Fitting In and Letting Go: Women Discuss Finding Their Place
Round Table 1 part 2: Diana Abousaleh, Samantha K Henderson, Gabriela Lagarda & Emily Manthei
Show Notes:
Welcome back to “The Slow Dive”! In today's episode, "Community Round Table Part 2 -Fitting In and Letting Go: Women Discuss Finding Their Place," host Farida Rafique brings together an incredible group of women—Berlin-based writer/Director Emily Manthei, Los Angeles-based Award-Winning Producer/Director Samantha K Henderson, Award-Winning Writer/ Educator/ Filmmaker Diana Abousaleh, and Gabriela Lagarda, Director in Creative Marketing and Board Member at the San Fernando Valley Children's Refugee Center.
In this episode, we're getting real and diving into candid conversations about finding your place in different communities and embracing who you are. We delve deep into societal responsibilities, questioning when and how to intervene in various situations, whether dealing with global issues or personal relationships.
Our conversation builds on the idea of creating open and inclusive spaces for dialogue and the significance of breaking out of our social silos to foster diversity and inclusion.
Get comfy, grab your favorite drink, and dive into this inspiring discussion. You won't want to miss this one.
Takeaways:
- Navigating New Life Stages and Fitting into Different Social Circles
- Being Authentic and Accepting Oneself
- Diversity and Exclusivity in Communities
- The significance of healthy conflict resolution
- Communication and Accountability in Female Communities
- Feeling Out of Place
- Intervening in Different Situations
- Various Forms of Bullying
- Compassion Fatigue and Global Events
- Global Citizenship and Hope for the Future
Music Credit: Artist: Sero Song Title: DIVE
About our Guests:
Diana Abousaleh - Award-Winning Writer/ Educator/ Filmmaker
Diana Abousaleh is a Syrian-Venezuelan independent writer, filmmaker, mental health advocate, and educator rooted in Texas. With a deep-seated passion for elevating diverse voices, particularly those from the MENA/SWANA region, Diana curates a monthly newsletter, "Screenwriting &," to amplify these unique perspectives. Grounded in her love for sci-fi drama and narratives exploring multicultural themes, she crafts stories that resonate on personal and universal levels. Her talents have been recognized and cultivated through esteemed programs like New York's Cinephilia Productions, Stowe Story Labs, and the Mosalsalat Screenwriters Lab of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan. For Diana, storytelling is more than just a medium—it's a tool for illuminating the intricacies of the human experience. Whether peering into the depths of the interior self or casting a fresh perspective on the exterior world, she loves the transformative potential of narrative exploration. Diana's expertise extends beyond her creations, as she lends her insights in script consulting to prestigious festivals and production companies such as Eclectic Pictures, Televisa USA, and the BlueCat Competition. Her recent involvement with the Emmy-nominated indie web series "WASHED" underscores her commitment to nurturing compelling storytelling.
Social Links: @darolina, @screenwritingand
Samantha K Henderson - Producer/Director
A highly skilled Freelance Producer and the vibrant host of the Creative Seat podcast, known for her exceptional talent in creating captivating visual and auditory experiences. With a lifelong passion for storytelling and over a decade of experience in the film and TV industry, Samantha has carved a niche for herself in editing and producing high-quality content across various mediums.
Social Links: @samendrea @thecreativeseat
Gabriela Lagarda - Director, Creative Marketing
Gabriela Lagarda was born in Sonora, Mexico, and she completed her studies in marketing at the University of Sonora in 2011. She came to the United States in 2014 to study Music Business at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood. She currently works at the film company Participant as a Director of Creative Marketing. She has experience in project management, creating marketing/sales materials like a/v and print, leading teams of creatives, digital, social media, etc. On the side, Gabriela is a volunteer and recent board member for the San Fernando Valley Refugee Children Center in the Public Relations/Marketing Committee. She has a strong passion and commitment to helping the community in any way she can. In her free time, she enjoys taking dance lessons and spending time with her husband and pitbull mix, Brownie.
Social Links:
www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielalagarda www.instagram.com/gabslagarda/
Raise awareness and donations to support the https://www.refugeechildrencenter.org/
Emily Manthei - Writer/Director
Emily is an American-born, Berlin-based filmmaker, journalist, and art director whose stories explore cultural intersections and overlapping identities. Her writing on subcultures, travel, and theology appears in publications like The Daily Beast, Pipe Wrench, and Thrillist. Her first feature film, a retro-coming-of-age-caper called Berlin Loop, is currently in post-production.
Social Links:
IG @filmsbyemilymanthei on IG; TikTok and IG @berlin_loop_film ; emilymanthei.com
