Hillman Grad Reveals Mentorship Lab’s Class Of 2023

Hillman Grad Class of 2023

Hillman Grad's 2023 Mentorship Lab has just announced its latest class of emerging creatives. This year's program will include personalized instruction and career development opportunities for a diverse group of creatives.

The Mentorship Lab is designed to help people enhance their creative skills and build their careers in the entertainment industry. This year's cohort includes AJ Dinsmore, Dralla Aierken, Dylan Correa, Jair Majid Kornegay, MenuEtte Silver, Naki Franklin, and Omar Nava for the writing track. For the acting track, Elle Yun, Janis Peebles Valdez, Jason Armani Martinez, Josca Moore, Mark Antony Howard, Priscilla Walker, Shawn Roundtree Jr., and Simran Jehani have been selected. The executive track will feature Christine Murrain, Jason Young, Reese Dizon, Sharon Xiang, and Victoria Garabedian.

The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab is unique because it emphasizes the importance of community. Carolyn Michelle Smith, co-Director of the Acting Track, Behzad Dabu, co-Director of the Acting Track, and Michael Svoboda, Director of the Writing Track, said, "Yes, we strive to help our mentees hone their craft and expose them to people in the industry, but at the end of the day it’s the people standing next to them that will make the biggest impact on their life."

The program is tuition-free and lasts for eight months. It was founded by Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani and is led by Executive Director Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright and Senior Vice President Justin Riley. The program provides a range of workshops and educational resources, as well as opportunities for networking and professional development. Mentees will receive instruction on topics such as television writing, screen acting, and executive development.

Past writing mentees have gone on to be staffed on popular shows such as HBO’s The Sympathizer, Hulu’s We Were The Lucky Ones, and Showtime’s The L Word. Acting mentees from previous years can be seen in Netflix’s upcoming drama Griselda and Showtime’s The Chi. Exec mentees have been hired as executives at Sunny Hostin’s Roots & Wings, Working Bird Inc., and FlynnPictureCo.

The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab is an excellent opportunity for emerging creatives to gain valuable industry experience and develop their skills under the guidance of experienced professionals. The program is committed to building a diverse community and helping people from all backgrounds achieve success in the entertainment industry.