Rideback Rise, a non-profit accelerator focused on developing BIPOC-created film, TV, digital and audio content, launched by Dan Lin’s Rideback, has added to its leadership team, naming film producer Tracey Bing (“Nappily Ever After,” “Southside With You”) as head of content and veteran philanthropy advisor and former Charity: Water executive Sabrina Pourmand as founding executive director.
Launched in July 2022, Rideback Rise is a 501c3 accelerator with a mission to “develop market-ready mainstream film, television, digital and audio entertainment aimed at advancing racial equity.” BIPOC-identifying creators may register to apply to the Rise Fellowship at www.ridebackrise.org beginning on March 15. The first cohort of Rise Fellows is expected to be announced this summer.
Lin, who is the founder of the accelerator and chairs its board of directors, also announced that Andrea Cherng, chief brand officer for Panda Express, has joined the Rise board. Plus, Rise has received a $2 million donation from the Murphy Family Fund, run by internet entrepreneur and Snap co-founder and chief technology officer Bobby Murphy and his wife Kelsey Murphy, as well as a donation from global media company Comcast NBCUniversal.
“We are thrilled that Tracey and Sabrina have joined Rise,” stated Lin announcing the new appointments. “Tracey’s experience as a producer and executive and her eye for creative excellence make her the ideal leader to build the collaborative environment that will support our Rise filmmakers and creators and ensure the viability and saleability of their projects. Sabrina’s vast experience and relationships across the social impact world coupled with her operational expertise will ensure that Rise is on the path to becoming an enduring and meaningful system of change.”
In her new role, Bing will oversee all content operations for Rise, with a focus on the Rise Fellowship, the annual cohort of financially supported BIPOC filmmakers, writers and creative entrepreneurs that makes up the core of the Rise initiative. She will also be responsible for the selection of the fellows — five in the first cohort, with a plan to expand in subsequent years — as well as managing the development of their projects and guiding them to market.
Bing will additionally oversee all curricula, programming and networking events for Fellows, as well as manage the Rise Circle, the community of diverse creators invited to take part in Rise programming and career growth-focused networking events.
“The chance to work with some of industry’s most talented BIPOC writers and directors for the purpose of driving narrative change was one that I could not pass up,” Bing said. I’m excited to join Rise and establish the fellowship as a preeminent opportunity for story tellers to do their best work and make a difference. I’m grateful to Dan and the Rise board for entrusting me with this important role, and I can’t wait to get started.”
As founding executive director, Pourmand will lead all development, fundraising and partnerships for Rise and is responsible for executing on the long term goal of Rise to become a self sustaining non-profit whose ongoing earnings will be channelled into supporting future cohorts of Fellows. Pourmand will additionally be responsible for infrastructure management and will be the chief liaison to the Rise board of directors.
“If there’s one thing that I’ve quickly learned it’s that Dan Lin likes to dream big, and what he has already set in motion for Rise is remarkable and inspiring,” Pourmand said. “I’m excited to build on the incredible momentum of Rise and show our future partners, collaborators and supporters how they can take part in this important initiative to help achieve more racial equity.”
In addition to Bing and Pourmand, Lin also praised Cherng, describing her as “a respected business leader whose executive and social impact experience will be an undeniable asset to our growing Rise Board.” Cherng is the first addition to the board following Rise’s launch in July, joining Lin; Brickson Diamond, partner at Spencer Stuart and founder of The Blackhouse Foundation; Alice Rhee, chief communications & partnerships officer at Skoll Foundation; and Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Take Two Interactive and managing partner at Zelnick Media Capital.
“I’m honored to join the Board of Directors of Rideback Rise and to help guide their important mission to drive narrative change through compelling and popular storytelling,” said Cherng. “I look forward to working closely with Dan and my fellow Board members in helping to build this unique, future-facing institution.”
Finally, Lin shared his immense gratitude to the Murphy family, “whose transformative donation dramatically enhances our growth plans,” as well as Comcast NBCUniversal and their Global Talent Development & Inclusion team for their support and participation. He added: “We hope their involvement opens the door for others across the business world to financially support our Rise mission to drive social change.”
The $2 million donation from the Murphy Family Fund, as well as the donation from Comcast NBCUniversal and GTDI, brings the total raised by Rise to more than $3 million, which surpasses the accelerators first-year fundraising goal of $2 million. Rise launched in July 2022 with more than $1 million donated from leading philanthropic institutions — the Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Zelnick Belzberg Charitable Trust, Doris Duke Foundation and the UTA Foundation.
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