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Hillman Grad Founders Lena Waithe And Rishi Rajani Walk The Walk To Make Inclusion A Reality: “We Have An Incredible Success Rate With First-Time Filmmakers”


Hillman Grad founders Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani make inclusion a reality by supporting films like 'A Thousand and One' and 'Chang Can Dunk.'

Reflecting on her career, Lena Waithe says, “I think about legacy a lot.” The writer-producer-actor, whose body of work includes creating Showtime drama The Chi and BET’s Twenties, has been on a steady upward trajectory since winning a primetime Emmy Award in 2017 for outstanding writing on Netflix’s Master of None. At Hillman Grad Productions, Waithe and Rishi develop projects that often go against the industry grain, while also hiring up-and-coming talent from BIPOC and other marginalized communities that they can shepherd from obscurity to success. Filmmakers who have found a foothold in the industry through their mentorship include Chang Can Dunk creator Jingyi Shao (Disney+) and Being Mary Tyler Moore director James Adolphus (HBO).

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