Sotomayor Productions is an award-winning queer, BIPOC-owned and operated media production company based in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh that works at the intersection of investigative journalism and documentary filmmaking to advance the portrayals of underrepresented communities.

Manage and make final decisions on the production of all content for the film journal.Formulate and define editorial strategies that are culturally relevant and socially aware.Ideate and conceptualize content that speaks to a diverse and highly engaged audience.Hire and develop freelance writers, cinéSPEAK Philly Beat Fellowship, and the Managing Editor.Approve the publication's layout, design, style and tone along with devising the style guide, freelancer guide, editorial calendar, and journal processes.Review written content for spelling, grammar errors, and fact-checking to provide edits.Write editorial pieces, including a quarterly “Letter from the Editor.”Develop and manage budgets for the editorial team.Build relationships with current and future funders.Represent the publication's editorial team at industry events.Manage meetings with the publisher and Editorial Collective to discuss issues and plans for the publication.

Bylines: Documentary Magazine, cinéSPEAK, ¡Presente! Media, WHYY, Autostraddle, AL DÍA, ITVS, Independent Lens Blog, The Points Guy, and Modern Brown Girl

Administer and manage submitted short films by researching, soliciting, screening, and selecting shorts to curate 6+ diverse and thought-provoking LGBTQ-focused programs.Maintain that all submitted shorts are screened and rated, ensuring that the Programming Team reviews all highly rated films.Research new and upcoming short film titles and maintain associated research.Manage and input data in the Festival Program Databases.Consult on other sections including US features, docs, one-off special programs, episodics, retrospectives and panels/talks.Participate in festival launch week activities including introducing screenings, hosting filmmakers and special guests, and facilitating Q&A sessions.

Screen, review and evaluate 300+ feature-length narrative and documentary film from the US and internationally to identify promising titles for programmatic consideration.Work closely with the 8-member Programming Department to support the curation – in 2021, there were 130 films from 56 countries including 16 world premieres.Research the festival circuit and solicit recent film premieres that fit the mission and audience.Support meaningful discussion and programming decisions to assist with the curation of a program with parity and plurality - in 2021, 57% of the films are directed by a female or nonbinary filmmakers and 52% were directed by filmmakers of color.Engage and participate actively in video conference calls including weekly departmental meetings, weekly organization-wide staff meetings, and daily festival show-flow meetings.Aid in the publicity of the festival by drafting the final capsules for assigned films.Present the festival program at the Festival Line-Up Preview Press Conference and the annual Member's Night Preview Event.Attend the festival in-person and provide on-the-ground support to the Programming Department and overall festival staff throughout the 11-day festival.Prepare engaging film introductions and professionally moderate film Q&A sessions.Provide a high degree of visibility during the festival, strengthening industry relationships, and serve as ambassador for SFFILM.

Watch and review 300+ feature and short nonfiction films from across the globe working with the programming team to curate the lineup – 33 feature films and 25 shorts, chosen from approximately 1,200 submissions, alongside titles scouted from other film festivals.Guide Canaries (screening committee) from a programming perspective, reading reviews and moving submitted films through the programming pipeline.Lead Canary meeting discussions, on a rotating basis, selecting films and providing mentorship and guidance to committee members.Research and solicit new films for consideration through the tracking database.Represent True/False at industry events including IDFA and Sundance Film Festival.Develop film submission notification letters and correspond with sales agents, distributors, and filmmakers to secure invited films and confirm guest attendance.Attend regular meetings with wider Fest Curation team to share program information and discuss potential cross-program collaborations.Contribute ideas for other repertory programs, including securing speakers for Synapses events (including Field Sessions, Campfire Stories, and Gimme Truth).Collaborate with the hospitality and print traffic teams on guest/film logistics including writing and editing film and Synapses program copy for the website and program book.Promote the film program through press interviews and fact-checking press releases.Assist in determining industry guests such as Q&A facilitators, press, and more.Help to envision social events and parties for attending filmmakers, artists, and industry.Introduce events and screenings as well as facilitate post-screening discussions.Serve as an ambassador for the fest during the festival weekend, ensuring attending filmmakers and artists have the best possible experience.

Oversee all elements of the IDA Documentary Awards submissions, review, and nomination process, from the call for entries through awards night, including managing all steps in the judging, selection, and member voting process.Lead diverse, multifunctional team meetings to meet deadlines and execute all elements of the Awards including the Events, Communications, and Development Departments.Manage the Competition team including a Coordinator, Associate, and Intern.Administer the OpenWater submissions platform and manage the submissions process to evaluate 800+ entries in 18 categories from major distributors and indie filmmakers.Coordinate communications and marketing of the call for entries and upcoming deadlines.Develop partnerships with international organizations to reach out to solicit projects.Present regular updates on submissions, revenue, and jury review status.Reconcile submissions revenue and manage department budget.Ensure DEI practices through the submissions and nomination process to ensure accountability.Manage the jury criteria, jury process, chair selection, nomination process, selection of winners.Coordinate the 300+ filmmaking, journalism, podcasting, and documentary industry professionals from around the world.Finalize criteria guidelines for pre-screeners and committees and identify, recruit, and train pre-screener and committee jurors.Coordinate with committee chairs about forming screening committees, troubleshoot any problems, and ensure committees are created on schedule needed to meet review deadlinesAct as primary liaison between IDA awards competition team and awards production teams and contractors as well as with nominees once nominations and notifications have been made.Coordinate with nominees and act as the primary point of contact for all nominee questions and needs related to attendance at the awards show and any related events.

Curate and manage the annual process of programming over 100 short and feature films (narrative, documentary, music videos, etc) as well as new media projects (AR, VR, 360 video, etc) and LOLA Award winners for the weeklong film festival program.Maintain the FilmFreeway call-for-entries, film screening process, juried awards strategy, filmmaker notification procedure, negotiations and agreements with distributors, file procurement and projection, and the programming budget.Establish and maintain a full three-day series of filmmaker panels and workshops that serve filmmakers with special guests and presentations.Co-found and administer the Luz Incubator program and Work-In-Progress Lab coordinating with selected alumni filmmakers and invited industry members.Administer a database of over 350 short and feature films from current and past festival seasons.Execute the distribution of festival passes and comped tickets for filmmakers, press, and industry members.Outreach to filmmaking organizations, distributors, and collectives to double festivals submissions each year.Liaise with filmmakers to provide assistance with submissions, wavers, acquisition, and during the festival weekend.Recruit, train, and supervise the Screening Committee (over 20 members) as well as seasonal festival staff such as the Programming Coordinator and the internship program.Compose the festival fact sheet, wrap-up, evaluation, and screening analytics to be used for sponsorship, grant-writing, and fundraising efforts.Scout films from national and internationally recognized film festivals, grants, and organizations to maintain a list of films in-production to track for acquisition.Represent PHLAFF at local and national events, panels, and film festivals (Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, Tribeca, etc).

2019 - Screener, “Spotlight on Documentaries” IFP Week2020 - Screener, “Spotlight on Documentaries” IFP Week

Drafted, designed, and proofread all social media, press releases, e-blasts, and communications to promote 200+ screenings, workshops, and events per year.Managed and implemented social media outreach to increase of followers by 70% on Facebook, 25% on Instagram, 75% on Twitter, 25% on LinkedIn and 40% on YouTube.Budgeted for marketing needs including 40+ Facebook/Instagram ads, newsletters, monthly event postcards and scheduling tools.Designed graphics for social media, updated eblast template, created org promotional materials.Designed and developed 5+ targeted e-blasts per month to over 4,000 subscribers.Devised and implemented the 2018 and 2019 Annual Appeal marketing campaign generating over $65,000 in general-operating charitable donations.Directly engaged with 150+ local nonprofits, libraries, parks, and neighborhood groups to participate in community media programs.Developed a press strategy for 30+ local, national, and international programs and events including We Tell: Fifty Years of Participatory Community Media and an exhibit at the Museum of Black Civilization.Coordinated the video production of 17 fundraising interview videos, 30+ radio promos and 150+ archival film trailers.Maintained the archival digitization and coordinated the educational distribution of 300+ community-based films to universities and libraries nationwide.Recruited, interviewed, and supervised two university interns per semester.Co-developed and fundraised for monthly Filmmaker Meetups.Doubled engagement, workshop registrations, and screening attendance by identifying target audiences and the most effective methods of reaching them.Presented Scribe Video Center programs to a crowd of over 300 people during the Sundance Institutes’ Nonfiction Session in Philadelphia.Coordinated archiving and educational distribution of over 300 community-based films to universities and libraries nationwide.Maintained and updated the Scribe website (Drupal) twice weekly.

Helped maintain the Facebook and Instagram accounts during the Fifth and Sixth Annual Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (June 10-12, 2016 / June 2-4, 2017 / June 1-3, 2018) by posting bilingual (Spanish & English) content and filming livestream videos.Photographed major events, filmmakers, and actors at the film festival for marketing and PR distribution.Provided information and assistance to filmmakers, actors, and visitors both in person and via social media.

Vision Driven Artists (VDA) is a fiscally sponsored organization that exists to put more resources and opportunities into the hands of Philadelphia-based artists and arts organizations, with a specific focus and emphasis on supporting systematically marginalized artists and communities.Assist with VDA workshops helping to plan, support, and implement program events (e.g. welcome guests and facilitators, transcribe conversations, take photos, set up/break down the space, etc.)Devise marketing and outreach plan by updating the social media presence and website, and designing the quarterly newsletters, and website.Coordinate meetings and partnerships with Philadelphia-based arts and culture non-profit organizations and grant funders.Research and write grant applications and analyze workshop attendance and statistics to create reports.

Intern with the Production & Programing and Digital Production Departments of the award-winning documentary film series POV | American Documentary that broadcasts on PBS.Edit together Season 30 filmmaker interview videos, updating and establishing the look, style, and structure. The videos are shown after the television premiere of the film, archived on the POV website, and used for social media advertising. Assistant produced the very first POV Facebook Live broadcast with Bill Nye to promote the upcoming screening of the documentary "Bill Nye: Science Guy". Established the setup procedures for Facebook Live external webcam broadcasts utilizing a Canon 5D Mark III camera, lavalier mics, sound mixer, and Open Broadcast Software (OBS). Managed Facebook feed, interacting with viewers and selecting questions for the Q&A. Aid with the development of digital interactive storytelling projects in different phases of development. Mixed audio levels for the “West 4th Street” app as part of Bayeté Ross Smith's exhibit.

Created posters, leaflets, and promotional videos for 3-5 program clusters a semester, communicating with advertising commissioners to design materials.Managed the “BMC 360 Program” Instagram and #BMC360, maintaining visual identity through photography, gifs, and graphic design.Designed advertising for the Bryn Mawr College 360° Program coordinating the distribution of publicity across the 3 college campuses in the Tri-College Consortium.Conduct administrative tasks to assist with program activities and trips.

Founded the Filmmakers Association to provide for film production experience for students at Bryn Mawr College.Planned and organized the first annual 48 Hour Film Festival, proving support for the creation of 3 short films by 8 student filmmakers from Bryn Mawr and Haverford College.Managed a budget of $500 to coordinate workshops and the 48 Hour Film Festival and Award Ceremony.Taught club members production workshops on camera basics, storyboarding, and utilizing video editing software (Premiere Pro).

The Hanna Holborn Gray Fellowship is a highly selective program giving 15 fellows a $4,500 stipend to conduct independent summer research with guidance from a faculty advisor. My research, "Translation of Chifa in Chinatown in Lima, Peru", examined the importance of chifa, Peruvian Chinese food. I spent 2 months researching, networking, and scouting locations to film 4 interviews with prominent Chinatown chefs and restaurant owners in Lima to create a documentary film. Presented research at the University of Pennsylvania Honors Diversity (PhD) Symposium, 9/29/2016 to 10/1/2016. Certification: Protecting Human Research Participants from the National Institutes of Health

Lead 5 committee members to coordinate over 40 on-campus film screenings a year, including 2 larger end of semester screenings while managing a club budget of over $1,000 per semester.Established the Film Series listserv and blog, managed the Film Series Facebook page, and organized on-campus advertising, doubling attendance at screenings.Organized 15 Bryn Mawr student volunteers at the "Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival" working with the "Asian American Students Association" at Bryn Mawr College.Taught committee members to screen films using the equipment installed in projection rooms.Partner with other Bryn Mawr College clubs, organizations, and departments to host film events to promote advocacy.