As an avid lover of visual images, my passion for capturing images has stimulated my senses to document live activism & urban landscapes. My career began in 2000 when I won my first prize for my black and white photography of my two son's image at Monroe Community College. Graduating in Visual Communications in 2000 from MCC, I continued my black and white photography passion at the University of Buffalo where I was part of a mixed media exhibit entitled "DIASPORA". I graduated in 2002 from UB and received best student documentary award from the Reel Sisters Film Festival in 2001 for my film "25 Years 2 Freedom".
My career accelerated when I finished my thesis film "110 Morningside" featuring Last Poet, Abiodun Oyewole which received a City Vision Best documentary structure award in 2005. I graduated with my M.F.A. from City College of New York in 2005 in Media Arts Production specializing in Directing Documentary.
In 2010 I released "Homicidez" which was given recognition from former Rochester City Mayor, Robert Duffy and was
given a proclamation on May 29th as “Nicholle La Vann Day” for my service to the community in providing a voice to the murdered victims families.
In 2011 my film “Solutionz” received the 2011
PASS AWARD from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD). As an artist of visual culture, I'm interested in the intersection between the digital environment and media social issues. I believe visual expression is a potent site where negative stereotypes can be subverted seductively
and if not provided and alternative image can effect us emotionally. As an activist I'm concerned that the voice of under represented people can be heard and seen beyond narrow representations in
today’s popular culture. As a video artist, I focus on the impact of injustice and youth development while integrating related factors, such as poverty often symptomatic of the inequities found in
education and the justice system. My interest continues to be in the area of facilitating dialogues between people. Which means challenging existing assumptions as well as searching for new ways of addressing current issues. In 2011, I started a campaign to bring conscious thoughts back to our communities by providing free workshops that addressed issues such as police brutality, racism and poverty with the arts.
On May 19th 2013, I brought together two significant people in my life at that time Abiodun Oyewole and Jamal Joseph who were featured in my film along with Dr. Leonard Jeffries. Dune, Jamal and myself were part of a panel to discuss how Malcolm X affected our lives the discussion was entitled "Bringing Consciousness Back" screened my trailer "Living Legendz" to a 400 plus audience. I organized majority of the talent that performed from spoken word with Najmah53 & Rainmaker, film, dance and music by IMPACT.
My new project "Rochesta!" is in pre-production the documentary highlights the case of Daniel Prude the voices of activists, family of victims and concerned citizens that surround the injustices of the City of Rochester Police Department.
My dream would be relocate in the next few years to the caribbean and do a liveaboard on a comfortable sailboat. Currently have a youtube channel entitled
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My goal is to stay focused on my craft of documentary filmmaking. Bringing audiences new material & relevant media that brings change to our environment.