Jana Smith

Jana Naomi Smith (she/her) is a Gary, Indiana-bred, writer, filmmaker, and cultural worker. She is the creator, writer, and director behind the Tribeca Film Festival award-winning audio drama Red for Revolution. Previously, Jana wrote the podcast Built to Last for American Express, hosted by Elaine Welteroth and featuring Issa Rae and Kimberly Drew. Additionally, she is the creator of the abolitionist meditation series Relax, Relate, Release, and the author of the essay "What Would I Say To My Daughter If She Is Assaulted?". Throughout her career, Jana has worked for the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, HBO, CBS, ABC, and POV Film. She is an alum of Ryan Murphy’s “Half Initiative” and a recipient of the Ida B. Wells Disrupting the Master Narrative Screenwriting Award for her film, Baptême. Jana holds a BA in Film Studies from Sarah Lawrence College and has gained a wealth of experience teaching a variety of filmmaking courses to youth ages 5–24 all across New York state. Through all of her film and teaching work, she strives to reflect the truth of our time while encouraging audiences to re-imagine our collective power for radical love and compassion.