The NYWIFT fall membership drive is almost over. So, it’s a perfect time to check in with new member Imoya Monroque and find out why she joined NYWIFT.
Imoya, would you tell us a bit about your acting career?
I am a member of SAG/AFTRA and have appeared in several national commercials and TV shows and pilots, such as Ugly Betty and Law & Order. I’ve worked on a number of feature films too—most recently, Protocon, Stranger in Paradise, and Can a Song Save Your Life. I also do some modeling and have been featured in several US and international magazines, including Essence.
What motivated you to join NYWIFT?
In 2011, I wrote a marketing plan to take my acting career to the next level. I realized that being a union member was not enough for me. This is a lonely career, and I wanted to be part of a creative group of people who were writers, directors, and producers to collaborate with and learn from.
I heard about NYWIFT from a friend who had attended some workshops and told me about the tremendous opportunity for networking with women working in the business.
You joined NYWIFT as a Gold Member. Why did you choose that membership level?
At a screening of Nigerian films in 2013, I met a NYWIFT board member who explained that for just a few dollars more monthly, I could be become a Gold Member. This level would entitle me to attend most events at no cost, unlike basic membership. I think this is a bargain.
What do you hope to get out of your involvement with the NYWIFT community?
Joining NYWIFT has been one of the most important career decisions I have made lately. I have access to new information, and I love attending the workshops and screenings, and the new connections I have made. The members are welcoming, and some of the people I have met have even invited me to participate in their projects.
Join NYWIFT by Wednesday (December 4, 2013) and get 50% off the initiation fee (usually $135, reduced to $67.50). Already a member? Encourage your friends and colleagues to join. The member who refers the most applicants during the drive will receive 5 free raffle tickets at the Muse Awards this year.
Maura Kelly serves on NYWIFT’s Board of Directors as the Vice President of Membership and Committee Chair.
nywift
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Sen-I Yu
Welcome to NYWIFT, Sen-I Yu! Sen-I Yu is a New York-based, award-winning filmmaker originally from Taiwan. Her feature directorial debut My Heavenly City garnered international recognition, including a NETPAC Award nomination at the 43rd Hawaii International Film Festival, Best Picture and IndiePix Vision Award at the 2025 Winter Film Festival, among others. The film secured worldwide theatrical distribution in 2023 throughout Taiwan, Hong Kong, with limited releases in North America and the UK. The Guardian called it a “fresh, thoughtful take on immigrant experience, Sen-I Yu’s sympathetic and humane film traces three loosely woven stories of people dealing with loneliness in New York City…” In our interview, she discusses her debut feature, how her immigrant experience influences her creative process, and the types of stories that inspire her.
READ MOREMeet The NYWIFT Member: Melody Tally
Melody is a multi-hyphenate artist, award-winning actress, screenwriter, filmmaker and engineer. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and her Masters in Business Administration at Trinity Washington University. She studied acting and directing with Vera Katz and Haile Gerima at Howard University and can be seen on Tubi, Netflix, and Amazon Prime in acclaimed films including Residue and Silent Brave. Melody told us about balancing her multidisciplinary skills, how her engineering background influences her approach to artistic and creative projects, including a math book and limited series.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Jamie Kiernan O’Brien
Welcome to NYWIFT, Jamie Kiernan O’Brien! Jamie is a filmmaker based in New York City and a current M.F.A. candidate at New York University’s Graduate Film program. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., she began her career as an actor before shifting her focus behind the camera. Jamie’s films have screened at Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Wicked Queer Boston, and TRANSlations Film Festival in Seattle. She loves highly stylized work that plays with and subverts genre, having made films inspired by horror, screwball comedy, erotic thriller, and melodrama. Her debut short film, an adaptation of The Yellow Wallpaper (in which she also stars), won several awards in the festival circuit and premiered at TRANSlations Film Festival in Seattle in 2022. Her most recent short, Egg, debuted at Wicked Queer in Boston, and went on to screen at Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival and World Pride DC. She received her B.A. in English Literature from New York University. Jamie is an openly trans woman. In our interview, Jamie discusses her transition from acting to directing, recent projects, and the filmmakers who have inspired her work!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Rudaba Zehra Nasir
Welcome to NYWIFT, Rudaba Zehra Nasir! Rudaba is a Pakistani-American, conservatory-trained actress, writer, and singer as well as a humanitarian and life coach based in Manhattan. She is currently producing her solo show Halal-ish which is about her journey from Pakistan to America to find love. On screen, she has starred in award-winning films The Foreign Patriot and The Train I’m On, and was a series regular in Kabhi Na Kabhi (Someday) on Hum TV. Her New York theater credits include sold-out, Off-Off Broadway shows such as Novecento (Paradise Factory Theater), Arsinoe IV (Chain Theatre), Talk of the Town (The Players), and Measure For Measure (Resident Acting Company). Rudaba spoke to us about how she uses art to cultivate connection, finding her voice as an actor, and her humanitarian initiatives.
READ MORE
