Black Boys Writes.

Black Girl Writes.

Black Boys Writes. Black Girl Writes.

Black Boy Writes Media is a media and production company, founded in 2020 by Mike Gauyo, which is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices in Hollywood and across the entertainment industry.

Mike Gauyo

  • Mike -- born in Haiti, raised in Boston -- graduated from The University of Massachusetts (Boston) with a degree in theatre. After college, he moved to LA to pursue a writing career but landed in reality TV for the first few years, where he worked his way up from assistant on shows like American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, The MTV Awards, and The Emmys to a producer on non-scripted shows like GSN’s Common Knowledge and E!’s The Comment Section.

    He later went on to write on the first two seasons of the highly successful Netflix dramedy, Ginny & Georgia, and wrote for the final season of the critically acclaimed HBO series, Insecure. Mike is currently the founder of the Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative for aspiring Black writers, as well as the co-creator, co-showrunner, and executive producer of AMC/ALLBLK’s latest original hit series, Send Help.

Heather Daughtry

  • Heather Daughtry's career has been characterized by impactful contributions and a dedication to cultivating strategic marketing, programming and partnerships. In her previous role managing Sponsorships and Partnerships at Final Draft, Inc., Heather played a pivotal part in fostering mutually beneficial relationships and providing crucial sponsorship support to various screenwriting organizations, film festivals, schools, and mentorship programs. Notably, her efforts have been dedicated to amplifying the voices of underrepresented writers, reflecting her passion for inclusivity and diversity within the industry.

    With nearly ten years in the industry, Heather has refined her skills drawing from her versatile and adaptable background in both studio and agency settings, providing a deep understanding of the ever-changing entertainment landscape. Beyond her work, she passionately pursues the arts, particularly acting and music, demonstrating a multifaceted expertise and unwavering dedication to excellence, collaboration, and advocacy.

Andre J. Ferguson

  • Andre J. Ferguson was raised in the inner city of Jamaica Queens New York, with a father who served as a NYPD narcotics detective and a mother who was a NYC public school art teacher.

    Later he moved to Los Angeles where he began writing screenplays and submitted his spec script to showrunner Courtney Kemp, which led him to being hired as a staff writer for the hit series Power. Andre is currently a producer on the hit Starz series Power Book: II Ghost.

Cynthia Adarkwa

  • Cynthia Adarkwa is a Ghanaian American writer and producer. She earned a BFA in Dramatic Writing from the Savannah College of Art & Design, then went on to write for a number of shows including the CW’s Legacies, Hulu's Saint X and the upcoming series Emperor of Ocean Park for MGM+.

    Ultimately, Cynthia tells stories about Black women finding their place in the world.

Jackie Penn

  • Forced to fend for herself at an early age, Jackie found comfort in either reading or watching TV.

    After several years as a Spanish teacher, Jackie left teaching to pursue a career as a TV writer.

    Now an LA-based drama writer, Jackie’s writing focuses primarily on diverse female-driven stories that explore friendship, found family, identity, and love. She was an assistant on several shows including SIREN and GINNY & GEORGIA before her first staff writing job on TURNER & HOOCH for Disney+. She was most recently a story editor on the CW’s 4400 and a WGA Strike Captain.

    She was selected for Coverfly's 2023 Next List and is currently a member of the Rideback Rise Circle cohort.