In this episode of OWC RADiO, host Cirina Catania, talks with Writer/Producer and activist, Deborah Calla. Deborah is CEO and Chair of the Media Access Awards (MAA), which she producers with Allan Rucker. The MAA is one of Hollywood's major awards events originally created by Norman Lear and Fern Field, honoring people in the entertainment industry who advance the portrayal and employment of people with disabilities. 

In 2018, the MAA entered into a partnership with Easterseals of Southern California, the oldest US organization fighting for the rights and education of people with disabilities.

Deborah is the founder of Calla Productions, an international company working in the US and abroad to produce and develop feature films, television programming, commercial campaigns, web content and social activism.

Deborah and Cirina met years ago when Deborah served as the chair of the Producers Guild of America Diversity Committee (from 2004 to 2018). It was the Producer's Guild mandate to create programs that would educate, promote and provide opportunities for diverse talent including the very successful Producers Guild of America Diversity Masters Workshop.

She is also the Brazil Chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.  In that capacity, Deborah lectures, creates workshops and presentations on gender equality, and the foundation's work.

Deborah is the producer/writer of "Chicano Artists" (HBO Latino), "2019 Media Access Awards" (KNEKT TV), "2018 Media Access Awards" (KNEKT TV),  "A Beautiful Life" (Showtime), "You Got Served: Beat the World" (Sony), "Romeo & Juliet Redux" (Freeform),  "Stolen Loves" (Globo series adaptation for the US market),  "Carnival in Rio" (Travel Channel),  "Lost Zweig" (TV Cultura), "Dream House" (Paramount) among others. She is also a published author.

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In This Episode

00:13 - Cirina introduces Deborah Calla, CEO and Chair of the Media Access Awards (MAA), and the founder of Calla Productions, an international company working to produce and develop feature films, television programming, commercial campaigns, web content, and social activism. 08:06 - Deborah talks about the 2019 Media Access Awards, and shares the winner of the Media Access Awards Visionary Award, the creator of The Good Doctor, David Shore.16:55 - Deborah tells the story of growing up in Brazil and starting her career in New York.. 22:31 - When and where to watch the 2020 Media Access Awards.31:22 - Visit Deborah Calla’s website, callaproductions.com, to check out her work. And visit Media Access Awards’s social media accounts and website, mediaaccessawards.com, to stay updated.

Jump to Links and Resources

Transcript

This is Cirina Catania with OWC Radio. I have a dear friend and longtime associate on several guild committees, Deborah Calla, on the line. She's a writer, producer, and CEO of the very well respected Media Access Awards. Deb, thank you, I know you are swamped right now, but I appreciate you coming on the show. We have a lot to talk to people about.

Yes, we do. Thank you for having me on.

I'm laughing because I'm just really picturing what your days are like right now. Let's talk about the Media Access Awards and tell people who might not know what they are and when you started them.

Well, actually, the Media Access Awards started In 1979, with Norman Lear and Fern Field,