Maria’s Bio

From the moment Maria stepped behind the camera filming televised church services as a child, she knew her calling was in storytelling. Growing up in Richmond, VA, the daughter of a sharecropper turned serial entrepreneur, Maria became drawn to Southern folklore and the political complexities of living in the capital of the Confederacy. As a political junkie and history fan, Maria knew film and television could capture the oral traditions and stories she heard in her formative years. Her work is heavily influenced by her varied background - she's the youngest girl of thirteen, raised in a multi-faith house -- Islam and Christianity, and graduated from college at nineteen.

Attracted to social justice and international diplomacy, Maria moved to Barcelona, Spain, after undergraduate studies at Emerson College to earn a Master's in Global Communications from Blanquerna (Ramon Llull University). Returning to America, her professional journey as a writer and producer began in New York at Paramount (MTV, VH1, Comedy Central), producing branded content for Hollywood's biggest award shows. Chasing her hunger for social advocacy, she left for Los Angeles to refine her skill set and learn the studio business.

Maria got her break in television writing on Disney/ National Geographic's Genius: MLK/X, a fictional retelling of the formative years, accomplishments, and dueling philosophies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Her independent films, "Maternity" and "Separated" have been screened both nationally and overseas. Currently, she's on an unannounced period drama on Amazon Prime.

Maria holds a Bachelor's in Political Communications: Politics, Leadership, and Social Advocacy from Emerson College and a Master's in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California's Peter Stark Producing Program within the School for Cinematic Arts. When Maria's not behind the camera, she juggles entertaining her daughter and chasing after her golden retriever mix. Her favorite pastime is talking smack about sports — from the NBA, Track and Field, or NFL, you name it, she has a strong opinion.