Workforce Development
Media Mentorship Program
Washington Filmworks piloted its first Workforce Development Program, the Media Mentorship Program, offering folks from BIPOC and underrepresented communities access to film education, one-on-one mentorships, and the opportunity to work as a production assistant on one of Washington Filmworks approved productions.
Thank you to our inaugural cohort -- meet them below!
Monica Anegbeode (she/her)
Born and raised in Washington’s Eastside, Monica Anegbeode is a graduate of Howard University’s Africana Studies program. She has been working as a production assistant on various sets along the west coast while expanding her creative experience. Despite an involvement in theater from a young age, a college minor in Theater Arts exposed her to the production side of entertainment and she hasn’t looked back since. With interests spanning from both sides of the lens, Monica enjoys experimenting with various types of creative mediums from videos and poetry to short stories and photography. Ultimately, she intends to tell stories that help communities, especially Africans throughout the diaspora re-evaluate the way they’ve been taught to view themselves as well as each other. Monica values every opportunity she’s been presented with so far and is excited to continue collaborating and follow meaningful stories wherever in the world they may take her.
Ha’aheo Auwae-Dekker (they/them)
Ha’aheo Auwae-Dekker is a 21-year-old artist and filmmaker currently attending Seattle University where they study filmmaking. Ha’aheo works as an apprentice in the Northwest Film Forum company, Remove the Gap Productions. They are an intentional creator with an emphasis on their Indigenous experience in the world and hope to create films that reflect a world connected to indigeneity. When they aren’t studying or working, you’ll find Ha’a watching and analyzing a good movie, researching their familial and cultural history as a Native Hawaiian, and painting.
Daniel Chang (he/him)
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Daniel Chang moved to Seattle in 2015 and eventually found his way into the local film industry. He is a graduate of the San Francisco State University cinema program, and is eager to continue working in production. Daniel especially likes emotionally intense narratives that put QTBIPOC agency front and center. He is also an avid portrait photographer.
Aaron Jin (any)
Frances Grace Mortel (she/her)
Frances Grace Mortel is a photographer and filmmaker, born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She studied in University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) and worked as art director/production designer for several film and television projects. She moved to Spokane, Washington in 2016 and completed the Digital Media Production program at Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) in 2019. She graduated with a BA Film degree at Eastern Washington University (EWU) in 2021, receiving the Dean’s Student Excellence Award, Social Justice Advocate of the Year Award, and Achievements in Screenwriting and Criticism.
Anikka Se’a Suguitan (she/her)
Anikka Se’a Suguitan is a screenwriter and filmmaker currently residing in Spokane, Washington. Her passion for film grew intensely after she moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2013. She is currently a production assistant while she continues to thrive towards a BA in Film Production. She strives to gain as much experience on set as possible, while building strong foundations with those around her. She is always eager to learn, and will not settle for giving anything less than her best. She is a young and determined woman in the industry. She wishes to break barriers that have been placed before her, and the stigma of women in the film industry.