SE allowed me opportunities to grow as a filmmaker, create meaningful work, & explore a beautiful state with amazing people and places. It was refreshing & empowering to be a part of a community dedicated to our films' success and the betterment of the planet. Every state needs a program like this!
—Nora Long, 2023 Fellow
The Southern Exposure experience not only sharpened my filmmaking skills but also fueled my continued passion for telling stories with impact and purpose. The amazing environmentalists I met across Alabama quickly became family and friends of mine.
—Asia Singleton, 2022 Fellow
Southern Exposure really is a force of nature -- pun intended -- a whirlwind of hard work but a lot of fun. The program is supported so much by the team they have built, whose knowledge and southern hospitality is unmatched!
—Lily Ahree Siegel, 2023 Fellow
They made it really easy for us to fall in love with Alabama, especially as first timers. I think they also made it really easy for us to become concerned about this beautiful place because they opened our eyes to a very diverse range of pressing environmental needs here.
—Liza Slutskaya, 2016 Fellow and 2018-19 Program Coordinator
Southern Exposure was an incredible opportunity to build my filmmaking portfolio in a meaningful way. The program allows directors freedom of artistic expression while prompting a community-oriented filmmaking model and involving stakeholders in the decision-making process.
—John Haley, 2020 Fellow
My experience in Alabama in 2014 had a profound impact on me as a filmmaker, but more importantly I linked up with a great posse of friends and collaborators.
—Chris Jones, 2014 Fellow
Southern Exposure was the best 6 weeks of my life and really solidified that documentary film was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Not to mention I still collaborate with the other three fellows who have become my personal and professional lifelines.
—Kaitlin McMurry, 2018 Fellow
Run by an amazing group of experienced filmmakers & passionate advocates, it's impossible to leave this program without an impressive film for your portfolio and meaningful connections to those fighting for important issues across Alabama. I wish I could be a part of this fellowship every summer!
—Celine Francois, 2021 Fellow
I truly believe that Southern Exposure is a MUST for young, southern documentary filmmakers with interests in the realm of Social and Environmental Justice. Not often do you get an opportunity like this in the South, especially one of such value and importance.
—Jeb Brackner, 2019 Fellow
This opportunity allowed me to grow as a professional in the world of environmental filmmaking & gave me skills + insights on how I can use film & media to be a powerful advocate of the natural world. I gained a better appreciation for the culture, people & nature of the beautiful state of Alabama!
—David Diaz, 2018 Fellow
Southern Exposure was an amazing experience – learning about the pressures on the environment, being embraced by Alabama's community of environmental advocates, soaking in beautiful natural treasures, spending a summer with a talented group of filmmakers – I couldn't recommend it more.
—Emily Fraser, 2013 Fellow
Having the chance to explore Alabama's natural landscapes, the mentorship and peer-critique process within a diverse group of filmmakers, and the networking opportunities the process brought with it gave me such a positive experience with a group of peers whose friendship and work I truly value.
—Rhonda Chan Soo, 2013 Fellow
My favorite part of Southern Exposure was meeting so many amazing people. I had a lot of fun making my film and traveling to some of the many beautiful areas of Alabama. I love what Southern Exposure represents and was honored to be a part of it!
—Mindy Keeley, 2014 Fellow
Maya Estrera (she/her) is a recent graduate from Swarthmore College with a degree in Film & Media Studies and Environmental Studies. Her most recent project, "Ignited", incorporates multi-media cinematography to depict queer existence in nature and was an official select at the Tri-Co Film Festival. She is excited for her two areas of interest to collaborate more in this fellowship and explore the power of film for social and environmental change. Working for a Philly-based freelance photographer, Maya helps to film and photograph events across the city. She has made an assortment of videos, ranging from promotional videos for dance groups to nightclubs to artists. In her free time, she enjoys film photography and being outdoors.
Lily Huffman (she/her) is a documentary filmmaker and science communicator passionate about capturing the stories of resilience, ingenuity, and hope in the realm of environmental conservation. Lily started her career in science communication after receiving a BS in Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master of Environmental Management in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University. However, her passion for visual storytelling led her to pursue a MA in Film and Media Production at American University, which she completed in the summer of 2024. She is passionate about stories focused on environmental, conservation, and sustainability issues that impact communities and resource users, and how those communities are tackling the problems before them to move toward a sustainable future. Through her combination of education and passion, she hopes to bring a unique voice to conservation storytelling to promote community-based action.
Nicholas Hess (he/him) is an award winning wildlife photographer and emerging conservation storyteller and filmmaker specializing in reptiles, amphibians, and the underwater world. His passion for photography and conservation began in 2011 in Southern California where he learned to take photos of snakes and tidepool creatures. He earned a B.S. in Marine Science at Eckerd College in 2025 with minors in Film, Journalism, and Spanish. In alignment with his interdisciplinary education he strives to tell conservation stories through mediums of film, photography, and writing, to speak for the misunderstood, undervalued, and poorly-known species in nature. His studies and work has taken him across Latin America, the South Pacific, Australia, and Southeast Asia in pursuit of revealing the beauty of the weird and wonderful. Now, he seeks opportunities to highlight the challenges of conservation, and celebrate wins, species, places, and people.
Patrick Kirby (he/him) is a passionate filmmaker who finds inspiration in both family life and the natural world around him. With an M.A. in Film and Media Arts from American University, Patrick crafts visual narratives that connect with audiences on a deeply human level. Whether he’s exploring environmental issues, translating complex science, or documenting the experiences of veterans, Patrick is always looking for the people behind the story. He believes the heart of every project lies in the individuals at its center and he uses his skills to help them tell their stories with authenticity and impact.
His filmmaking journey has taken him across diverse landscapes and important causes, creating environmental stories for the National Park Service, making science accessible for the Environmental Protection Agency, and capturing veterans’ voices at the VA, and highlighting Soldier Stories with the Army both stateside and deployed.
Drawing from his own background as a veteran, Patrick brings a unique perspective and a deep respect for the people he documents. He’s particularly passionate about using documentary film to explore the relationship between people and their environment, finding the emotional core that resonates with viewers and inspires connection and change.
Erika E. Wade, a writer, producer, and actor from Birmingham, Alabama, is committed to fostering diversity in the arts. She published her poetry book eyestodewhurld as a teenager and has headlined Off-Broadway in New York City, in Los Angeles festivals, and other stages and screens across the country. An MFA graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, Erika was deemed one of the top 22 playwrights in the nation by the 2016 Kennedy Center MFA Playwright’s Workshop. She is the founder of Glenda’s Baby Productions, a Southeast EMMY award-winning voice actress, and Workshop Consultant for PEN America programs in Birmingham.
Erika is our special Poet and Filmmaking Fellow for 2025. She is joining Southern Exposure as part of the Alabama Poetry Delegation, a partnership between Alabama Poetry Laureate Ashley M. Jones, and the Alabama Writers Forum. It is supported by the Academy of American Poets and the Mellon Foundation.