Biography

Kelly Amis started out teaching in South Central, Los Angeles as a Charter Corps member of Teach for America. What she witnessed there sparked a commitment to race and education equality that has fueled her work as a writer, activist, policy strategist, and now filmmaker, ever since.

Kelly went on to earn a Master's degree in Education Policy from Stanford University, research the Australian education system as a Fulbright Scholar, and serve as a Legislative Aide to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein on Capitol Hill. In Washington, DC, she also served as the first Education Director of Fight for Children, where she designed and implemented a strategy that resulted in more than $850m new federal funds for low-income District of Columbia students, and conceived and developed a new non-profit, Building Hope, which has provided more than 150k students across the nation with beautiful new, high-tech school buildings.

In 2010, Kelly -- who can track her life by the type of camera she's had in hand, starting with her first Kodak Instamatic she begged for as a child -- founded Loudspeaker Films to combine her experience, artistic vision, and strong belief in the power of film to open eyes and make positive change in the world. Loudspeaker's signature project, the TEACHED Short Film Series, candidly examines systemic racism in the United States with a particular focus on the experiences of young students of color, especially African American boys. Its five films, The Path to Prison, The Blame Game, Unchartered Territory, Code Oakland and Think of Calvin, have collectively won 18 film festival awards and screened at venues including the U.S. Dept. of Education, SXSW, and the Atlantic's Inaugural Race and Justice Summit.

Kelly also produces, directs and writes the "On the Loudspeaker" interview series featuring high-profile race and education equality advocates like John Legend, Van Jones, Wendy Kopp and Antonio Villaraigosa, and works on contract for select organizations. She has written, directed, produced ,and edited videos for organizations including the Emerson Collective, SEO Scholars, UCSF School of Medicine, Health Equity International, HealthCorps, the Moriah Fund and other organizations fighting for a more just world. She is a frequent speaker on using film and digital media to promote social justice.

Go to LoudspeakerFilms.com and KellyAmis.com to learn more.
- IMDb mini biography by: Loudspeaker Films