Zoila Avilés is a rockstar in a mom's body, a fighter for social justice and a debutant filmmaker.

An aspiring filmmaker with a MSW from NYU, Alisha Byrd uses her nationality, queerness and physical disability as a tool to create empowering unique films.

On Tuesday, April 23, 1989, Giselle Andrea Sartá Castañeda was born in Bogotá, Colombia. Her father died 16 days before her birth, so she didn’t have the good fortune to know him, and her mother is an exceptional woman who she deeply admires. She loves rum raisin ice cream, horror literature and Goth music, which is her true essence. She began revolutionary activism 4 years ago when she joined Mujeres AL BORDE as an actress in their Las Aficionadas Queer Theater, which was a valuable experience where she learned to believe that the world could be transformed through art.

Un día martes 23 de abril de 1989, nacío Giselle Andrea Sartá Castañeda en Bogotá, Colombia. Le gustan los helados de ron con pasas, es apasionada de la literatura del horror y la música gótica es su verdadera esencia. Inició el activismo revolucionario hace 4 años en Mujeres AL BORDE y ser actriz en Queer Teatro Las Aficionadas, ha sido una experiencia muy valiosa para ella, con la que ha aprendido a creer que el mundo se puede transformar desde el arte.

Celeste Chan creates work born from queer diaspora through wit, words, and film.

Politically cultivated and developed by a deep love for family and community, Vanessa Coe loves her mama, delicious food, and playing ball.

Creative artist walking a curandera path, Queer Xicana Berenice Dimas teaches full time at a high school in East Oakland.

Oakland-based Estelle Davis loves to ride her bicycle and encourage the world to expand to fit everyone in it a little better.

Anna Eng believes in the power of art and culture to enact social change and is a Ph.D. candidate in Asian American, Gender and Ethnic Studies.

Making her dreams come true, Ana Maria Escobar lives for art whether it's filmmaking, singing, acting, painting or writing.

Kai M. Green is a scholar, poet and documentarian exploring the intersections of race, gender and sexuality through their work.

Butch filmmaker Jennifer Hatton is interested in community building and self-exploration through visual arts.

Jimena Norambuena Huenulao was born in Chillán, in South-central Chile to middle-class family of 6 sisters and 3 brothers with a legacy of Mapuche blood. She was and still is a rebel who has always a curiosity, joy and desire to discover the world. She became a mother at 19, only recently to rediscover that her beautiful baby had grown up into a flesh and bone angel. She has worked alongside her transgender son Michel for the rights of transgender people in Chile and now coordinates the OTD Trans Families program.

Jimena Norambuena Huenulao nacío en Chillán, una ciudad de la zona centro sur de Chile, en una típica familia de clase media con herencia de sangre Mapuche. Es y sigue siendo rebelde. Siempre ha tenido curiosidad, alegría y ganas de descubrir el mundo por sí misma. Se convirtió en mamá a los 19 años, y ahora que tiene 46 redescubrío que su hermosa bebé se había convertido en un hermoso angel de carne y hueso. A su lado se ha convertido en activista por los derechos de las personas trans en su país, actualmente coordina el área de Familias Trans de la OTD.

Nia King is a queer mixed-race artist, activist, writer and musician from Boston, MA who calls Oakland home.

Born and raised in the East Bay, KJ is a 2nd generation Chinese American, educator and chef.

Indie filmmaker and union carpenter Joy Lam has worked on productions and sets through out the Bay Area.

Latina collective Linda García Merchant from Phoenix, AZ writes and produces narrative dramas, reflecting the nuances of today Latin@ communities.

Alexander L. Lee is a filmmaker & a transgender and racial justice activist.

Over the last ten years, Narissa Lee's short films have screened in the US and internationally.

Fiona's Script Director Florencia Manóvil partners with co-creator and co-writer Arnetta Smith for Oakland-based dramas and dramedy.

Sandy Martinez rides on the sharp edge of movie making.

Billy Muñeka came out in 2008 with the artistic influence of Mujeres AL BORDE. Muñeka is a mass media communications journalist, music-lover, and writer of poetry and for print media like Cartel Urbano. As “Star”, they were featured in the Bogotá rock band music videos “Ciegossordomudos” and “Sin Pudor”, as well as feature films such as La Sociedad del Semáforo and various other performances. Muñeka became involved in Mujeres AL BORDE through their Las Aficionadas Queer Theater.

Billy Muñeka nació como transgenerista en el 2008 de la mano artística de Mujeres AL BORDE. Es Comunicadora Social Periodista, melómana, y le gusta escribir poesía y ha escrito para medios impresos tales como Cartel Urbano. Como transformista ha trabajado en videoclips de bandas de rock bogotanas incluyendo a “Ciegossordomudos” y “Sin Pudor”, largometrajes como “La sociedad del Semáforo” y performances diversos. Muñeka se involucró con Mujeres AL BORDE por medio de su “Queer Teatro Las Aficionadas”.

Shawn R. Nealy creates powerful elements through film and other art mediums to connect with life as an educator, drummer and filmmaker.

Michel Riquelme Norambuena was born in Chillán with female genitalia and was assigned female gender at birth and then educated as a girl. After a year at medical school that was filled with questions about gender identity, he began to explore the geographies of gender, sex and transsexuality. He then joined OTD, the first group in Chile to include trasnmasculine identities. He currently works with OTD as a Program Coordinator for Santiago.

Michel Riquelme Norambuena nació en Chillán en 1985. Sus genitales eran femeninos y por lo tanto le asignaron el sexo femenino y le identificaron y educaron como una niña. Durante el 2004 estudió un año la carrera de medicina. En esta etapa sus inquietudes sobre la identidad de género explotaron. Se retiró de la carrera y dedicó el tiempo a investigar sobre transexualidad y personas que transitaban de género y sexo. Fue así como llego a la Organización de Transexuales por la Dignidad de la Diversidad, primera agrupación en Chile que reivindicaba las identidades transmasculinas. Actualmente trabaja dentro de la OTD como activista trans y coordinador de las actividades en Santiago.

Queer, immigrant, cross-cultural, and trans-national identities spark emerging San Francisco filmmaker Rashmi's interest.

Mexican Korean dyke and aspiring yoga therapist, Caro Reyes loves creating artwork that re-examines health, injustice and the experiences of marginalized people.

A lover of Scrabble and dancing, Bay Area native and local foodie Lani Rodriguez, fights oppression in all its forms.

Paula Fernanda Sánchez Sánchez was informally adopted and grew up in a Matriarchy where she learned more than anyone could imagine. Since the beginning she’s had an uncommon life, and used to feel like a rare bug that didn’t fit society’s definition of normal. There were many obstacles that she had to overcome, especially those inside her. In 2002, she joined Mujeres AL BORDE since then she’s been an activist on the edge/rim/verge/brink. Paula lives in a lesboparental family with her partner Sofia and daughter Gabriela, with whom she lives a very constructive and enriching life. Being different is the best gift the universe could give her.

Paula Fernanda Sánchez Sánchez es adoptada informal, creció dentro de un matriarcado del cual aprendió más cosas de las que pudiera imaginar. Fueron muchos los obstáculos que tuvo que superar, especialmente aquellos que existían en su interior. En el 2002 se integró a Mujeres AL BORDE y desde entonces es activista AL BORDE. Vive en una familia lesboparental con su compañera Sofia, y su hija Gabriela, quien vive de manera muy natural, constructiva y enriquecedora esta experiencia. Ser diferente es el mejor regalo que el universo le pudo dar.

Damian San Martín was born in Neverland 22 years ago and raised Santiago, Chile. From a very early age he loved art, drawing and writing as the only real constants in life. A lover of The little Prince and Puss In Boots, he is dreaming and unshamed to live in his own way and learn from life. Damian is a trans rights activist with OTD, a Chilean transgender organization.

Damian San Martín nacío hace veintidós años en “Nunca Jamás”, pero fue criado en Santiago de Chile. Desde muy pequeño ha tenido un profundo amor por el arte, el dibujo, la escritura, siendo la única real constante en su vida. Amante de los ruiseñores, del Principito y del gato con botas, es soñador y no se avergüenza, vive a su manera y busca aprender de la vida. Es activista por los derechos de las personas trans con la Organización de Transexuales por la Dignidad de la Diversidad – OTD.

Chilean Claudia Anais Rodriguez Silva has been a transgender activist since 1991 and a member of the feminist Tortillera/Travesti collective Paila Marina since 2007. A Social Work major at a private university in Chile, she has a debt that can never be paid. She is an actress and producer of the First Feminist Transgender Theater Company of Chile and writer of the very first Editorial Tranvestia 2011.

Originaria de Chile, Claudia Anais Rodriguez Silva ha sido activista transgénero desde 1991 y miembra de la Colectiva Tortillera/Travesti “Paila Marina” desde el 2007. Actora y productora de la Primera Compañía Teatral Travesti Feminista de Chile y escritora de la iniciativa "Editorial Transvestia 2011".

Ava Square-LeVias is a filmmaker and performance artist who excels at promoting the work, passion, and mission of inspirational community sheros!

Be Steadwell of hip-hop group The Lost Bois is pursuing her MFA in Film from Howard University to break the silences of marginalized groups around the world.

An established international artist and advocate, Tee Tagor utilizes multi-media like film, photography, and audio as tools to create transformative change.

Writer and performance artist Tina Takemoto explores the LGBT experience within Japanese American concentration camps during World War II.

Aba Taylor has epiphanies on a regular basis and would die without art.

QWOCMAP Productions is our in-house production that offers professional videography services.

Bay Area filmmaker B. K. Williams deals with the complexities of romance, independence and intrigue in her first feature film.

Zo Zotigh is a Native American filmmaker and educator with an extreme passion for film and growth.