Hey, I'm Lila!
I'm a writer. I just wrote a book (Some Kids Left Behind, Apollo Publishers). Beyond that, my writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, New York Daily News, New York Post, Huffington Post, Bustle, Pasadena Weekly, and other outlets. I have years of experience analyzing and editing TV and film scripts, book-to-film projects, and treatments.
I'm a producer. I've worked in film and television production and development for fifteen years. Until 2015 I was a creative executive for Morningside Entertainment, comedian Jerrod Carmichael's production pod at 20th Century Fox and worked TV projects, stand up specials, and features including “Rel” (FOX), “Ramy” (HULU), "Drew Michael" (HBO), and “The Carmichael Show” (NBC). Prior to that I served as a senior member of United Talent Agency’s Story Department and spent ten years working in commercial production as a Coordinator and Production Manager hiring crews, working with vendors, and managing logistics on commercial shoots for major brands including Verizon, Dodge, Target, Kmart, Virgin America, Mattel, Best Buy, and Discovery. I'm currently a founding partner and the head of development for Statement Films, a company specializing in projects written and directed by African women.
I'm a healthcare advocate. I'm the founder of StuyHealth, an advocacy group representing former students who were in lower Manhattan during 9/11 and the resulting cleanup. In June 2019, I testified before the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the estimated three hundred thousand NYC community members eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and in December 2019 I was awarded New York City’s Bronze Medallion, New York City’s highest civic honor, for my role in the Zadroga Act renewal efforts. Under my direction, StuyHealth has received a wealth of media from local, national, and international outlets, including the New York Times, The Economist, CBS, Fox, and NBC. I was a 2020 Fellow with the Equality California Institute Leadership Academy.
I drive an old yellow beetle. Look, I don't know what to tell you. I'm impractical.