Cast & Crew Bios

CAST: WINGS WOMEN

BRITTANY

Star & Cinematographer

Brittany Backmon joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2007 while a student at the historic Dunbar Middle School. She graduated from

EdmondsonWestside High School in 2011. The mother of two beautiful sons, Brittany lives in Baltimore County and is earning her Bachelor’s

degree from Morgan State University in Community Health Nursing. After her time with the ‘Wings’ program, Brittany believes that we can all

give advice to each other and that we should not fear judgment nor hold back how we really feel. Brittany says, “As sisters, we can guide each

other through troubles and through happiness.” She has told her sons they can come to talk to her about anything. This is the type of openness

and communication she wants to see in the world.

BRIEANNA

Star & Cinematographer

Brienna Brown joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2007 as a 7th grader at Dunbar Middle School. Presently, she is focusing on strengthening her relationship with God and raising her new baby girl. While she is an aspiring business owner, she also has future plans of completing college and potentially joining the U.S. Army. Brienna hopes that other people can learn there is a lot more to Baltimore City than they might think, including a lot of love, support, and good people. She believes the ‘Wings’ film will bring a new perspective to light.

CAMI

Star & Cinematographer

Cami McCrief is a mom, wife, hard worker, and a student. After her time with ‘Wings’, Cami wants to tell other women to open-up and uplift each other. Cami says,” Growing up as a Black young woman in Baltimore there were all kinds of statistics placed on us before we even had the legal right to make our own decisions. You were either a drop-out, pregnant or on drugs. Having ‘Wings’ in my life after losing my mom brought light back to the mission she set out for me. There is so much in this world that I would love to see change but most importantly, I just want us to love one another.”

DANISHA

Star, Cinematographer & Songstress

Danisha Harris is a multifaceted artist and storyteller residing in the Seattle, WA area by way of Baltimore, MD. Two of her original songs are showcased in ‘Anatomy of Wings’. Danisha started life as a writer and avid reader, later developing a love of theatre and the arts in general. Co-founder and leading lady of indie music collective, No Idol Music, she weaves her musical gifts and storytelling abilities into neo-soul magic under the stage name TWIYA (The World Is Yours Always). She also supports community development through her grassroots group, The Afro Collab. Connecting with and uplifting people, encouraging them to reach their fullest potential is what she strives for. Working in the Human Services and Education fields has given her another way to achieve that goal. Through her music and activism, she hopes to create spaces where people can be their authentic selves and break free of any barriers that society might place upon them. Currently, she is finishing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and hopes to go to Law school. She would like to spread the ‘Wings’ message of radical acceptance and inspire all people to speak their truth and validate others.

MARQUISE

Star & Cinematographer

Marquise Weems joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2007 while in the sixth grade at the historic Dunbar Middle School. The youngest member of the ‘Wings’ Collective, she graduated from the Carver Vocational-Technical High School in 2013. The mother of beautiful twins, Marquise is a gifted hairstylist and service provider at the University of Maryland Medical Center where she loves to lend a supportive ear and heart to patients who want to share their personal stories. Marquise has worked with both community-based photography and filmmaking projects. She feels that ‘Wings’ was her Film School and that such programs need to continue in Baltimore City.

QUANDRA

Star & Cinematographer

Quandra Jones joined the Wings program in 2009 and graduated from Dunbar High School in 2012. She lives in Baltimore City and is earning her associate’s degree from Baltimore City Community College in General Studies. When asked to describe what she learned as a cinematographer and mentee of the Wings program, she said she learned to “accept the people that genuinely want to help you….they keep pushing you and lift you up when you are down.” She enjoys spending time with her family and takes pride in being a strong source of support for her children.

QUANISHA

Star & Cinematographer

Quanisha Carmichael joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2010 while attending The REACH! Partnership School, a public charter high school operated by Civic Works, a Baltimore nonprofit affiliated with AmeriCorps. Quanisha began her medical assistant studies at the former Sojourner–Douglass College, a Baltimore based private college organized around Afrocentric focus and study. At Sojourner–Douglass Quanisha flourished as both student and administrative assistant. Currently, Quanisha is furthering her education in medical assistance. In her spare time, she loves to workout at her favorite gym, make healthy smoothies and salads, and advocate for wellness.

SHEILA

Star & Cinematographer

Sheila Butler joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2007 while attending Dunbar Middle School and then graduated from Dunbar High School in 2012. Sheila loves writing metaphoric poems and giving her readers different ideas to think about. In 2013, Sheila became a proud mother to her son Avonte. They travel every chance they get. Sheila wants to always create a safe and productive place for her son where he will know his possibilities are endless. Sheila wants everyone to see the world for its possibilities and to accept the help of others while also giving back to the community. Sheila says, “Every voice matters! ‘Wings’ taught me that we are never alone and we don’t necessarily need to be birth-family-related to help each other grow. Never be afraid to express yourself. We have to listen to one another and stand together when we are faced with personal and societal challenges. A lot of people think the person you call a mentor has to be a certain type of person. A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. So anyone that you feel helps to motivate you and push you to do better can be a mentor.”

TESHAVIONNA

Star & Cinematographer

Tazz Mitchell is living in Baltimore Maryland, continuing the legacy of ‘Wings’ mentorship through her activities in a community marching band. Tazz experiences the marching world not as competitive, but as a fun, respectful community. Tazz loves coming together with her marching community for practices, parades, and fundraisers. She also loves spending time with family, especially watching her niece and nephew grow up. Dining out for sushi with friends is also at the top of her list. Currently, Tazz is a manager in a restaurant and has been baking for over a decade with her Nana. She is now also looking into writing recipes for vegetarian and gluten-free connoisseurs and plans to open her own business. She dreams of traveling to other countries such as Madrid to gather culinary ideas. Tazz’s advice to young women growing up today is to cherish every moment and to love everyone that loves you.

TYWANA

Star & Cinematographer

Tywana Reid joined the ‘Wings’ program in 2010 while she attended Frederick Douglass High School. She is now a supervising service manager at Chipotle with 15 employees under her direction and believes that creativity can bring peace and beauty to counterbalance the harshness of the world. For Tywana, the ‘Wings’ program helped her to understand that she, like so many women, has “obstacles to overcome.” Remaining true to herself is her goal and her favorite activities are singing and dancing.

CO-DIRECTORS & CO-PRODUCERS

KIRSTEN

Co-Director, Co-Producer

Kirsten D’Andrea Hollander is a full-time professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), where she currently directs the MFA Filmmaking program. Equipped with an undergraduate degree in Painting from MICA in 1988, she turned to documentary filmmaking after receiving an MFA in Imaging and Digital Arts from UMBC in 1997. Having taught in higher education for 22 years, Hollander has witnessed its profound contributions as well as its devastating shortcomings regarding inclusivity, identity, and financial support for students from underserved circumstances. After making short documentaries to support innovative curriculum in Baltimore’s public-school system, Hollander explored how the camcorder can be a collaborative tool to bear witness. In 2008 she launched the ‘Wings Video Skills After School Program for Girls’ and the recently completed ‘Anatomy of Wings’ feature-length documentary. In 2011 Hollander was selected for an Independent Filmmaker Project Fellowship to launch her first feature-length documentary, ‘Us, Naked: Trixie & Monkey’, which premiered with the DOC NYC film festival in 2014. In 2015, ‘Us, Naked: Trixie & Monkey’ received Best International Feature Length Documentary at the Netherland’s DOCfeed Film Festival and Best Feature Length Documentary at New York’s Coney Island Film Festival. The film went into international distribution with Random Media/The Orchard in 2017. Hollander lives in Baltimore City with her husband, son, and two silly dogs.

Nikiea

Co-Director, Co-Producer

Nikiea Redmond received her Bachelors in Corporate Communication from the The University of Baltimore in 2011. Growing up in East Baltimore Redmond became a mentor to the youth coming-of-age around her. Redmond has assisted with filming, documenting, and editing historical footage of legendary East Baltimore artists, politicians, and community activists since the age of 14. Being a child in Baltimore’s impoverished neighborhoods, researching the history of slavery in her family, traveling with Freedom Schools focused on teaching African history – and working professionally in the public-school system has provided Redmond with the experience to tell the ‘Anatomy of Wings’ story with a direct understanding of societal makeups and the human rights she wishes to see in the world. Additionally, Redmond serves as a liaison bringing together political organizations, community groups, and stakeholders in East Baltimore. The Afro-American Newspaper presented Redmond with the ‘Sam Lacy Award for Youth Leadership’ in 2004. She is also a 2015 recipient of the ‘Black Wall Street Journal Award’ for her work in Baltimore City.

WINGS MENTORS

Jane Cottis

Segment Producer

Jane Cottis is currently a mentor in the ‘Finding Our Wings' community documentary collective. Within this collaborative group of MICA members and teenage girls from East Baltimore, she has co-produced two short narratives: ‘Cicadas' (2010) and ‘Every One Loves Brienna' (2012). She has been making and screening videos for over 20 years. Her productions include: 30 Days. Biggest Loser? (2009), 20+ years, (2009) It's a Lesbian World After All, part 1(2006), Penny Wegman (2006),) Sororocide (1998), War on Lesbians (1992) and Dry Kisses Only (1990) which have screened nationally and internationally. She has also worked collectively on numerous Paper Tiger Productions. Jane Cottis has continued building relationships with the main campus of MICA and Mica Place in East Baltimore by joining Viewfinders. Viewfinders is a Photography and Entrepreneurship after school mentor program for 13 to 15 year old teenagers at Mica Place. Cottis has begun teaching them basic college level narrative and documentary skills in a continuation of building bridges between the diverse communities of Baltimore. She has been a video instructor for more than two decades teaching at: the Art Institute of Chicago, the California Institute for the Arts, the University of California San Diego, the University of California Irvine, Otis, Hampshire College and currently MICA.

KATA

Assistant Producer, Principle Cinematography, Contributing Editor

Kata Frederick is a shape shifter and a free spirit. He is currently a User Experience Designer thinking about how to empower all humans with the unraveling technologies of the future. Kata has also been a Special Education Teacher for Baltimore City Public Schools, a nerdy library assistant, and a vagabond housekeeper on a tiny Island in the middle of the ocean. For Kata, weekly meetings with the 'Wings' crew was a magical universe of its own, where every person could unleash the power of their truest selves. Kata carries the lessons of 'Wings' everywhere he goes. Kata lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his partner Amy, pup Linus and, extremely hairy cat Siddhartha. is a shape shifter and a free spirit. He is currently a User Experience Designer thinking about how to empower all humans with the unraveling technologies of the future. Kata has also been a Special Education Teacher for Baltimore City Public Schools, a nerdy library assistant, and a vagabond housekeeper on a tiny Island in the middle of the ocean. For Kata, weekly meetings with the 'Wings' crew was a magical universe of its own, where every person could unleash the power of their truest selves. Kata carries the lessons of 'Wings' everywhere he goes. Kata lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his partner Amy, pup Linus and, extremely hairy cat Siddhartha.

CINNAMON

Cinematographer

Cinnamon Triano is a documentary filmmaker currently living and working in Detroit, MI. She received her BFA in Video and Film Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2012. Triano was a cinematographer for ‘Anatomy of Wings’ throughout her undergraduate career and during various visits to Baltimore after her graduation. She remains close to the young women who appear in the documentary. Her thesis film, ‘The Mary Jane Project’, screened internationally at film festivals and museums. Since graduating, she has gone on to work internationally on numerous long-term independent documentaries in Los Angeles, Detroit, the Netherlands, and more. Most recently, she was an Associate Producer for the Netflix Original sports docuseries ‘CHEER’.

CREW & SUPPORTING CAST