154: Mama Bears documentary filmmaker Daresha Kyi

https://mamabearsdoc.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mamabearsdoc/ Daresha writes, produces, and directs film and television in Spanish and English. A graduate of NYU Film School, she recently completed Mama Bears, her second feature documentary about how conservative, Christian mothers are transformed when they decide to accept their LGBTQ children, which premiered at SXSW and won Best Documentary at the Sun Valley Film Festival. In 2018 she was commissioned by the ACLU to direct Trans In America: Texas Strong, which garnered over 4 million views online, screened at SXSW, and won two Webby Awards and an Emmy for “Outstanding Short Documentary.” In 2017  she co-directed and produced Chavela, a multiple award-winning  documentary about iconic singer Chavela Vargas that was distributed by  Music Box Pictures and screened in over 40 countries, including  Translyvania. In 2015  she produced Kristina Wong’s How Not to Pick Up Asian Women. In 2014 she  served as EP of Emmy-winning writer Kevin Avery’s satirical take on The  Wiz starring an all-white cast called The Whizz and in 2011 she  produced his short comedy, Thugs, The Musical. In 1992 Daresha won a  full fellowship from Tri-Star Pictures to attend the directors’ program  at the AFI Conservatory based on her short, award-winning narrative Land  Where My Fathers Died, co-starring Isaiah Washington. She produced her first, award winning drama, The Thinnest Line, as a student at NYU. Daresha’s  films have been funded by ITVS, NEA, IDA Enterprise, Creative Capital,  the Jerome Foundation, and many other foundations. She was a fellow in  the Firelight Media Documentary Lab,  Chicken & Egg Eggcelerator Lab, Sundance Institute: Women and  Film Financing Intensive, Breaking Through the Lens, Film Independent  Documentary Lab, Creative Capital, and A Blade of Grass cohorts. Daresha  also has an extensive background in television and has produced  programming for FX, WE, AMC, Telemundo, and FUSE, among other networks. Tammi  Terrell Morris was born, raised, and currently resides in Southern  California with her fiance, Shadae and 2 sons.She has a degree in  Sociology and a Masters of Leadership and Management. Tammi has spent  her professional life serving the community of individuals with  developmental disabilities in the Inland Empire in multiple capacities,  from Job Coach to Regional Center Case Coordinator. Tammi has recently  transitioned to a full time Caregiver (Stay at home Mom). In her spare  time, she enjoys producing and recording material for her podcast  Confused Reality. She hopes to use her talents of writing poetry,  performing spoken word, motivational speaking, and ability to connect  with people to make the world a more loving and accepting place.