I never thought I'd be a filmmaker. I was convinced that I'd be a social worker or community organizer for the rest of my life, but stumbled into film in my late 20s. New to Philadelphia and new to the medium, I was like a sponge. I devoured as much cinema and educational content as I could find and afford. Alongside Scribe Video Center and the BlackStar Film Festival, CineSpeak was pivotal to my development as an artist and the rich community of other makers with whom I began to surround myself. 

In an era where costs continue to rise and community programs dwindle, CineSpeak is a beacon of light. Not only does it provide free programming of incredible films and projects throughout Philadelphia, but it also creates opportunities for people to gather, share space and stories, and build community. I hope you'll help me in raising funds to help our programming thrive!