TRIBE WRITERS’

FELLOWSHIP

A year-long fellowship and ongoing career network for intermediate indie writers (not yet staffed or recently staffed at the lower level) created by writer/producer Amy Aniobi. TRIBE’s mission is to build a new entertainment industry starting with investment in compassionate creatives. How? By bridging the gap between writing independently and writing as a career.

  • That’s the craft of BEING A PROFESSIONAL WRITER, from what makes a great staffing sample, how to create a network outline, what goes in a show bible, what goes in a pitch, how to end a teaser, etc etc.

  • That’s the craft of BEING A PERSON IN HOLLYWOOD, from how to maintain relationships and not burn bridges, how to make the money last past the end of the job, how to handle difficult personalities, how to start a therapy practice and get your mental health right, etc etc.

  • Past speakers include: Ayo Edebiri (“Big Mouth”), Cameron Johnson (“Empire,” CW’s “Tom Swift”), Jason George (“Into the Night”), Felicia Pride (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “tender”), Grace Edwards (“Insecure,” “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Jeff King (“Elementary”), Lauren Otero (“Undone”), Lisa McQuillan (“Grown’ish”), Obi Arisukwu (“Obi”), Steven Canals (“Pose”), Zoe Marshall (“Charmed”)...and many more!

TRIBE

Success Stories

are Poppin:

FIVE writers staffed.

FOUR short films and table reads.

TWO directed plays & web series shot

ONE episode of a sketch TV series directed.

ALL since we started in January 2021.

Support TRIBE.

You can directly support our work now, by donating below. Also, we are searching for longterm sponsors ready to invest in supporting the TRIBE writers’ program.

DONATE

Watch TRIBE.

We have already produced two short films from our Season 1 TRIBE writer cohort. We can barely wait to show off.

SEE SHORTS

Season 3

Current Fellows | 2025

  • Cameron Woods is a writer from the South Side of Chicago who constructs stories that people from all across the Black diaspora can connect with. After completing the Disney TV Apprenticeship Program in 2022, Cameron has worked as support staff on FX’s SNOWFALL and is currently writer’s assistant on a new Netflix show from Courtney Kemp.

  • Celine is a writer-director based in Los Angeles. Her joke-dense, character-driven work embodies the spectrum of Blackness – whether it’s Black Excellence, Black mediocrity, or Black categorical catastrophes. She uses humor to ignite hope.

  • Charlotte Kennett is a queer, neurodivergent writer/ director with more ideas than her Google Drive can keep up with. She writes offbeat, character-driven dark comedies and genre films. Her debut short, Psycho Baby, amassed over 680k views on Youtube. In addition to narrative, Char directs label music videos and content for clients like IMG Models, Twitch, and NASA. Day job: WA/ Director's Assistant to Chloe Domont on A Place In Hell.

  • Davis Kop is a Native Hawaiian-Chinese-Filipino comedy writer from the island of Oʻahu. He failed to live up to his family's legacy of producing great tennis champions, which is why he writes about characters in their flop era seeking redemption. His writing credits include FX’s It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Apple TV+’s Mythic Quest. Recently, Kop was a participant in the PEAK New Writers Fellowship and a member of the Rideback Rise Circle.

  • Jules Crosby is a Gen-Z transfeminine comedy writer from the deep South. With a penchant for absurd comedy that's only two steps removed from being very tragic dramas, Crosby has worked in a mix of drama and comedy rooms: Amazon Prime's The Boys, scripted comedy podcasts with Issa Rae and most recently, an upcoming drama with STARZ.

    Crosby is the grand prize winner of GLAAD's TV Pilot Pitch Competition sponsored by Lee Daniels. She's also a Reebok Human Rights Award, ATX TV Pitch Competition and Yes And Laughter Lab finalist.

    Crosby is managed by Natalia Williams of M88.

  • Keerthi is a comedy television writer from Columbus, Ohio. Her credits span mediums, and include staff writer on Mindy Kaling's VELMA, Team Coco scripted podcasts, Annie Award winning GHEE HAPPY, and NAACP Award Winner, TAB TIME. Her pilot RUBY was selected for the 2024 Desi Blacklist and her pilot ARRANGED was selected for the 2020 CAPE Blacklist. She has also developed projects at 20th Century Fox and Dreamworks Animation. Her preferred storytelling subject is funny women of color f*cking around and finding out. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her pitbull Archie.

  • Kelly Eisenbrand is Los Angeles native, Chinese-American LGBTQ AAPI Comedy and Animation writer who was in the ABC/Disney Writing Program 2022. Kelly was staffed in the mini-room for an unannounced drama/action series for 20th and Disney+ and was a Coverfly 2023 Diversity Fellow. She completed the Stanford Novel Writing Program and has a Masters in Literature from Claremont University. She loves to write about both family and chosen family, and long journeys that end in homecoming.

  • Luis G. Santos is a Dominican writer, director, and producer from The Bronx, NY who writes TV and Film that aim to explore the depths of human complexity across genres. As a director, Luis has directed commercials for Nike, Facebook, and more. He’s also carved a lane for himself in the Music & live entertainment spaces, directing for artists like Future, J Balvin, Madison Beer, Victoria Monet and many more.

  • Semi Oloko is a first-generation Nigerian-American writer from Boston, MA. After a year in literary management at Grandview Entertainment, she started working as a showrunner’s assistant at End of Episode. Her writing embraces the absurd, tackling race and identity through a comedic lens. Semi graduated from Brown University where she studied Nonfiction Writing and Modern Culture & Media. She has since escaped the New England area and now lives in Los Angeles.

  • Sydney Laws is a writer, researcher, and proud ATLien. Though she says she writes dramedies about ordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances, they always end up being about Black people and magic. She’s served as a writer’s assistant on Kindred (FX) and Wicked (Hulu).

Season 2 | Alumni

2023-2024

  • Candace “Ace” Brown was born in the DMV but raised in Flint, MI. She’s a big nerd for superheroes, psychology, and sci-fi, so of course what she enjoys writing most are comedically dramatic stories about complicated families, being a fish outta water, and the variety inherent to the Black experience.

  • The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Alberta grew up in Utah as the ultimate outsider, developing a wicked sense of humor to survive. After graduating high school, she moved to Portland, OR, and formed a punk band, melting faces while touring the country. Drawing from her life, she writes comedies about passionate misfits who choose the path of most resistance. She is an alum of Mentorship Matters, a prominent writers’ program where she was mentored by showrunner Kelly Galuska (Netflix’s Human Resources). In her downtime, she can be found teaching her rescue dog how to skateboard… he has yet to land a kickflip.

Bren

  • Hailing from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia (shout out to Julia Roberts!), Brenson's love of storytelling was ignited by late 90s music videos and pop culture, and the theatricality of the Black church. He fled the South and planted roots in Philadelphia (shout out to Abbott Elementary!), where he crafted a life in the theatre as a performer and theatre-maker. After obtaining his MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College, his passion for illuminating the hilarious, mundane, and absurd stories of Black and queer folks led him to TV and film, most recently working under Susan Fales-Hill as Staff Writer on season 2 of Lena's Waithe's Twenties. Brenson is also a member of SuperSpecial's TRIBE mentorship program led by Amy Aniobi, and a proud member of both the Writer's Guild of America East, and Actor's Equity labor unions.

  • Claytia Gonsalves is a Caribbean-American comedy writer, raising two kids and coming of age at the same damn time. She climbed the ladder from the bottom rung, from PA to Showrunner’s Assistant, and staffed on the first 2 seasons of the Disney animated series, KIFF. She's a 2023 Sony Pictures Television Diverse Writers Program Fellow, a Rideback RISE Circle Member, and an ABFF/WarnerMedia Comedy Writing Competition winner. As a poet and a weightlifter in a past life, her creative strength is heavy on the page.

  • Lydia Caradine is a Stella Adler-trained actress, artist and previously staffed writer. She writes both TV and features: dramedies, comedies, adult animation and historical dramas, the latter of which placed on the Blacklist, the 2021 ScreenCraft Pilot Competition, secured her place in the 2021 Blacklist/WIF Episodic Lab and was a pitch finalist at the 2022 ATX Festival. She recently participated in the Writers Guild Foundation Support Staff Training Program, and is a mentor for the Writers Guild Initiative workshops.

  • Marcus Raye Pérez is a gay Latino actor/writer currently based in NYC, but built on tortillas, family trauma, and small town South Texas vibes. He attended Texas A&M University - Kingsville for undergrad, and received his MFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of The Arts at Rutgers University. Acting credits include HBO's High Maintenance, MAX's The Other Two, and The Public's Shakespeare in The Park production of Richard III, starring Danai Gurira. As a writer, he was selected as part of the 2021 Almanack Screenwriter's Episodic Writers Lab where he was mentored by showrunners Meredith Scardino and Albert Kim - and obviously, most recently, completed the TRIBE fellowship program with Amy Aniobi. As a writer, he creates stories centered on complicated families, and the heart and humor they find in making fun of each other - instead of going to therapy.

  • Marcus Stricklin is a former stay-at-home-dad turned comedy writer. Marcus enjoys writing character driven comedies featuring polar opposite protagonists in relatable comedic scenarios. He is an aspiring director and spends a lot of time reading any script he can get his hands on.

  • Natasha Chandel is an Indian-Canadian-American writer, actor, stand-up comedian, and podcaster. She staffed on Netflix’s MR. IGLESIAS and the Peacock animated series, PRESS START! Natasha also chairs the South Asian Writers Committee, and is a member of WGA and SAG, A former network producer, Natasha received a first-look deal at Viacom for creating, writing, directing, and starring in 3 seasons of her comedy web series, MUMBAI CHOPRA: MISADVENTURES OF AN ‘IT’ GIRL. The reformed commitment-phobe has also hosted 300+ episodes of her popular KINDA DATING podcast. A UCB grad turned stand-up, Natasha has featured for Zarna Garg, Godfrey, performed at NYCF, and showcased for Netflix’s New Faces of Comedy. Fun facts: she’s obsessed with wrestling, and was part of a cult, but there was no sex involved so, you know… not one of the good ones.

  • Neel Patel is the author of the short story collection, IF YOU SEE ME, DON'T SAY HI, a New York Time's Editors' Choice and NPR Best Book of 2018, and the novel, TELL ME HOW TO BE, a Target Book Club Selection, TODAY show "Must-read," and the inaugural selection of Lilly's Library, a book club curated by Lilly Singh. He is co-writer and producer of the feature film, Doin' It, which premiered at the SXSW film festival in 2024, and his writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Elle India, Buzzfeed, and more. He lives in Los Angeles, where he refuses to drive.

  • Ramou is a writer in Los Angeles who spent fourteen years working as an indigent criminal defense paralegal. She will tell you all about it. Her writing has appeared on Hobart, Human Parts, and in Essence and Glamour magazines. She likes writing shark dark comedies that critique systems of power and feature messy and nuanced Black women who are often on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She loves long lunches, gossip, and prefers pools to beaches.

  • Shandrea Evans is a writer and director who is always repping Augusta, GA. Through coming-of-age dramedies, she infuses her cynically optimistic POV to follow marginalized misfits. She’s been a shadowing director on Insecure, a WIF INSIGHT Fellow, and a recipient of the Film Impact Georgia Grant for her short film Bloom. In 2023, Shandrea won the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award for her short film Saturday. A true southern belle, she enjoys sweet little treats, cozy little naps, and swatting unsuspecting little flies.

  • Yagmur Tok is a Turkish immigrant and comedy writer based in Los Angeles. A graduate of Northwestern University’s theatre department, Yagmur writes irreverent coming-of-age stories with global appeal, centered around misfit female protagonists. When she’s not using humor as a coping mechanism, Yagmur can be found producing Webby award-winning marketing campaigns, launching viral TikTok accounts, and cuddling with her British Shorthair cat, Raisin.

Season 1 | Alumni

2021-2022

  • Alexis Reliford is a Louisiana-bred, L.A.-based comedy writer with an occasional accent. Her half-hour pilot, ANXIETY IS MY BOYFRIEND, was a second-rounder at the Austin Film Festival and a semi-finalist in the Screencraft Comedy Competition. Loves: romance novels and writing stories about quirky Black women shedding expectations and starting over. Hates: spoons and people who pronounce pecan, “pee-can”.

  • April Rock is an Actor/Writer from Connecticut who got her start as a character sketch comic on "Studio C." She is currently a Showrunners Assistant on NBC's GRAND CREW, and when not working, you can find her skating with the 50+ community, or touring million dollar open houses in Beverly Hills because, usually, they'll have free food.

  • Ashlei Shyne, is an LA-based comedy writer, actress, filmmaker and activist hailing from Dayton, Ohio. Go Buckeyes! This actress turned filmmaker is best known starring as Aaliyah Jones in her groundbreaking comedy series “#TMI”. As a writer, she is passionate about writing character-driven comedies centered around Black women and the LGBTQ+ community.

  • Caroline Renard is a first-generation Haitian-American comedy writer and actor from Miami. She writes comedies centered around WOC trying to figure it out. She recently wrapped as a Staff Writer on Disney Channel’s SECRETS OF SULPHUR SPRINGS. Outside of writing, Caroline is a dog mom, podcaster and an ordained minister who is free to perform weddings for the price of wine.

  • Director and drama writer Cashmere Jasmine blends genres with dark comedy, anime, and a dash of Plato. She tells disability-inclusive queer stories featuring unexpected anti-heroes you'll love to hate. This Miami-born creative had her first short film, Oreo, accepted at the 2022 Slamdance film festival. Cashmere also received the Sundance Uprise grant and is currently a Director in Disney’s Launchpad.

  • Chandra Thomas is currently Executive Story Editor on the single-cam comedy, TACOMA FD. Previously, she staffed on the Emmy-nominated multi-cam, MOM, and a new adult-animated comedy series for Amazon. Chandra’s also an award-winning playwright. Originally from New York, this writer-performer’s the proud daughter of immigrants, has gleefully lived all over the country and around the world, and absolutely loves baseball.

  • Chidi Agbo is a Nigerian-American comedy writer, born and raised in Los Angeles. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Product Design Engineering, so naturally, she went on to pursue a career in entertainment. Her African upbringing along with her love for dark comedy make her hungry to tell stories of Black experiences with an edge.

  • Chisom Chieke is a Nigerian-American dramedy writer, director, and producer who's had a passion for storytelling for as long as she can remember. Chisom often produces from the perspective of rejects and misfits, bringing a fresh view and canny wit to Black storytelling. She is a 2nd Rounder for Sundance’s TV Development Track, Official Selection at the Sabira Cole Film Festival, and creator of A Very Black Film Festival.

  • Colette Prosper is a comedy writer, podcaster, a survivor of NJ suburban angst, and is a ‘pretty good’ roller skater. She has written articles for Elle, New York, and more, and she once had a cantankerous interaction with DMX. She writes character-driven stories that draw heavily from absurdist humor, and the sometimes odd complexities that arise when navigating life as a first-gen immigrant.

  • Michigan-bred storyteller, Crystal E. Green gives emotional, Black, female-driven love stories and comedies life by challenging theories of normalcy across a wide spectrum of possibilities. Her style is witty and colorfully descriptive. Green’s most recent work includes her forthcoming debut novel - an adaptation of her original feature screenplay, Lock the Door and Sisterhood- a poetic short film about a compassionate woman who dissects her decision to allow a homeless woman to spend the night in her home. When not on her own set or freelancing for other creatives, Green enjoys spending time with her husband and two children in their tiny apartment located just outside of Los Angeles, CA.

  • Daisy Hobbs is a former Broadway actress turned comedy writer. Like Rachel Bloom, Daisy specializes in writing catchy comedy tunes and high-energy, heartfelt scripts that evoke joy while also tackling deeper issues. Her writing ranges from ensemble mockumentaries to coming-of-age tales that always center lovingly misfit, Black female protagonists. Daisy is currently developing two features and three pilots. Her 1/2 hr pilot "I-CON-IC" is a 2022 Austin Film Festival Semi-finalist. BFA Carnegie Mellon.

  • Erika is a writer, actress whose award-winning script Out of Tune, is now a proof-of-concept film making waves on the festival circuit. She writes character-driven comedies featuring quirky Black protagonists shaped by Erika’s unique worldview. A small-town girl at heart, Erika currently lives in Santa Monica with her husband and two kids. She enjoys podcasts, wine and romantic comedies. In a stand against becoming completely cliché, Erika refuses to own a dog. For now.

  • Jasmine Ogunjimi is a Nigerian-American Professional Athlete turned Screenwriter and Filmmaker from Chicago. Before selling her soul to FinalDraft, you could catch her playing basketball, dancing backup for celebrities, and adding to her running list of ways people mispronounce her name. She writes dramedies exploring faith, sports, and grounded characters, with skin dark enough to make Beverly Hills nervous.

  • Jerrica Long is a queer Florida raised and Brooklyn made writer that has been gaining working as support staff on VEEP, Carol’s Second Act, Being Mary Jane, black-ish’ and Diary of a Future President. She writes character driven comedies with social commentary on dating and relationships. Jerrica co-wrote an episode on the Disney+ series, Diary of A Future President.

  • John Todd is a passionate TV writer who scripts irreverent comedies and silly situations. Whether sitcom or dramedy, he enjoys penning imperfect characters forced to face the consequences of their imperfection. A recovering lawyer from Nashville with a decade of tech experience, John's also toiled in pop music, daytime TV and as a not-so-mild-mannered restaurant reviewer (né influencer).

  • Jon Eidson is a comedy writer living in LA. While at UCLA, he co-created the sketch group Extremely Decent. Their success on YouTube would lead to projects with The Lonely Island for FOX and Dan Harmon for FX. He’s written/produced for Comedy Central, LOL Networks, and AwesomenessTV and currently has several animated comedies in development with major streaming networks.

  • Jourdan Embry, a survivor of the sunken place known as Moorpark, California, metaphorically followed the North Star to Howard University, where she graduated with honors. She’s a Dramedy writer whose niche stories challenge Eurocentric narratives. Currently, she works as the Writers’ Assistant on Human Resources, the spinoff to Netflix’s animated series, Big Mouth.

  • Keila Hamilton is a writer, actress, and former MLB cheerleader -- yes, you read correctly they had cheerleaders. She was a staff writer on the first season of AMC’s AllBlk dramedy, “Send Help.” Keila writes half-hour comedies and dramedies about self-discovery, and self-worth while incorporating the nuances and specificity of Black culture. She is an alum of Amy Aniobi’s TRIBE Writing Program and Mike Gauyo’s Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes Mentorship Program. Keila hails from South Central Los Angeles: where stray dogs, personal injury billboards, and t-shirts of Black Jesus with a Jheri curl are on every corner. She enjoys battle raps, scenic views, and googling Kofi Siriboe’s pictures. Amen.

  • Professional dodgeball champ turned writer/director, Kristina hails from Oakland. She showed her potential by winning $50,000 to direct a pilot in New Orleans for MTV/Endemol. Her eclectic background as a youth attorney, pianist, and singer have inspired her diverse female-driven stories. After paying dues as script coordinator, she recently staffed on the upcoming HBO drama “DEMIMONDE.” Currently, she is a Story Editor on FBI: INTERNATIONAL.

  • Lesley Hennen is a disabled comedy writer, accessibility advocate, and recovering publicist based in LA. She loves writing dark comedies that explore the endless nuances of disability that are rarely seen on-screen. She’s been told she gives off “tall person energy” over Zoom, and is currently accepting meetings if you'd like to see if it's true.

  • Born and raised in New York - but not the cool, city part - Lizz Bangura (she/her) is a budding, Sierra Leonean-American, writer-director whose dramedic writings center the beauty and temperament of everyday Black life, specifically the tumultuous experiences of her fellow Gen Z-ers. Currently, Lizz is the showrunner’s assistant for the highly-anticipated Comedy Central series, Jodie.

  • Mackenzie Watson is a Canadian actor, writer, director, and producer. She spent formative years in Toronto studying Poli Sci, auditioning for - but rarely booking - commercials, working in tech, and otherwise collecting material for comedy. She moved to LA to attend UCLA's Producers Program where she received her MFA. Her short film Casanova played the festival circuit in 2020 and went on to be developed and pitched as a TV series for a major Canadian production company. She writes dark comedy and stories about gritty women, punks, and underdogs.

  • Maurice Blocker was raised in Maryland by a boxer and ex high school basketball star. He wished for athleticism but got imagination instead, becoming a writer who explores the diverse array of blackness through dynamic character dramas, short stories, and thought-provoking sci-fi. Maurice is a former ferret owner who also loves the beach. Sike, he hates hot sand.

  • Mijoe Sahiouni is a Lebanese-Vietnamese writer-director who hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She weaves coming-of-age comedies and first-generation experiences with humor, charm, and a dash of embarrassment. This expert code-switcher and film-festival maven, recently directed and acted in “Tribe: The Story of the First Arab American Improv Team” at the Hollywood Fringe Festival to rave reviews and enthusiastic knee-slaps.

  • Pages Matam is a genderqueer med-school dropout turned award-winning poet, drama writer and performer from Cameroon, Central Africa. A multilingual pleasure activist and agent of imagination, they love battle-horror anime and fried plantains as much as crafting Black Queer liberation stories fueled by Toni Morrison’s words: “the function of freedom is to free someone else.”

  • Paynudeh Allen is a Liberian-American comedy writer who writes about both the delightfully mundane and truly weird lives of black ladies: from haunting their former bullies, to teaching vampires, to being uncool teen girls. If you insist, she will consider writing about men as well.

  • Quincy Cho is a Korean-American comedy writer, actor, and SoCal unicorn. She most recently worked on Sonoro Media and The Mash-Up Americans' K-drama, telenovela romcom podcast series, Love and Noraebang starring Randall Park, as a co-writer and Jimmy Kimmel Live! as a performer. A Sundance Episodic Lab Second Rounder and WAN Fellow, in her free time, Quincy enjoys pole dancing, kickboxing, and donuts.

  • Rebecca Usoro is a Texas-born, Nigerian-bred writer, director, and actor based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the MFA screenwriting program at USC, Rebecca writes comedic, heartfelt stories about people who want to follow their dreams, but are at odds with their dysfunctional family. When she’s not writing, you can find her in dancing or reminding people #BlackLivesStillMatter.

  • Ricardo Cisneros was born in the tropics and raised in the snow. His nomadic upbringing was tame compared to his twisty life as a writer/actor. Ricardo writes aspirational family dramas centered on Latino characters whose touchstone is “us against the world”. Gracias a ustedes, Mamá y Papá.

  • Ricardo A. Spence is a Bronx raised drama writer aspiring to change lives through storytelling and amplifying underrepresented voices. He believes that togetherness and vulnerability are the remedies to the world. His unique upbringing in the big apple granted him unexpected experiences like street fighting on project rooftops and impromptu dinners with millionaires who share the same MetroCard as him.

  • Ryan Walker-Hartshorn is an Oakland transplant living life in Brooklyn. For four years she worked at a food magazine writing and producing stories while challenging the editorial staff to reflect on its content and center Black voices. Currently, she’s developing a comedy series with HBO Max, Enjoy Your Meal. In her free time she plays soccer and sips on chai lattes.

  • Sherean Jones is a Philly jawn whose comedy writing explores the challenging and unique experiences that leave fat, Black, dark-skinned women feeling unseen. When Sherean isn't perfecting her character development skills through her lifelong hobby of ascribing names and personalities to her many wigs, she's explaining what her city's colloquial term "Jawn" actually means.

  • Zoë Smith is a Brooklyn-born comedy writer and a first-generation Jamaican American. After surviving North Eastern boarding school, Zoë graduated from NYU with honors and became a documentary archival producer. Zoë has worked at The Tonight Show and SNL, written and performed sketch comedy around NYC for over six years, and writes tv and feature comedies about friendships, fantasy, and social satire.

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