MNN celebrates the artists, activists, and advisors who serve as our driving forces with a special luncheon. Each of our honorees represents a chapter in the MNN story. From bold pioneers who helped redefine capitalism and public discourse, to present-day creatives pushing cultural boundaries, to emerging leaders shaping the next generation, this celebration is a tribute to the full spectrum of MNN’s ecosystem.
Left to right: Andy Humm and Ann Northrop
GAY USA is a weekly hour of news, analysis, and interviews focused on LGBT issues, co-hosted by Andy Humm and Ann Northrop.
THE LILY GROUP
The Lily Group is an all-female team with the foresight to understand that social responsibility and capitalism are not mutually exclusive. Founded in 1980 by Lily Engelhardt, who acted on this vision before “socially responsible” was a widely used term, beginning with her advocacy for the anti-apartheid movement.
DAISHA "MILES" BROWN, Production Facilitator
"I'm Miles, a 25 year old illustrator and videographer who has an extreme passion for all things art and creativity. Ever since I was a child I always had a deep love for creating. I would love finding any book I could get my hands on and drawing inside of it, recording little videos on my grandma’s phone or creating little skits with my dolls and pretending it was a movie. I found a deep interest in it because I always felt as though creating something got the words across better than I ever could. Other than art, I also have a deep love for all things vintage, especially classic TV and Rock, reading during my downtime, writing, spending time with my friends, family and with my dog, Adonis."
CAJE "CJ" TARRATS, Production Facilitator
CaJe “CJ” Tarrats is a multi-talented entrepreneur born and raised in Harlem, NY, specializing in writing and videography with an interest in telling imaginative, diverse stories for underrepresented communities. Since 2016, CJ has been involved in media, developing music videos with original songs, short films, and written work that he wishes to inspire people with.
ALLISON LOWE, Development Intern
Allison Lowe is a rising senior at Vassar College, where she is majoring in Film and English. At Vassar, she is the Managing Editor of The Miscellany News and a Poetry Editor for The Vassar Review. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Allison enjoys hiking, reading, and writing in her free time. She is very excited to be working as a Development Intern with MNN this summer!
MELASIA McCULLEN, Production Facilitator
Melasia Mccullen is an emerging creative talent with experience working as a producer and video editor. She is passionate about the behind-the-scenes process in production and the power of collaboration and teamwork. Melasia has completed media training programs through Stanley Isaacs/MNN, Youth Design Center and Reelworks, gaining a range of hands-on experience in production and post production.
LORENA R. VALENCIA, Creative Producer
Lorena R. Valencia is an Emmy-winning Mexican filmmaker based in New York, and a member of NY NATAS, NYWIFT, and BGDM. Her thesis short film “Cuanacaquilitl (Dandelion)” received the 2022 Best Student Award from the National Board of Review, and the 2023 Best Short Film Award at the 16 Days 16 Films Festival, and was Official Selection at the Morelia International Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival, and the Hola Mexico Film Festival, among others. Lorena is a Creative Producer Fellow at MNN and an alumna of the Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today Fellowship in 2024. She is directing the documentary short film “Meyolotl”, a project selected for the UFO WIP at the Big Sky Docs in 2025, and developing her feature film debut “Mayahuel”, a project selected for the Storylines Workshop at Cine Qua Non Lab 2024.
DESTINY WASHINGTON, Creative Producer
Destiny Washington (she/they) is a 33-year-old Brooklyn Native. Considering themselves a multidisciplinary artist, Destiny's creative style takes a thoughtful approach inspired by art, subculture, and activism. As an art director, DJ and videomaker, her intention is always to amplify marginalized voices and shine light on communities and issues often overlooked or forgotten in time. With their YouTube channel 'Lucretia Mcevil', her goal is to become a punk-rock PBS and share accessible stories to a diverse audience through music, subculture and storytelling.
MEGHNA YESUDAS, Creative Producer
Meghna Yesudas grew up in the maximum city of Mumbai, India, through monsoons and madness that guided her coming-of-age. A writer, culture journalist, and media-maker, she resides in New York City, where she is obtaining an MA in Media Studies at The New School. Previously, she served as the Digital & Features Editor at the dirty magazine, an independent publication covering the arts, fashion, and culture. Her work on The Unfiltered History Tour with VICE World News—a guerilla tour of the British Museum undertaken by Indigenous peoples—awarded her Copywriter of the Year (2022) in the Cannes Lions Creativity Report. Her storytelling practice takes the form of essay and experimental film, contending with the entanglements of familial histories, selfhood, sexuality, memory, and migration.
GREG CALLY, Artist in Residence
Greg Cally is a Haitian-American Director, Screenwriter, and Producer based in New York City. His recent credits include ESPN’s Wade: Life Unexpected, VICE TV's Black Market with Michael K. Williams, and TV ONE's Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story. In addition, Greg has numerous independent scripted films featured on streaming platforms such as Peacock, Tubi, Amazon Video & Tidal. Greg is also the curator of the popular adult game night event Sip N Spades as well as the scripted and unscripted film showcase, Surrounded by Stories.
CHUMA OSSÉ, Artist in Residence
Chuma Ossé is a multidisciplinary artist, creative producer, and systems thinker whose work bridges spiritual practice, media production, and community infrastructure. Artist-in-Residence at Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN), Chuma activates the space through sound design, ritual programming, and collaborative ecosystem building. A former Creative Producer at TELFAR TV and Retail Development Lead for TELFAR’s flagship, he has led cultural storytelling initiatives across fashion, music, and civic engagement. Chuma’s creative practice spans experimental songwriting, meditation music, and the non-extractive use of AI — all guided by a deep commitment to communal authorship and spiritual clarity. He is also the author of Formal Foundations of Spiral Control Theory, a forthcoming white paper that formalizes recursion, tone, and coherence as tools for cultural operating systems.
MARCO CHIN, Artist in Residence
Hailing from New York City’s Chinatown, RAMEN, THE GOD is a hip-hop artist and spoken word poet blending introspection and high-energy storytelling. He released his single It’s Taro Flavor in 2020 and followed up with his track Demons. A former finalist for the 2021 National Youth Poet Laureate, he’s performed for Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Earthshot Prize and has shared the stage with Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and other celebrated poets from Urban Word NYC. Though his music releases have been sporadic, he’s continued performing and evolving his sound. His music, rooted in personal experience, weaves together themes of heartbreak, identity, ambition, and self-discovery. Now reigniting his musical journey, Ramen, the God remains committed to telling stories that resonate, connect, and inspire.
IMAN HILL, Artist in Residence
Atlanta born and raised, Iman Hill is a trailblazing musician, fashion model, and photographer/ videographer currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. A force unlike none other, her works of various creative mediums have been published in Vogue, Nylon, Paper, Office Mag, I-D and more; In her works of activism and advocacy, she is a community organizer/dot connector for the black trans community. Additionally, with efforts to immortalize the beauty that resides within her community presently, Iman has created the brand entitled “Kunt Kollections” — a present day archival series of original photos and videos capturing authentic familial expressions of the house and ballroom community. Most recently, Iman has co-founded a professional artistic development called the Ballroom Arts Collaborative [BAC] for LGBTQ youth and emerging adults.
CHRIS GETHARD
Chris Gethard is a comedian, actor, author, and podcaster. He's been seen in movies, tv shows, and has authored a few books. His most notable works include Career Suicide, a critically praisd HBO comedy special and The Chris Gethard Show, a live anything goes talk show that ran for three seasons on two different cable networks, preceded by a half-decade run on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
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