Cablefax The Magazine October 2022 - 61

Amira Lewally
Supervising Producer Programming
A&E Network and A&E IndieFilms
Lewally has produced more than 300 hours of long-form
content for A&E Network and A&E IndieFilms, including
recent hit " Secrets of Playboy, " exposing the dark side of
Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire. It almost didn't happen.
She was set to take an SEO job in Austin after college,
but decided to submit a script to a graduate program just
for fun. " When I was accepted, I took that as a sign to
chase my dream of creating television, " she says. Seeing
the success of actress, writer, producer Issa Rae helped
Lewally believe a career in entertainment was possible for
her. " Issa Rae's career expands what we're told we can do
in the industry. It is so easy to be put into a box of what
you're allowed to do and create. No one can put a limit
on the kind of career that you want for yourself, " she says.
Lewally is not afraid to ask the tough questions-something
routinely on display in the podcast " The Table is
Ours, " which she co-created, co-produces and co-hosts.
Each episode has Black people in every industry, including
entertainment, sports, politics, culture, discuss theme
challenging the Black community. Guests have included
Questlove, Stacey Abrams and Kelly Rowland. Lewally
also pushes her employer in DEI. She helped to create a
comprehensive playbook and developed new and more
inclusive standards for content, creators, and executives.
Kendall Trammell
Senior Producer, Weekend
Digital Programming
CNN
As a senior producer, Trammell leads weekend programming
for CNN.com and helps set the news priorities for
the day. She's a pro at collaborating to develop stories that
give audiences context on a wide range of topics. One of
her mentors is S. Mitra Kalita, who served as SVP, Digital
Programming for CNN and is the cofounder/CEO of URL
Media. " Throughout everything she's doing, she's striving
for excellence, reminding everyone to remember our roots
and consistently finding ways to uplift underrepresented
voices, " says Trammell, who uses her platform to elevate
other young journalists of color. She is co-piloting an internal
program where digital programming producers can
share knowledge with peers. Trammell believes things are
changing, noting that she's beginning to see more young
people like herself in positions typically held by employees
with more experience. " Diversity in age is just as important
as diversity in race, gender, sexuality and culture, " she
says. " Younger people in senior meetings allow another
group of voices the opportunity to challenge the direction
of the organization and push for more innovation. We don't
just want flexible work environments that prioritize our
wellness. But we want leadership that is empathetic to our
needs to do the work in front of us.
CablefaxDiversity.com
October 2022
61
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Cablefax The Magazine October 2022

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