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Explore the growing influence of emerging and niche markets that are reshaping the media and film industries. Learn from trailblazing executives and storytellers Christina Norman (The Moth), Lisa Cortés (Cortés Filmworks), and Michèle Stephenson (Rada Studio) as they share insights on balancing creativity, storytelling, and strategic business approaches to achieve success in their projects.
Each speaker will also offer best practices for authentically connecting with audiences who are often overlooked yet central to the American mosaic. The discussants will share how they merge subject and audience in their storytelling, ensuring that the media they create inspires empathy and fosters connection by addressing our shared human need to be seen, heard, and valued.
Guests:
Leslie Fields-Cruz, Black Public Media
Christina Norman, The Moth
Michèle Stephenson, Rada Studio
Carla Gutierrez, Emmy and Eddie nominated Documentary Filmmaker
Presented by Media Management Program at The School of Media Studies at the Schools of Public Engagement and the Impact Entrepreneurship Initiative at The New School and Parsons and New York Women in Film & Television.
Leslie Fields-Cruz joined Black Public Media (BPM) in 2001 to manage its Program Development Fund, which supports the production of documentaries that explore the Black experience. In 2005, she was named Director of Programs, overseeing the distribution of BPM-funded content to public television. During her tenure, BPM launched its award-winning anthology series AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, now in its 13th season and a cornerstone of stories from the African Diaspora. In 2008, Leslie was promoted to Vice President of Programs and Operations, and in 2014, she became BPM’s third-ever Executive Director. Under her leadership, BPM has forged new partnerships, diversified its funding sources, and launched several groundbreaking initiatives—including the 360 Incubator+, PitchBLACK Forum, BPMplus, and the Black Media Story Summit—all designed to support visionary creators and the development of Black content. In addition, Leslie was named one of Crain's New York’s Notable Black Leaders in 2021. She currently serves on the board of directors for New Era Creative Space and served as Board President of New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) from 2022 to 2024.
Christina Norman is the Chief Creative Officer of The Moth, a nonprofit that connects people through true, personal stories. The Moth hosts 600+ live events annually, teaches storytelling to diverse groups, and produces The Moth Radio Hour and The Moth Podcast, heard by millions worldwide. A seasoned leader in media, Christina has held roles such as CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and President of MTV and VH1. She also created and produced the documentary Game Change Game, an official selection at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. Christina has been recognized as a "Wonder Woman" by Multichannel News, named to The Hollywood Reporter’s "Power100 Women in Entertainment," and received a Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. To learn more, visit: https://themoth.org
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, artist, and author Michèle Stephenson draws from her Haitian and Panamanian heritage and experience as a social justice lawyer to craft emotionally powerful non-fiction narratives. She centers the lived experiences of communities of color across the Americas and the Black diaspora, using storytelling to inspire action against systemic oppression. In 2023, her films Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project and Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games were Oscar-shortlisted, with Going To Mars winning the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and an Emmy for Outstanding Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. Stephenson’s American Promise earned three Emmy nominations, and Stateless was nominated for a Canadian Academy Award. A Guggenheim Fellow and Creative Capital Artist, she is currently working on a feature about the Black Power movement in Canada. To learn more, visit: radafilm.com
Carla Gutierrez is a Peruvian American filmmaker and acclaimed editor turned director. She made her directorial debut with FRIDA, a documentary about the iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award. FRIDA was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Oscar and received multiple nominations from the Critics Choice, Cinema Eye Honors, Independent Spirit Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Imagen Awards, and the IDA Documentary Awards. As an editor, Carla’s credits include the Oscar-nominated films RBG, about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and La Corona, which explores a beauty pageant in Colombia’s largest women’s prison. She also edited Julia, a portrait of the legendary chef Julia Child (Telluride, TIFF), and the Netflix Original Pray Away (Tribeca, Telluride). Her work has been honored at Sundance, Tribeca, Berlinale, Outfest, the National Board of Review Awards, and the DuPont-Columbia Awards. Carla has served as a creative advisor for the Sundance Edit & Story Lab and is a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and American Cinema Editors. She holds a Master’s degree in Documentary Film from Stanford University.
The graduate, undergraduate, and continuing education programs of the School of Media Studies combine theory, research, production, and management studies, preparing students to succeed in a complex and rapidly changing media and communications landscape. Studying in the world’s media capital, New York City, our students acquire critical insights and cutting-edge technical skills in rigorous topical courses taught by leading scholars and industry professionals. Our alumni find fulfilling careers in a wide range of fields, from film and media-making to media research and scholarship to media company management and entrepreneurship.
Committed to amplifying diverse voices, The New School offers more than a thousand public programs and events each year, providing fresh perspectives and unique learning opportunities. These lectures, exhibitions, concerts, and performances feature prominent and emerging artists, activists, and thought leaders.
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