Roadmap Writers has announced Nikki Palumbo, Teresa Jusino, Kevin Wolfe and Edwin Domachowski as the first winners of its new LGBTQ+ Pitch Fellowship to elevate queer voices and connect queer storytellers and industry professionals.
The four submitted a three-minute recorded pitch, a one-page personal essay, and the first 25 pages of their script to earn their fellowships, and as a result will take part in virtual pitch roundtables later this month with queer executives from Amazon, ABC, Gersh, These Pictures, Circle Management, Buchwald Agency, and more.
“At a time when audiences are craving more authentic representation, queer creatives continue to bring some of the most vital, emotionally honest, and culturally important perspectives to the entertainment industry,” Roadmap Writers said in the announcement of the fellowship.
“There is still a strong need for stories that move beyond stereotypes and reflect the complexity, joy, challenges, and humanity of LGBTQ+ experiences. By pairing writers with queer executives who understand the importance of authentic representation, Roadmap Writers hopes to foster stronger creative partnerships and help bring more inclusive storytelling to the screen.”
Founded a decade ago by Joey Tuccio and Dorian Connelley, Roadmap Writers is a Los Angeles.-based screenwriting education and training platform that seeks to give writers a guided path to film and TV success. It offers online classes led by executives, managers, agents, producers, writers, and other industry professionals to help writers improve their skills and expand their networks.
The company says it has helped more than 500 writers sign with representation to date, including with Kaplan/Perrone, Echo Lake, Good Fear, Anonymous Content, 3 Arts, Artists First, Industry Entertainment, Fourth Wall Management, CAA and more. Participants have gone on to projects including Paramount +’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Amazon’s Reacher and We Were Liars, Netflix’s Fubar, CW’s The Flash, and Fox’s The Resident.
“This initiative reflects Roadmap Writers’ ongoing commitment to supporting diverse voices and helping emerging talent break into the industry,” the Roadmap Writers added in its announcement. “The LGBTQ+ Pitch Fellowship is not just about one week of pitches; it’s about creating opportunities, building community, and helping queer creatives gain visibility in an industry where representation behind the scenes matters just as much as representation onscreen. Through programs like this, Roadmap Writers aims to champion the next generation of LGBTQ+ storytellers and help shape a more inclusive future for film and television.”