CEO
Director / Writer / Producer
Elisha is a Puerto Rican that was born and raised in the working-class "Mission" district of San Francisco, California and has been residing in New York City since 1998. In 1992, Elisha graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a dual BA in Ethnic Studies and English, as well as her single subject teaching credential. After years of working on issues of multi-cultural education, youth empowerment, police brutality, anti-isms, the prison industrial complex, immigrant rights, and HIV/AIDS, Elisha received the prestigious Community Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Department of City Planning and a BRICK DO SOMETHING AWARD.
In 2003, Elisha earned her MFA in directing and screenwriting from Columbia University. Her short films CORPORATE DAWGZ and BLIND DATE have screened and garnered awards nationally and internationally. Currently, she is in development with her feature script OUTSIDE THE WALL about a Puerto Rican graffiti artist struggling to be the next Frida Kahlo. OUTSIDE THE WALL garnered many awards, including the 2005 Tribeca-All-Access Award, The Astraea Foundation, National Association of Latino Independent Producers Lab 2004 & 2005, NALIP Writers Lab 2004 & 2006, VOY Picture Lab finalist, Sundance Screenwriting Lab Finalist, Creative Capital finalist and a finalist at the Outfest Screenwriting Competition. Elisha was feature in 2005 as one of HISPANIC MAGAZINE'S, "Emerging Latina Voices in Filmmaking."
Elisha's essay, "Vieques, Puerto Rico: A Baptism By Fire" was featured in the anthology THE FIRE THIS TIME, edited by Viven Labeton and Dawn Martin, Anchor Press, 2004. Her novella a KISS FOR LARES appeared in the JUICY MANGOS anthology (featured in Latina Magazine), edited by Michelle Herrera Mulligan in July of 2007 by Atria Books. Under her pen name, E-Fierce she wrote her debut novel, THE SISTA HOOD: ON THE MIC (the first book in a four part young adult series) now on its second printing, about a multi-racial, all female hip-hop crew, published in July of 2006 by Atria Books an imprint of Simon & Schuster. THE SISTA HOOD: ON THE MIC was recently been optioned and Elisha will write and direct the movie.
She is a Co-Founder and current Board Member of Chica Luna Productions, a community-based organization that supports young women of color in popular media. Elisha has also been a part of the producing team of award-winning short films such as A-Alike (Student Academy Award Gold Medal Winner / DGA East Coast Student Winner), Viernes Girl (HBO), Bad Behavior (Cinequest Best Short), Corporate Dawgz (Student Academy Award Grant Winner) and Blind Date (Angelus Award).
In 2006, she launched Sister/Outsider Entertainment along with her creative partner, Sofia Quintero where they're currently in development with an original television series called SANGRIA STREET and a series of feature films. Elisha's work was recently featured in the Summer 2007 issue of Ms. Magazine, "Harlem to Hollywood" and the August 2007 issue of Colorlines Magazine, "Mujeres Making Movies." Currently, she is writing the second book in her SISTA HOOD series. She is the creative director of the multi-media theater lab called JOTARIA which will premiere at P.S. 122 in June of 2008.
Her professional memberships include the New York Women in Film and Television, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and the Writer's Guild of America East (WGAE). Elisha is a member of the Lavin Agency, a highly selective speakers bureau for artists, activists, academics and celebrities. Elisha is represented by Jennifer Cayea of Avenue 'A' Literary.
Also see:
www.thesistahood.com
www.myspace.com/thesistahood
www.elishamiranda.com
www.otwmovie.com
www.chicaluna.com
