In this episode, Hilliard and actor/writer/activist Dalila Ali Rajah sit down for a fun conversation with writer/activists Katie Mathewson & Y. Shireen Razack to talk about their amazing journey up the rung as TV writers and their activism on (TTIE) and diversity committees at the WGAW!

KATIE MATHEWSON

Katie Mathewson is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning screenwriter/producer who has been working with her writing partner, Tanner Bean, for over a decade. The duo got their start on Fox’s PITCH, but since then, their credits have included Marvel Studios’ HAWKEYE, Amazon’s JURY DUTY, and Showtime’s DEXTER prequel. Katie and Tanner are currently Co-Executive Producers on Season 2 of DEXTER: RESURRECTION. 

Katie’s passion for LGBTQ+ activism and DEIA has led her to work with the Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity (TTIE). She previously served as Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Writers Committee, during which time she co-founded the Rainbow Pages – an independent database of queer WGA writers – and helped secure better healthcare coverage for transgender Guild members.

THINK TANK INCLUSION & EQUITY (TTIE) & HOROWITZ RESEARCH RELEASE BEHIND THE SCENES: THE STATE OF INCLUSION & EQUITY IN TV WRITING 2025 REPORT

Y. SHIREEN RAZACK

Shireen is a South Asian, Trinidadian, Canadian, Muslim-American drama writerwith an affinity for science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural stories steeped in social justice allegory. Born in Canada, mostly raised in Texas, and a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Shireen started her professional life with a career in advertising that took her from Texas to New York, then ultimately to Los Angeles, where she came to pursue her dream of writing for television. She is an alum of the CBS Writers Mentoring Program and now has over fifteen years of TV writing experience in multiple genres, including sci-fi/fantasy/supernatural, YA, and both medical and cop procedurals. Most recently, she was a Co-Executive Producer on Vampire Academy for Peacock.

Shireen is also a co-founder and co-chair of Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity (TTIE), a member of the Board of Directors for the Writers Guild Foundation, a Writers Guild of America West mentor, and a black belt in San Soo Kung Fu.

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@dalilaalirajah

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