Pillars Fund
Pillars Recap: Pillars Artist Fellows Take on LA
/ March 28, 2023
Happy Graduation to our first-ever cohort of Pillars Artist Fellows!
Our directing and screenwriting fellows are taking the entertainment industry by storm after a year of mentorship, growth, and community building. Recently, our fellows gathered in Los Angeles to present their work to a full room of mentors, industry leaders, and community members.
But first, our President and Co-Founder Kashif Shaikh told the story behind our fellowship.
Our partner Riz Ahmed explained why it’s so important for the industry to support Muslim storytellers.
Then we handed the mic to each of our fellows to hear about their creative journey and future projects.
From joining prestigious writers’ rooms to selling their work to major companies, our graduating fellows have already made exciting moves!
After the showcase, we gathered for a reception to celebrate the conclusion of our inaugural Pillars Artist Fellowship.
Our powerhouse Culture Change team, Aya Nimer (Program Manager) and Arij Mikati (Managing Director) were an essential part of bringing this showcase and fellowship to life.
The next day, our fellows participated in their closing session, featuring a visit from director and cinematographer Bing Liu, best known for directing the Oscar-nominated documentary “Minding the Gap.”
The fellows were also thrilled to speak to actress, screenwriter, and producer Mindy Kaling, who shared how she runs a writers’ room.
After engaging with our guest speakers, our fellows were able to share their final reflections on the program with each other and celebrate their graduation.
And that’s a wrap on our 2022-23 Pillars Artist Fellowship! We are incredibly grateful to the mentors who instructed our fellows, the advisors who guided them, and the sponsors who made the Pillars Artist Fellowship possible. Special thanks go to our partners at Left Handed Films and sponsors at Netflix and Amazon Studios. This program would not exist without their expertise, generosity, and dedication.
You can learn more about the Pillars Artist Fellows’ past and upcoming work on our website.