2025 Podcast Intensive Listening Party

I am Joan Martinez, a 40-year-old first-gen Haitian-American writer from East Flatbush Brooklyn, New York whose stories stand at the crossroads of survival, secrets, and subversion. Growing up where respectability was the name of the game and anything that deviated from STEM was out of the question and a recipe for ruin; I learned early that the margins make the best main characters. My work wrestles with the quiet violence of family, the collision of class and culture, the ghosts we carry, the anxiety that is adolescence all through a lens of wit and grit. My pilot script cracks open worlds that feel both intimate and dangerous — because that’s the world I know. I’m driven to write television that dares people to look at what they’d rather ignore — and to feel seen in the places they never expected. I’m here because the doors weren’t built for me — but the stories are. The Warner Bros. Discovery Access Writers Program is the place I want to sharpen my craft, widen my reach, and prove that the future of TV still has room for rabblerousers like me. I have a lot of people to prove wrong; and more people including myself, my husband and most importantly my young son to prove right.

Julia O’Farrow is a multimedia storyteller and award-winning documentary filmmaker with a passion for amplifying underrepresented voices. She is the creator of Teeshirt Tales, an ongoing project that explores the personal stories behind the t-shirts people wear and design. Through interviews, photography, and video, she captures the emotional and cultural significance of these everyday garments—and is now expanding the project into podcast form to further engage in conversations about identity, memory, and self-expression.

Julia’s earlier work includes directing Beyond the Bars/No Extended Embraces, a documentary profiling six women with incarcerated partners, which screened at festivals, aired on cable television, and became part of the Langston Hughes and Donnell Library collections. She has worked with leading filmmakers, including as an intern on Stanley Nelson’s Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind, and as production coordinator for Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks by St. Clair Bourne.

A founding member of the Black Documentary Collective, Julia has curated film screenings, served on arts panels, and received fellowships and grants from BAC, IFP Project Involve, and Film/Video Arts. With her shift into podcasting, she continues her mission to tell stories that matter, in formats that reach wide and diverse audiences.

Julia Pontecorvo is a creative producer with over 15 years of experience leading innovative content across the entertainment, media, and nonprofit sectors. She has produced award-winning films and immersive experiences for top platforms and brands including Apple TV+, Netflix, Vice, Target, and American Express.

She began her career at RadicalMedia, where she launched and scaled the Webby Award-winning YouTube channel THNKR, growing its audience to over 100 million views in 18 months. Her work since has spanned documentary features, branded content, and experiential installations. Notable projects include the Sundance-winning Going Varsity in Mariachi (Netflix), The Supermodels (Apple TV+), and Lance Weiler’s Where There’s Smoke (Tribeca Film Festival). At Firelight Media, the nonprofit founded by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson, Julia has overseen national documentary initiatives with PBS, supporting emerging and mid-career filmmakers from underrepresented communities.

Most recently, she served as supervising producer on a forthcoming international docuseries examining the role of intelligence officers in global events. Julia is currently developing and producing a range of exciting creative projects with Wavelength Productions.

KC Sonshine is the vibrant voice behind 50ish & Fab: The Hot Flash Report, a faith-filled, funny, and fiercely honest podcast that redefines what it means to thrive in your 50s and beyond. With a spirit rooted in resilience and a flair for storytelling, KC brings cheeky humor, soulful wisdom, and unapologetic realness to every episode.

A self-proclaimed "menopausal mixtape with a message," KC draws inspiration from classic songs, cultural moments, and spiritual truths to spark conversations that matter—especially for women navigating aging, identity, faith, and friendship. Whether she’s unpacking a hot flash or a hard truth, KC speaks with the kind of insight that makes you laugh, reflect, and feel a little less alone.

Through 50ish & Fab, KC empowers women to embrace their next chapter with boldness, beauty, and a whole lot of grace.

Lillian Osei-Boateng is an 80’s baby raised on sitcoms and pop music. She’s the ultimate culture vulture who enjoys everything from film and television to live performance of all kinds. Art has always been a part of her life since she was a young child. In her professional life she worked for more than 18 years in philanthropy focusing on organizations and artists in the theater, contemporary dance, jazz and presenting fields. She has also worked in advertising, writing and editing for dance and theater magazines. She holds a M.P.A. specializing in nonprofit management from Baruch College and a B.F.A. from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, Drama Department with a minor in journalism. She serves on
the Board of Directors for Clubbed Thumb theater company, the Foundation for Independent Artists, and the Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice. She has also served on the New York Advisory Board for The Possibility Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the arts to teach young people conflict resolution and leadership skills.

Nicole S. Norton-Evans, a Brooklyn native whose journey is as inspiring as it is impactful. Born in Bedstuy and raised in Clinton Hill, Nicole's story is one of resilience, passion, and a commitment to living life to the fullest.
Nicole's life took a profound turn following the loss of her father and a stroke in 2024. This experience ignited a passion for healthy living and a determination to live life on purpose. Known for her fun and easy-going nature, Nicole is also an avid music lover who brings joy and energy to everything she does.
Currently working for the city, Nicole balances her professional life with numerous creative pursuits. She is the Editor-in-Chief of PR Now Magazine, a testament to her expertise in journalism and communication, fields she began studying at Long Island University,
earning a bachelor's degree in 2006 and she is now completing her master's. Her literary talent shines through in her book, Georgetown, a heartfelt tribute to her mother. She also hosts the podcast Booked Up, which will soon be sponsored by a prominent Brooklyn media platform, expanding its reach and impact.
Nicole's influence extends beyond the literary world. She has been featured in various local organizations and magazines, lending her voice to important conversations. She frequently speaks at schools and women's organizations, sharing her story and inspiring others to
pursue their dreams. Additionally, she offers writing therapy classes that have garnered rave reviews, helping individuals find healing and self-expression through the power of writing.
Adding to her impressive list of accomplishments, Nicole's upcoming book, Life is No Joke, is already generating significant buzz, promising to be another impactful contribution to the literary landscape.
Amidst her professional and creative endeavors, Nicole cherishes her role as a wife and mother to a 15-year-old, balancing her career with her family life.
Stay tuned for more updates on Nicole's journey and upcoming projects. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience, passion, and purpose.

Phoebe Harms is an archival researcher and community radio host based in Brooklyn, New York. Her experience in radio and podcasting began during her time at Ithaca College, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Journalism in 2021. She served as a DJ and Newscaster for the college’s FM radio station WICB, as well as Ithaca’s community station WRFI, where she discovered her love for the medium as a way to connect with others through music and storytelling. 

Phoebe now works at NBC News as part of their Archive Sales team, serving as an archival researcher for footage to be licensed for documentary and film. She also volunteers at Radio Free Brooklyn, a nonprofit freeform radio station that operates out of Bushwick and streams online. It is here she co-hosts Excavation Hour, a weekly music and talk show that she produces with Laura Schaffner. The two are excited to expand their show out of the live broadcast setting with their upcoming podcast, with the goal of digging even deeper into the topics they cover on their live show. You can listen every Sunday at 5PM on radiofreebrooklyn.org, and keep an eye out for the podcast on all streaming networks.