With support from the California Arts Council, Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC) will run EmpowHERd Voices, a 10-week documentary filmmaking program open to women of California’s Central Valley, ages 18 and older. This program addresses underrepresentation of women’s perspectives in media, reduces financial and educational barriers to mentorship and training opportunities, and provides access to production resources. The scope of this program includes a 10-week curriculum designed to guide participants through the entire filmmaking process while working to produce their own short documentary film. Participants will be provided with stipends to help mitigate key obstacles to participation, such as financial and caregiving responsibilities. Through weekly mentorship sessions, skill-building workshops, and a public screening of their final documentaries, participants will develop and share impactful stories aimed at fostering representation and equity in media.
We provide low and no-cost media production education and training to underserved communities, as well as access to professional production equipment, studios, and local television airtime at our community media center in downtown Fresno.