It’s graduation season! And we’re over the moon excited to share with you that four of Youth Beat’s graduates are going on to study film!

• Sofia Verani is off to explore different styles of filmmaking as a Media Arts Production major at Emerson College in Boston. 

• Sara Lam will take her talents to Cal State Long Beach as a Film Studies major. 

• Sam Ivey will study Film & Media at UC Berkeley.

• Onivid Garzon will continue exploring her media arts and storytelling talents while attending Chabot College.

These powerful young women -- all women of color! -- are on the way to careers in the film and media industry. . . . and, we hope, will be part of a new wave of diversity and inclusion within what is now a predominately white, male industry! 

Sofia, for example, can’t wait to start making more films! “I’m excited to continue exploring different styles of documentary filmmaking while at Emerson College! Youth Beat has made me realize that making all types of films is an avenue that I can easily get into.”

Onivid says that Youth Beat helped her “dream bigger.” “I used to be really shy before Youth Beat. Now, I am more confident in myself, and I’ve realized I want to be a writer.” 

We’ll be staying in touch with these rising stars and fill you in on their progress. Stay tuned! We’re sure they’re going to do GREAT things!

Want to help more talented youth of color build skills and the confidence needed to pursue film and media careers? DONATE. You’ll change a life, and maybe even Hollywood!