work. He explores Afro-Surrealism in his writings and film work; Creative pop in poetry and Minimal brutalism in his design work. He hopes his work can be a Trojan horse of Black excellence.
Dem works as a filmmaker, designer, painter, writer, and furniture designer. He holds a B.A. in architecture from Morgan State University, an M.A. in Social Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and an M.F.A. in filmmaking, also from MICA.
Demi is leading the “Starting the Script” lesson and can be found on Instagram at @petelephants or at petelephants.com
Michael French, he/him
Originally from London, England, I’ve been a theatre director, writer, actor, and theatre arts teacher for over 20 years. I’m a resident director for Playground, an associate artist for Oakland Theatre Project, and the director of artist development and creative writing classes for Afro Urban Society. What gets me up in the morning is finding and working with new voices, new stories, and new visions of the odyssey that is the Black experience.
Michael is leading the “Outline and Character Development” lesson and can be found on at houseoffrench.com
Kadesha Powell, she/her
Kadesha Powell is an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author and Award-Winning Finalist of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American BookFest.
In her debut memoir, Growing up Joplin, she shares about the trials and triumphs of being one of a few African Americans raised in a small, predominantly white, Midwestern town.
Next Kadesha co-wrote with Erica B. Davis, Queen of Bahia, a romantic suspense and part of USA Today and Essence Best Selling author, Naleighna Kai’s Queens of the Castle series.
Currently, she’s writing a rom-com screenplay and planning for her next series books.
Kadesha enjoys reading and writing many genres. Her favorites are Christian, romance, and science-fiction.
Kadesha is leading the “Editing” lesson and can be found on most social media platforms as Kadesha Powell or at KadeshaPowell.Com
Louis Johnson, he/him
In February ’18, Louis was selected to be a Fellow at the Tennessee Playwright’s Studio in Nashville, Tn. In November ’18, his play “NEC Compuncti: (No Remorse)” had a staged reading in the Tennessee Playwright’s Studio’s Fall Festival of Plays at the Darkhorse Theatre in Nashville, Tn. In May/June ’19, he directed his one-act play, “A Bullet for Jenny King” in Act One Theatre Company’s One Act Wednesdays at the Darkhorse Theatre in Nashville, Tn. In January ’20, his play, “Makin’ Bond” had its’ first staged reading in The Fade-to-Black Reading Series in Houston, Tx. In January ’20, his play, “Makin’ Bond” was produced in The Secret Theatre Company’s One-Act Play Festival in Long Island City, NY. In February ’20, he directed his play, “Oh, the LIES we’ve told” in Act One Theatre Company’s One-Act Play Festival at the Darkhorse Theatre in Nashville, Tn. Louis was a 2020 Finalist for the 2020-2021 Maison Baldwin Writer-in-Residence Program presented by Les Amis de la Maison Baldwin. In July ’20, “Mother/Daughter Reunion” was produced in the Virtual Cabaret presented by The Barbershop Theatre of Nashville, Tn. In March ’21, “Makin’ Bond” was featured in the Obsidian Theatre Festival (Virtual) produced by Ghostlight Productions of Detroit, Mi. In April/May ’21, “Makin’ Bond” was in the “1Night/6 Plays” Play Festival presented by the 5280 Artist Coop of Aurora, Co. In May/June ’21, “Frenemies” premiered in the BIPOC Playwright’s Festival (Virtual) produced by the Perceptions Theatre Co. of Chicago, Ill. In June ’21, “The Voice Inside My Head” was included in “8:46: A Fresh Perspective” a collection of monologues by Black Playwrights” published by New World Theatre Publishing. Louis’ play, “Frenemies” was featured in the New Voices New Works Play Festival produced by the Anacostia Theatre Co of Washington, D.C. in April ’22. In July ’22, “The Voice Inside My Head” was featured in Perception Theatre Company’s 2nd Annual BIPOC Play Festival in Chicago, Ill.
Louis is leading the “Final Draft” lesson.
We will soon be looking for cast and crew for the winning script. If you are interested, please complete this form.
