Ballerific Women: Jasmine Guy And 19 Other Black Women of TV and Film Join Forces To Create Reel Divas Initiative

Twenty women, with celebrated careers in TV and film, have all put their likeness and resources together to form The Reel Divas movement. 

A few women spearheading the movement are Jasmine Guy (Different World, Grey’s Anatomy), Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show), Cas Sigers-Beedles (NAACP Image Award Nominee), Denise Hendricks (HLN), Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly) and Ty Johnston-Chavis (Founder of Atlanta Pitch Summit). 

The Reel Divas was created to bring awareness to women of color as writers, producers, and directors who are currently flourishing in the industry. The ladies also aim to bring further awareness to Atlanta, which is presently being called the Southern Hollywood.

“With our brother-in-film, Tyler Perry, getting so much notoriety and acclaim for opening his 330-acre lot here in Atlanta, we feel that the time is now,” says Cas Sigers-Beedles, who is also a writer, producer, and director. “Atlanta has already served as the home base and mecca for a lot of TV and film projects, so we are doing our part to continue pushing this narrative to the masses.”

Filming in Atlanta has been a trend lately as many television shows and movies are choosing to film in Atlanta over the traditional Hollywood lots. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This has proven to be financially beneficial, as the state of Georgia offers a tax credit up to 30% of a production’s expenses, according to a press release.

Outside of creating TV shows and films, the women of The Reel Divas also want to support women in the fight for their rights of women in the industry. The group will focus on being a collective unit to prove that women are more powerful together than individually.

“We are mothers, wives, and daughters, but we are also the writers, producers, and directors of Southern Hollywood,” says TV & film producer, Ty Johnston-Chavis in a statement. “We are all consistently working, either in development, production, or post-production – and we are here to stay.”

The Reel Divas are award winners, international and community leaders, professors, and professional women. Some are executives for major companies in film and television, with decades of experience. 

Using their strengths, and years of experience, prominent titles and major influence, they are looking to bring exposure to themselves as a collective, to all women of color, and the Southeast as not just a go-to location, but a solid content development and production hub for television and film.

The full list of creators are:

Jasmine Guy, Actress, Director & Dancer

Denise Hendricks – Senior Producer, HLN

Terri J. Vaughn – Actress, Director, and Producer

Gieva Stinchcomb – Producer, Soul Train Awards

Star Smith — Executive In Charge/Line Producer, Unscripted Series

Lisa “Captain” Cunningham – Writer, Producer, Director

Wanda Shelly – Executive Producer, Being Bobby Brown & MTV’s Sprite Step Off

Autumn Bailey Ford – CEO of Autumn Bailey Ford and Film & TV Producer

Angi Bones – Executive Producer, Director

Samantha Ramirez-Herrera — Content Creator

Deborah Riley Draper — Director and Brand Consultant

Shante Paige — Producer

Ty Johnston-Chavis –- TV & Film Producer, Founder of Atlanta Pitch Summit

Cas Sigers-Beedles – Writer, Producer & Director

 Dianne Ashford – Producer, Ambitions 

Tamra Simmons – Executive Producer

Rhonda Baraka – Writer, Director 

Tammy Garnes – Producer, Actress 

Wendy Eley Jackson – Writer, Producer

Angela Barnes Gomes, Writer, TV/Film Director