Welcome to Rideback Rise

A new non-profit content accelerator that seeks to advance racial equity by increasing the development of mainstream entertainment by BIPOC creators.

Our Mission

To empower BIPOC creators, artists, and entrepreneurs to make popular entertainment that reflects our multicultural society so we can help improve racial equity in America.

We're creating a system of change designed to reshape majority opinions by ensuring that creators of all backgrounds can tell their stories and see themselves in popular culture.

Our Vision

We are committed to creating a more empathic world. We believe stories and content have the power to unite people, bridge cultures, and achieve racial equity.

Our Program Structure

The flagship program of Rideback Rise, The Rise Fellowship identifies an annual cohort of Fellows who are supported financially and creatively to make mainstream film, television, digital and audio content and technology projects aimed at advancing racial equity. Fellows are experienced and established writers, filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs from throughout the industry. From approximately five Fellows in Year 1, the program will scale in cohort size each year.

In addition to supporting Rise Fellows, Rise supports the Rise Residents, a second cohort of up to 15 experienced writers, filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs who also are supported in the development of mainstream entertainment projects.

Rise also helps the next generation of creative talent through the Rise Circle, a network of several hundred aspiring writers, filmmaker and performers who take part in and directly benefit from the Rise programming provided to Rise Fellows and Residents, including masterclasses taught by top industry creatives, performance showcases and networking events.

The Rideback Rise Fellow Experience

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    PROGRAMMING

    Experience all of the Rise programming but additionally take part in the intensive Rise Fellowship experience as they work on their projects.

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    MENTORSHIP

    Rise Fellows are mentored by high-level creatives from throughout entertainment and media.

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    IP FUND

    Rise Fellows are eligible to access an IP Fund to option underlying material for their projects.

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    VISUALS FUND

    Rise Fellows are given the ability to create visuals, story boards, etc., to help develop their projects.

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    CREATIVE CAMPUS

    Rideback Ranch provides collaborative work and performance space and year-round programming with the industry’s best and brightest to support the creative process.

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    PHILOSOPHY

    Rise uses the "brain trust" process that is based on collaboration and structured feedback to achieve creative excellence.

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    VIRTUOUS LOOP

    In success, Rise Fellows give back to the next generation of Fellows in the program.

Rise 2023/2024 Cohort

  • Portrait photo of Akil Rashad Anderson

    Akil Rashad Anderson (Fellow)

    Akil Rashad Anderson is a Haitian-American screenwriter from Miami, Florida. Raised in separate households by his immigrant mother and American father, he often writes about Black characters who drag themselves raw up the jagged road toward the American dream. He loves hip-hop, arthouse cinema, and watching—but not playing—American football, which is why he chose to preserve his brain cells by reneging on a Division II scholarship. Akil most recently worked as a Staff Writer on AMC’s BEACON 23 starring Lena Headey & Stephan James. Akil received his MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California, where he received the George Lucas Family Foundation Fellowship.

  • Portrait photo of Biniam Bizuneh

    Biniam Bizuneh (Resident)

    Biniam Bizune is a writer and comedian based in Los Angeles. Biniam has served as a staff writer for JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE and performed stand-up on Comedy Central's STAND UP FEATURING and Viceland’s FLOPHOUSE. He was selected as a fellow of both the 2019 Sundance New Voices Lab and the 2019 Sundance Episodic Lab. He's also written for the A24/Netflix series, THE G WORD, seasons 2 and 3 of DAVE for FX, and the SYFY series, RESIDENT ALIEN. He also created the web series HOW TO BE BROKE for Comedy Central. Most recently Biniam co-created and starred in BAMMAS for Hulu with executive producers Danny Chun and Ramy Youssef. As an actor, Bizuneh starred in the Lee Daniels pilot CULTURE CLASH for Fox in 2019.

  • Portrait photo of Nate Burke

    Nate Burke (Resident)

    Nate Burke is a Bostonian (reluctantly) and Storyteller (enthusiastically). With Cape Verdean, Bajan, and Jewish roots, he’s channeled his mixed heritage into unique narratives that spotlight the fringes of society. A Brown University alum with a diverse career trajectory—from documentary shoots to post-production rooms—he found his true calling in the "Riverdale" writers' room, via the WB TV Writers' Workshop. By drawing from both his brilliant shower thoughts, and his incredibly deep well of niche racial traumas, Nate’s tales blur distinctions, welcoming readers into realms that are at once alien and profoundly personal.

  • Portrait photo of Marissa Diaz

    Marissa Díaz (Resident)

    Marissa Díaz is a Tejana writer, director, and producer. She works across mediums including scripted and unscripted film, television, and interactive media. Most recently, Marissa wrote and produced ORGASM INC: THE STORY OF ONETASTE, a feature documentary for Netflix. She worked on HBO’s hit series GIRLS, produced queer teen series GENERATION for HBOMax, and wrote WELCOME TO THE BLUMHOUSE LIVE, an interactive film event, for Blumhouse and Amazon Studios. Previously, she worked at Lena Dunham’s Good Thing Going, Fox Searchlight, MGM Studios, Bravo TV, Martin Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions, and The Weinstein Company. Marissa is a McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado finalist and received a $75,000 grant to write and direct FANCY FLOREZ’S SUMMER STAYCATION. Her half-hour comedy COCHINAS was selected for The Black List + Netflix’s Latinx List, an industry-curated list that highlights 10 exemplary film and television screenplays from talented Latinx storytellers. Her work has been supported by a number of industry fellowships including the Sundance Episodic Lab, the Film Independent Episodic Lab, the Film Independent + CNN Original Series Docuseries Intensive, and the Producers Guild of America Create Lab. Marissa holds a BFA in Film & TV Production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California, where she was awarded the Stark Special Production Grant for writing and directing and the Robert S. Ferguson Marketing Award in Television.

  • Portrait photo of Crystal Ferreiro

    Crystal Ferreiro (Resident)

    Crystal Ferreiro is a Miami-bred, Cuban-Guatemalan writer who is fluent in Spanglish, feminism, and OFFICE quotes (deep cuts only). Being the first college graduate in her family with a very practical degree in Acting and Screenwriting from Syracuse University, it was only natural for her to move to LA. Crystal has written for Netflix's TRINKETS and DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT on Disney+, where she served as an on-set producer for both shows. Crystal sold her original one-hour pilot HERMANAS to The CW with Jerry Bruckheimer TV & CBSTV. On the feature side, she co-wrote DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH, a rom-com for Creator+, currently streaming on Peacock. She most recently sold a musical biopic to TriStar with Arcus Studios producing. Crystal’s writing is genre agnostic but always leads with humor, heart, and messy heroines you can’t help but root for—because although Taylor says it’s exhausting rooting for the anti-hero, she finds it invigorating.

  • Portrait photo of Victor Gabriel

    Victor Gabriel (Resident)

    Working as a licensed marriage/family therapist while living in Compton CA, Victor Gabriel broke into the scene with his short 'traumedy', HALLELUJAH, which premiered at Sundance 2022. His authentic voice and tender approach garnered the attention of Spike Lee, who executive produced the short film which follows two brothers who are stuck with the guardianship of their annoying, bookworm nephew as they have to decide if they are willing to take on the responsibility of being caretakers. Victor is currently developing the feature, THE INCREDIBLE HEIST OF HALLELUJAH JONES, with Spike Lee's 40 Acres and a Mule and Netflix.

  • Portrait photo of Tasha Henderson

    Tasha Henderson (Fellow)

    Tasha Henderson was Born in Dallas Texas, the land of vicious smiles and back-handed compliments. Fittingly, her writing is a unity of opposites. Although Henderson never won a title, she did pick up a second language: “Texas Bitch.” Henderson has an appreciation for the dark, comedic, and the darkly comedic. Her style is life lessons with a body count. Henderson graduated from Loyola Marymount University with an MFA in Screenwriting and a desire to create the characters she has always wanted to see. After co-writing and producing COMPLEX[ION] WOMAN, a play that explores the intricacies of Black womanhood, which won the Encore Producer’s Award at the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival, Tasha then went on to write and produce the web series, DATING NOW, a romantic comedy about the racial politics of dating— which was named an Official Selection of the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival and Bronzelens Film Festival. Henderson was a 2018 LMU Incubator Lab Fellow, a 2018 Project Involve Fellow, and a 2020 Walt Disney Television Program Writer. Henderson wrote on all three seasons of ABC’s HOME ECONOMICS where she got to incorporate her love of astrology and all things “woo-woo” into the character of Denise—a Black lesbian. Most recently, Henderson served as co-producer on BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED, for Amazon Freevee. Henderson is repped by Industry Entertainment and CAA.

  • Portrait photo of Raven Jackson

    Raven Jackson (Resident)

    Raven Jackson is an award-winning filmmaker, poet, and photographer from Tennessee. Her work often explores landscapes of indefinable experiences and emotions, as well as the body’s relationship to nature. Raven’s debut narrative feature, ALL DIRT ROADS TASTE OF SALT, made in partnership with Maria Altamirano, PASTEL (Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak), and A24, world-premiered in the US Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a 2024 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. The film has received support from Cinereach, SFFILM, the Gotham, Film Independent, Tribeca Film Institute, New Orleans Film Society, Ikusmira Berriak, Indie Memphis, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and Westridge Foundation. Raven was a Story Editor on SURFACE for APPLE TV+. Raven’s short films NETTLES and A GUIDE TO BREATHING UNDERWATER are currently streaming on the Criterion Channel. She is a Cave Canem fellow and holds MFAs from New York University's Graduate Film Program and the New School's Writing Program. Her chapbook of poetry, LITTLE VIOLENCES, is available from Cutbank Literary Magazine.

  • Portrait photo of Omar S. Kamara

    Writer/director Omar S. Kamara (Resident)

    Omar S. Kamara is a first-generation Sierra Leonean American, Virginia native, and graduate of the College of William and Mary and the American Film Institute. His debut feature film, AFRICAN GIANTS, which he independently wrote, directed, and produced, won the Audience Award at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival and was picked up for worldwide distribution by Juno Films, which is planning a theatrical release this summer and a mult-platform digital release this coming winter. His previous short film, MASS AVE, won the Grand Prize at the Director’s Guild of America Student Film Awards, was named a Finalist in HBO's Short Film Competition at ABFF, and was nominated for the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival. The film was licensed by HBO and is currently streaming on HBO Max. In addition to winning the Silver Screen at the Cannes Lions Young Director Award and the Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award at AFI, Kamara’s films have played at numerous Oscar-qualifying film festivals, including Rhode Island, HollyShorts, and the Pan African Film Festival. Kamara’s films touch on his first-generation experiences and strive to highlight and honor the African Diaspora.

  • Portrait photo of Eric I. Lu

    Eric I. Lu (Resident)

    Eric I. Lu is a writer and director, known for the Fox medical drama THE RESIDENT. Previously, Eric directed award-winning, impactful documentary and narrative films, as well as viral digital shorts with over 800 million views. One of his films, LOOKING FOR LUKE, has sparked and shaped the landscape around mental health on college campuses and the Asian American community.

  • Portrait photo of Tran Ma

    Tran Ma (Fellow, partnered with Miguel Ortega)

    Tran Ma is a writer and production designer with a strong foundation in VFX. She co-created and served as the production designer for "The Voice in the Hollow," a project awarded the Jury Prize at Siggraph 2023 and recognized at the Florida Film Festival, SIFF, Filmquest, and Cartagena's FICCI. While contributing to projects like ENDER’S GAME, GODZILLA 2, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, THOR, and KRAMPUS with her VFX expertise, Tran's true passion is storytelling through writing and enhancing productions through her production design work. She is a former student and professor at the Gnomon School of VFX, where she continues to inspire the next generation of filmmakers and VFX artists.

  • Portrait photo of Gabriela Garcia Medina

    Gabriela Garcia Medina (Fellow)

    Gabriela Garcia Medina is a Cuban-American filmmaker. Her short film LITTLE CON LILI (2019) won Best of Fest at HBO Women in Comedy Festival (2019), Best Short Contest NBC (2019), winner of LALIFF Best Short Film (2019), nominated for Best Short Comedy at Palm Springs ShortFest (2020), and was distributed by HBOMax. Gabriela’s short film THE 90 DAY PLAN (2019), won Best of Fest at HBO Women in Comedy Festival (2020), Best Short Film – Powderkeg/Feigco Entertainment (2020), official selection at LAAPFF (2020), acquired by WarnerMedia OneFifty (2020), and was distributed by HBOMax. Gabriela's musical comedy BERTIE THE BRILLIANT (2022) was made in collaboration with WarnerMedia OneFifty and Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB). BERTIE premiered at the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences as part of the NFMLA IN FOCUS: LatinX & Hispanic Cinema (2023), it was an official selection to PBS Short Film Festival (2023), PRIDE LA, Outfest Family Fusion (2023), the Oscar-qualifying Chicago International Children's Film Festival (2023) and Hollyshorts Film Festival (2023) among others, and it is available on PBS. Gabriela’s feature film LITTLE CON LILI was selected as one of the five screenplays on the LatinX List (The Black List, 2023), and is in development with Mandalay Pictures. Her romantic musical comedy MEDIO SUMMER is in development with MACRO. Gabriela is a Rideback Rise (2023/2024) fellow, NFMLA Filmmaker of the Year (2023), Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts & Sciences Film Accelerator fellow (2022), a Film Independent Directing Lab fellow (2020), and a Hedgebrook Screenwriting Lab fellow (2016). Gabriela received her BFA from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television, with a major in Theater, and a double minor in Chicano/a Studies and African American Studies. She holds two MFA degrees from California Institute of the Arts. Prior to being a filmmaker, Gabriela was a spoken word poet. She has performed at over 1000 colleges/universities and has opened the stage for artists including Pitbull, Mos Def, and the Black-Eyed Peas, as well as for political figures including Kamala Harris, Maxine Waters.

  • Portrait photo of Miguel Ortega

    Miguel Ortega (Fellow, partnered with Tran Ma)

    Miguel Ortega a native of Bogota, Colombia, started his career in the Animation and VFX industry, contributing to films such as AVATAR, 300, THOR, THE  MIST, KRAMPUS, and DRAG ME TO HELL. Shifting to writing and directing, he has collaborated with Tran Ma on "The Voice in the Hollow," a film acclaimed at festivals like Siggraph 2023, where it won the Jury Award, as well as the Florida Film Festival, SIFF, Filmquest, and Cartagena's FICCI. Recognized by Animation Magazine as a rising star in animation, Miguel's innovative approach to filmmaking has been aptly described by Scott Beggs of Vanity Fair: “Ortega and Ma are part of a movement that is changing the way we think of homemade CGI." Beyond his creative pursuits, Miguel also teaches at the Gnomon School of VFX, where he graduated, mentoring the upcoming generation of filmmakers and VFX artists.

  • Portrait photo of Min-Woo Park

    Min-Woo Park (Resident)

    Min-Woo Park grew up in Southern California as a restaurant kid before heading off to Harvard University, where he majored in English and rowed on the varsity crew team. He has mixed feelings about one of those decisions. After college he rose from copywriter intern to creative director while working at top advertising agencies, writing humorous viral commercials for Foot Locker, AT&T, and Snickers. Min-Woo writes subversive, fish-out-of-water comedies and dramedies that have led to his participation in the 2019 CAPE New Writers Fellowship and NBC’s 2019-2020 Writers on the Verge program. Most recently he was a staff writer on an unannounced Netflix series and sold a TV comedy pitch alongside Josh Gad to ABC Network through ABC Signature. Min-Woo is represented by UTA and Good Fear Content.

  • Portrait photo of Julia Prescott

    Julia Prescott (Fellow)

    Julia Prescott is a writer and comedian from North Hollywood, California, whose work has appeared on FOX, Disney, Amazon, Paramount+, Cartoon Network, Netflix and more. She's the creator of the hit Blackpills series TOWNIES lovingly described as "The OC in the Old West,'' starring Natalie Palamides and Mr Show's John Ennis. As a stand-up, she's been featured in various comedy festivals including CROM Fest in Omaha ('15); Hell Yes Fest in New Orleans ('15 and '16); Cape Fear Comedy Fest in Wilmington, SC ('16) and the Alaska B4 U Die Fest in Anchorage ('19). As an on-camera host and panelist, she's become a fixture for shows like Screen Junkies' Movie Fights, College Humor's Um, Actually, as well as writing and performing in the popular SJ Roasts series. Her clip as "Carol" for SJ Roasts: The Walking Dead became a featured spotlight on The Daily Dot. In 2019, she was named a "must-know comedian" by Elizabeth Banks's WhoHaHa. In 2020, she got to live a lifelong dream of writing for The Simpsons. Her episode, "Treehouse of Horror XXXI" has since been named by Variety as one of "The Top 30 Episodes" of the show in its decades-long run. Her book Basic Algebra for Basic Bitches has been featured in a special "humor writing spotlight" at the Bergen Art Book Fair in Norway. You can see her starring as herself in the upcoming ad campaign, "This is Universal" for Universal Studios Hollywood.

  • Portrait photo of Ran Ran Wang

    Ran Ran Wang (Resident)

    Ran Ran Wang (She/Her) is a Chinese American screenwriter and IP scout. She started her career as a theater director, and most notably, co-directed a four-week run of THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA by Edward Albee and directed the worldwide premiere of RATSKIN by Brian Dang. By the huge rallying support of the Asian American community in South Seattle, RATSKIN sold out its entire six-show run. Since then, she’s grown a career as an IP/book scout where she helps her creative development colleagues identify and acquire IP for adaptation. She is currently the Director of Development of Literary Affairs at Paramount Pictures and was previously at Netflix. Ask her for book recommendations. She’s read a lot of books. In her evening screenwriting hours, Ran Ran focuses on telling stories about the complicated power of friendship and found family. Her work is grounded in a recognizable world but is complicated by some kind of genre element, whether that be crime, supernatural, speculative, or other. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her at the DnD table with friends or waking up at 6am to watch Formula 1

Expansive Impact Target

We will select five Rise Fellows and up to 15 Rise Residents in year one, with a plan to expand to larger cohorts in succeeding years. Additionally, the Rise Circle of several hundred diverse, next-generation writers, filmmakers and creative talent are supported through Rise programming and networking.

  • Rise Fellow Benefits:
    Stipend
    Mentorship
    IP/Visuals Fund
    Rise Curriculum
    Dedicated Creative Campus
    Event Programming

  • Rise Residents Benefits:
    Stipend
    Mentorship
    Dedicated Creative Campus
    Rise Curriculum (Partial)
    Event Programming

  • Rise Circle Benefits:
    Select Programming, Including:
    Masterclasses
    Performance Showcases
    Networking Events

The Traditional Film & Television Content Pipeline

Much of the traditional funnel uses an outdated profit assessment model that sidelines BIPOC IP by incorrectly deeming it domestic only, not mainstream, higher risk, and thus, not commercially viable

The Rideback Rise Model

Rideback Rise uses a non-profit model to support new development by Rideback Rise Fellows.

  • Rise Fellows are mentored by high-level non-writing BIPOC creatives and industry executives.

  • Rise Fellows access our IP Fund to option material, reducing barrier of perceived risk of BIPOC-related IP.

  • Rise Fellows are given the ability to create visuals, story boards, etc., to help develop their projects.

  • Rideback Rise Fellows have no obligation to Rideback or any other production entity and may bring their project to any company.

We empower Rise Fellows to select any production or distribution partner they feel is best for their project.

Why We're Doing This

1. The lack of accurate representation in mainstream entertainment perpetuates the racial divide in American society.

2. While trends have incrementally improved for diversity on screen, representation throughout the entire industry remains a chronic failure.

3. People of color remain underrepresented as writers and directors. The problem is more extreme on higher budget films.

U.S. Population Shares, White and Minority, 1960-2050

SOURCE: UCLA HOLLYWOOD DIVERSITY REPORT 2021

Rideback Rise FAQs

Answering Some Common Questions about the Rise Fellowship.

Questions and answers related to applications for the 2024/2025 Rideback Rise Fellowship will be posted when the application period is announced.

  • What makes someone a good candidate for the Rideback Rise Fellowship?

    We are seeking experienced, commercially-minded storytellers who are enthusiastic about creating fresh, compelling content that can be released to a wide audience. You will have already developed a vision of your own, but you will be open to input from mentors and peers and keen to benefit from their counsel. You are self-disciplined and ambitious about bringing your project to market, and you are willing to function as part of a group and share your experiences.

  • Why is the Rise Fellowship aimed at experienced writers and filmmakers?

    Even for experienced and highly talented creatives, the Hollywood system remains full of the implicit bias that keeps so many qualified BIPOC writers and filmmakers from being able to make new mainstream TV and film that reflects their own distinct voices.

  • How is the Fellowship helping them

    If you think of Hollywood development as a funnel, The Rise Fellowship is operating at the narrower end. The Rise Fellowship is focused on BIPOC creators with a high level of experience who can maximize the resources of the Fellowship and develop market-ready projects in terms of their scope and commercial appeal. The Fellowship is designed to circumvent the risk aversion that often sidelines the development of BIPOC-created TV and films. By focusing the Fellowship here, we are closest to our goal of getting mainstream projects sold, into production, and widely distributed where they can impact culture and make a difference in driving narrative change.

  • Why is the Rise Fellowship described as an accelerator?

    The Rideback Rise Fellowship is a content accelerator in that it seeks to help experienced creators further develop their pre-existing film and television ideas, pitches, treatments and/or scripts into market-ready condition and then help them transition their projects into “go” projects with networks, streamers, studios and production companies.

  • Shouldn’t the program focus on getting more new people into the industry?

    Many existing programs for creators entering the entertainment industry play a vital role in improving representation on screen (both in front of and behind the camera). While our Fellowship program is aimed at creators who are further along on their journey, we, too, believe in widening the funnel for creators trying to get into the system. Hence, we have created the Rise Circle which provides aspiring BIPOC creatives with access to high level programming and networking with industry professionals. Please see additional information below in the FAQ relating to the Rise Circle.

  • What makes a project idea suitable for the Fellowship?

    Ideas should be built on an Applicant's strong voice and specific point of view while bringing new perspectives on concepts, characters, themes, genre and/or worlds. Ideas should feel commercial yet distinct from what has already been done.

  • Do I need to reimburse Rideback Rise for its investment?

    No.

  • Are Rise Fellows employees of Rideback Rise?

    No.

  • Does Rideback take any ownership of my script or project?

    No. Rideback Rise does not take ownership of any scripts, outlines, treatments or other materials that are either submitted as part of your application or subsequently created as part of the Fellowship.

  • Does Rideback Rise act as a producer?

    No. Rideback Rise is neither a production entity nor a guild signatory. At the conclusion of the Fellowship term, Rise can, however, assist in helping Fellows connect their projects to appropriate production and distribution entities. For projects that get sold and/or put into production, Rideback Rise may take a small, passive royalty that goes exclusively to fund future cohorts of Rise Fellows and Rise programming.

  • What is Rideback’s role in Rideback Rise?

    Rideback is a financial and in-kind donor to Rideback Rise, an independently-led 501c3 non-profit, and has additionally granted Rise the use of its name Rideback Rise, but does not operate Rideback Rise, nor does it receive any direct benefits or considerations from Rise. Rise is currently located at Rideback Ranch as a paying tenant. Rise is not subject to any of the obligations of Rideback or Rideback Ranch.

  • May Fellows work on other projects during the Rise Fellowship?

    Yes. Fellows are non-exclusive and have the option to develop other projects so long as they are able to fulfill their commitments to the Fellowship.

  • If selected for the Rideback Rise Fellowship, will I be guaranteed a produced script?

    While we will work tirelessly with you to help you advance your project in every way possible, we cannot guarantee that it will lead to a produced project.

  • Must I be present for the duration of the Fellowship?

    Yes. The Fellowship offers a variety of enrichment programming that is in-person.

  • What is the Residents program?

    The Rise Residents is a 12-month program that runs concurrent to the Fellowship. Rise Residents are similarly experienced writers, creators and filmmakers who are interested in developing an idea or project, but who may not have been selected for the year’s Fellowship cohort. Residents are selected by Rideback Rise from the Rise community of writers, creators and filmmakers, but may also be invited from the pool of Fellowship applicants. Residents must meet the same application requirements as Fellows but are not required to have an agent and/or manager. Residents receive a stipend and attend most of the Fellowship curriculum, programming and networking and are provided dedicated workspace at Rideback Ranch. Residents are also eligible to apply for the following year’s Fellowship. Residents may also be writing teams.

  • What is the Rise Circle?

    The Rise Circle is an invitation-only network of several hundred next-generation BIPOC writers, filmmakers and creative talent who are part of the larger Rideback Rise community and are supported in their careers by access to Rise programming and networking events at Rideback Ranch, provided at no cost.

  • *Please note Rideback Rise reserves the right to modify its FAQ at any time.

Rideback Rise Leadership

  • Portrait photo of Diana Mogollón

    Diana Mogollón

    Chief Executive Officer, Rideback Rise

  • Rideback Rise Board of Directors

    Our Supporters

    • Ford Foundation Logo
    • MacArthur Foundation Logo
    • Doris Duke Foundation Logo
    • Murphy Family Fund Logo
    • Panda CommUnity Fund
    • The Asian American Foundation Logo
    • Zelnick Belzberg Charitable Trust Logo
    • NBCUniversal Logo
    • UTA Foundation Logo
    • Horn Foundation Logo
    • Salmira Productions Logo

    Financials

    Our goal is to always be responsible stewards of our funds. We also believe in transparency and accountability to our donors, supporters, and the communities we serve. Please use the links below to review financial documentation

    2022 Audited Financials

    Form 990

    501(c)3 Ruling Documentation (Federal and CA)

    How to Get Involved

    Become a donor and help empower the next generation of BIPOC writers, filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs. For individual, corporate and institutional giving, click the donate button below.

    DONATE

    Contact us at hello (at) ridebackrise (dot) org

    Rideback Rise Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 87-2142080.