RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022
Nina Mahesh
Nina Mahesh is an Indian American TV writer, screenwriter and director who splits her time between New York City, Michigan and Los Angeles. She earned her MFA in film at Columbia University, where she won the Jeff Unger/eMinutes Launch Award for an outstanding graduate. Mahesh recently finished post production on her short Aleeya, a story that follows the daily plight of a transgender woman in India. Aleeya was a winner of the Leone Family Grant.
Mahesh mainly writes about confident, wide-eyed characters, who are seeking to fit into the world while also discovering who they really are. Mahesh’s work aims to highlight underrepresented communities, whether it be to create awareness, showcase a new point of view or simply to provoke empathy for the unknown. Her work has explored the roles of gender, race, and privilege in our world. Her work usually resides within the worlds of dramedy and comedy, although she dabbles in drama once in a while.
Mahesh holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA from the University of Michigan. When not working on film or writing, Mahesh can be found kayaking, singing karaoke, spending time with family and friends, and anywhere dogs are.
Learn More
After an extensive search and interview process, 18 individuals and one writing duo were invited to participate in the Virtual Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place August 16 – September 22, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.
The Virtual Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:
- Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
- Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
- Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
