Moonshot Initiative’s ‘Made in NY’ Fellows, in partnership with NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, to pitch to HBO, Netflix, and more

The NYC-based Moonshot Pilot Accelerator fellows were in the top 1% of submissions, vetted by showrunners and series creators

Moonshot Initiative has announced the fellows chosen for the 2026 Moonshot Pilot Accelerator, a program that aims to increase gender equity in television — and thanks to the nonprofit’s first-ever partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), two of the eight scripts are by New York City residents. These exceptional writers were selected out of 991 applicants, putting them in the top 1% of all submissions.

”Film and television production is back in New York City, and we want more New Yorkers to have a real opportunity to be part of it,” said Commissioner Rafael Espinal of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “That’s what programs like the Moonshot Pilot Accelerator are about. Opening doors to the next generation of filmmakers, who are historically left out of the conversation, and giving them the tools and opportunity to tell their own stories. Congratulations to our first-ever ‘Made in NY’ fellows. Their voices represent the future of storytelling in this city, and I can’t wait to see what they create.”

This October, the fellows will have the opportunity to pitch to studios and production companies including HBO; Netflix; ABC; Hulu; Element Pictures; Level Forward; Atlantic Pictures; Yes, Norman Productions; Evotion Media; Fabel Entertainment; and more to be announced.

The eight selected scripts were vetted by Moonshot’s panel of prestigious industry judges, including Marissa Jo Cerar (creator/showrunner, Hulu’s BLACK CAKE), Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz (showrunner, HBO Max’s GORDITA CHRONICLES), Felischa Marye (creator/showrunner BET+’s BIGGER), and more showrunners, TV series creators, and high-level producers.

Multiple “Made in NY” Fellows were named: Julia Ireland (writer, SCRATCHED) of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and writing duo Soo-jin Kim of the Financial District, Manhattan, and Joseph Abruquah of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (writer and co-writer, BURN). In addition to getting to participate in the program and pitch to buyers, the “Made in NY” fellows received professional headshots courtesy of Glacier NYC.

The remaining 2026 fellows and their pilots are: Christina Ingraldi (SORTA RICAN), Minoti Vaishnav (THE SECRET LIFE OF SAMIRA SEN), Anna Suzuki (STRAIGHTEN UP WITH ELLIE MIYAZAWA), Katarina Hughes (THE VENDING MACHINE), Jo Rochelle (MARSHFIELD), and Bre Skye (HOLDING SPACE).

Before pitching, fellows will receive three weeks of intensive training, during which they’ll learn directly from industry insiders, including Rachelle Williams-BenAry, showrunner of RUN THE WORLD; Jasmine Russ, senior vice president, Fabel Entertainment; Samara Bay, speech coach and author of “Permission to Speak”; Quincie Li, literary manager at Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment; and Rebecca Neipris, senior associate at WADR Law. The program will culminate with a week of pitching to studios and production companies that are looking for new material and/or new writers.

Moonshot Pilot Accelerator alumni demonstrate the program’s impact: Kate Torgovnick May sold an audio show to Broadway Video, which she met through Moonshot, and hired fellow alum Alex Friedman into the writers’ room; GG Hawkins premiered I REALLY LOVE MY HUSBAND at SXSW; Vivian Kerr’s pilot SOFT BOIL premiered at Sundance; Danielle Nicki has served as story editor on CHICAGO FIRE; Andrea Shawcross has sold feature screenplays to Tubi, Lifetime and Hallmark; Ama Anane staffed on a Peacock series and sold a short film to Level Forward, which she met through Moonshot; Kenyetta Raelyn staffed on an NBC series; Taylor Henriquez found representation through Anonymous Content during the Accelerator; and Amanda Barnes is pitching a pilot with AMC Studios.

“We’re proud that our alums have gone on to sell projects, get staffed, get development deals, find representation, and more as a direct result of participating in the Moonshot Pilot Accelerator,” Moonshot Initiative executive director Katrina Medoff said. “We’re building real pathways into the industry, and our enormously talented fellows are ready for the opportunities that come their way. We’re so impressed by our 2026 fellows’ unique voices and can’t wait for execs and reps to hear pitches for these worthy projects.”

ABOUT THE MOONSHOT PILOT ACCELERATOR FELLOWS

Read the bios of the 2026 Moonshot Pilot Accelerator fellows here.

ABOUT THE MOONSHOT PILOT ACCELERATOR 

The Moonshot Pilot Accelerator, launched in 2021, is a highly competitive program that gives writers with strong, completed TV pilot scripts direct access to decision-makers in the industry. Fellows receive three weeks of intensive training from industry insiders — including development executives, showrunners, agents, managers, speech coaches, and entertainment lawyers — followed by a week of pitching to studios, production companies, reps, and financiers. Fellows are vetted by a panel of film and TV industry judges. Past partners have included Warner Bros., Showtime, Hulu, Starz, Amazon Studios, NEON, and Broadway Video. Moonshot Initiative was founded in 2017 to promote gender equity behind the camera and on screen. The nonprofit has produced film challenges that have engaged over 1,000 women and gender‑expansive professional filmmakers, as well as networking and education for thousands around the world. Learn more at https://moonshotinitiative.org.

ABOUT THE NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment supports and promotes New York City’s creative industries, including the Made in NY initiative, which connects New York–based talent and productions to industry opportunities. For information on MoME and Made in NY, visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/mome

The “Made in NY” fellows received professional headshots courtesy of Glacier NYC.