Black Voices. Global Cinema. Groundbreaking MFA.

Access to tech and creative industry employment

South LA City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit) County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Black filmmakers remain persistently underrepresented in above-the-line roles—director, producer, and writer. According to the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, of 1,700 top-grossing films (2007–2023), only 5.3% of directors were Black men, and fewer than 1% were Black women. These disparities, echoed at top film festivals (AII), stem from structural barriers, not a lack of talent. To advance equity, Black creatives must be placed at the center of the industry, supported by targeted pipelines and credentials. In many South LA communities, access to tech and creative careers is limited, youth economic advancement is restricted, and college graduates face lower graduate school attendance, limiting access to high-earning professions and leadership positions. A graduate film school rooted in Black cultural traditions and global cinema can address these gaps, building pathways to leadership and redefining who gets to tell our stories.

We aim to equip graduates and film and TV content-makers with artistic and leadership skills to enter the field at a higher level than graduates from leading film schools. GSBCA will be the first standalone graduate film school specifically designed for Black filmmakers, and the only cinema graduate program requiring immersive semesters in four global film hubs and the major film festivals in each: France (Europe), Korea (East Asia), India, and both South Africa and Nigeria (Africa). Nigeria is the world’s second-largest film-producing country. The third and final year focuses on the Hollywood/LA industry and business, including internships and a feature film. Students will graduate with transnational industry relationships, giving them a competitive advantage and broader creative lens, along with a feature film--key to gaining recognition. Our school also tackles economic disparities by expanding access to tech and creative careers, boosting youth economic advancement, mobility, and placing Black filmmakers at the heart of the industry. We are establishing a graduate film school that, once certified, will train Black creatives for careers as directors, writers, and producers. Our goal is to cultivate transformative leaders whose artistry and skill are grounded in Black cultural traditions, global experiences, and industry relationships. Our curriculum prepares students to lead in a transnational media landscape, advancing representation behind and in front of the camera.

GSBCA will be the first of its kind in Los Angeles City and County, expanding the region’s creative economy and cultural leadership. Rooted in Leimert Park and aligned with Crenshaw District redevelopment, it anchors a new model of creative education and economic growth in South LA. The location offers easy access to public transit for students (Leimert Park Metro and the Crenshaw District K Line) and direct industry access to Hollywood. Community safety will improve through required school security, increased foot traffic, and strong community ties. Amid national DEI rollbacks, GSBCA re-centers Black talent at the heart of the industry. It positions LA County as a leader in cultural innovation, workforce development, and racial equity. In the short term, grant funding supports a critical pre-launch year. Long term, GSBCA will grow South LA’s intellectual capital and expand LA County’s world-class creative talent, deepening LA’s position as the global center of film and television.