“Throughout the past four years, I have been proud and inspired by the impact of the Writer’s Colony,” said founder Mara Brock Akil. “It has been an honor to continue the colony’s commitment to supporting underrepresented emerging writers with this year’s winter and spring cohorts, and have been thrilled to see them continue to grow and flourish as storytellers.”

In an era of disappearing DEI policies and fewer opportunities for writers, Brock Akil’s Shadow Program invites up-and-coming scribes to watch what it takes to run a set, from budget meetings to conversations with the art department: “The craftsmanship and the apprenticeship model are broken in a lot of ways.”

“The impact of the Writer’s Colony is something I am very proud of and I’m delighted to continue the colony’s commitment to nurturing underrepresented emerging writers, and providing them with exposure, access, and the tools they need to continue on their journeys.”

The three-month screenwriting residency takes place in West Adams, Los Angeles next door to Brock Akil’s story 27 productions company. During the residency, writers develop an original script that demonstrates their voice.