Scroll

A Powerful Community of BIPOC Women and Non-Binary Professionals Transforming the Documentary Industry

Brown Girls Doc Mafia (BGDM) works to disrupt inequity in the film industry by nurturing, amplifying, and investing in the creative capacity and professional success of our members.

By Tracy Nguyen-Chung • September 14, 2022

Brown Girls Doc Mafia Announces 2022 Black Directors Fellows and Sustainable Artist Fellows

By Kitty Hu • November 1, 2022

Introducing the Pay Transparency Project

By Sonya Childress • March 28, 2023

Five Unsung Heroes of Documentary Filmmaking

MEMBERS

Black History Month

Shining a spotlight on some of our talented Black members working across the industry for Black History Month.

Dessane Lopez-Cassell

Joining BGDM four years ago, Dessane is the Editor-in-Chief of BlackStar’s Seen journal where she platforms film, art, and visual culture writing by and about people of color.

Cora Atkinson

With over 15 years of experience in TV and film, Cora is a producer and filmmaker who has worked with some of the world's top media companies. She has been a member since 2018.

Imani Dennison

A member for seven years, Imani is a multidisciplinary lens-based artist and curator. Their work interrogates histories of Black culture, usually centered in folklore, fantasy, and oral histories.

Opal H. Bennett

A member since 2016, Opal has been a curator and programmer since 2014, joining the teams of major festivals. She is also the Co-Producer of American Documentary at POV

Amanda Jones

A member since 2018, Amanda is an L.A.-based film composer who has created original scores for Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae, Lena Waithe and more.

Alexandra Hannibal

Alex is an established producer and industry executive. She is currently the Vice President of CNN Films, working in content development. She joined BGDM in 2015.

Tamara Shogaolu

Tamara is an award-winning new media artist sharing intersectional stories across mediums and platforms to promote cross-cultural understanding. She joined BGDM in 2017.

Karen Mcmullen

Karen is a Brooklyn based festival curator, educator, and editor. She has programmed for Urbanworld, Tribeca, TIDE, DOC NYC and more. She has been a member since 2016.

Jamila Wignot

Joining BGDM in our first year, Jamila is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Her work has garnered her Peabodys, Emmy and NAACP awards and nominations.