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.

Chris Sanford

  • Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Chris Sanford began his career as a Showrunner's assistant and Writer's assistant for the HBO comedy series, INSECURE. He is currently Co-Producer for The NETFLIX series FOREVER, wIth previous credits on HBO Max's RAP SH*T and HULU's REASONABLE DOUBT. He is also a 2x Webby award winner for his writing on HBO's LOOKING FOR LATOYA, The Podcast. Before his transition into film and television, Chris was a manager in the music industry, representing artists from RCA, EPIC Records, and Roc Nation.

Kira Talise

  • Kira Talise is a writer/creator from South Los Angeles who parlayed her talent for story-telling into a career in television. She first served as a writer and co-producer of Black & Sexy TV's 2019 web series, Hello Cupid 3.0. Since then, Kira has gone on to earn credits on multiple series for Bounce TV, HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show & Insecure, and more. Her most recent projects include narrative podcasts (the first of which will be announced this year) and Marvel’s Wonder Man.  

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.

Steven Canals

  • STEVEN CANALS is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award winning co-creator, executive producer, writer and director of FX’s POSE (2018-2021), which featured the largest transgender cast in tv history. 

    A groundbreaking Queer, Afro-Puerto Rican creator, Steven has been named to The Hollywood Reporter's 50 Most Powerful LGBTQ Players in Hollywood, and one of Hollywood’s 50 Most Powerful TV Showrunners. Steven is currently directing episodically while developing new projects that center the stories of historically underrepresented communities under his Story Ave. Productions banner.

Sara Finney Jonhson

Willonius Hatcher

  • Willonius “King Willonius” Hatcher is a comedian, author, and cultural innovator merging humor, technology, and imagination to shape the future of entertainment. Recognized by TIME, Ebony Power 100, and Ad Age Power Tech List, he represents a new class of visionary creators redefining what is possible with AI and storytelling.