
This program is for diverse screenwriters with at least one completed original feature or TV pilot who are ready to tackle the marketing aspect of their career! Roadmap defines "diverse" as anyone belonging to a group whose voice has traditionally been marginalized in Hollywood, particularly BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, women over 45, and Disabled writers.
Each month, Roadmap Writers will select up to two writers to participate in Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 of our Career Writer Program. This includes the Pitch Prep Program, Marketing Intensive, Portfolio Polishing, and Manager Track (a $1600 value!). These feedback-driven sessions put writers in immersive and interactive roundtables, giving them a competitive edge in the marketplace while helping them build relationships with as many industry professionals as possible.
Roadmap's monthly Diversity Initiative Competition is always free to enter.
Diversity Initiative Winner: December 2022

Amanda Eberhardt
Amanda, also known as Ace, is a nonbinary and neurodivergent writer whose passion lies in telling immersive, emotive, and inclusive stories, especially dramas featuring strong central femme and queer characters. They firmly believe there is a unique joy to existing across borders, boxes, and binaries and strive to share that glorious liminality through their stories which expose long-forgotten and purposefully erased narratives.
They have attended writing programs at the University of Cambridge, Arcadia University London, UCLA, and Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. In 2016, Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Writing for Film and Television from Emerson College. Their work has placed in Final Draft’s Big Break Competition, ScreenCraft, WeScreenplay, the Austin Film Festival, and the Stowe Story Labs. They currently work as a Writer’s Assistant to Eric Kaplan (YOUNG SHELDON) and as a Writer for WEBTOON. When not writing scripts, Amanda is working on hiking all the US National Parks with their black Labrador, Loki, and writing their first fantasy novel, based on their Czech heritage and Slavic folklore.
Diversity Initiative Winner: December 2022

Bernadett Belinda York
Bernadett Belinda York is a diverse storyteller specializing in complex female narratives, LGBTQ+ representation, and dysfunctional family dynamics. Raised in Chicago, she now resides in Los Angeles and is an award-winning screenwriter, actor, producer, certified script reader, singer-songwriter, author, animal advocate, blissful bride, ardent Stevie Nicks fan, and self-proclaimed "Warrior Princess."
She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, ISA Connect, Film Independent, Stowe Story Labs and has several projects registered with the WGA.
How to Enter
Opens: the 15th of every month
Deadline: the 3rd of the following month
Entry fee: FREE
To apply for this tribute, please submit the following in PDF format:
- A one-page statement that includes your diverse background, highlights your ability to craft a good story, focuses on your screenwriting goals, and demonstrates your ability to be collaborative. In other words, tell us why you would be a valuable and hardworking member of the Career Writer Program!
- A scripted writing sample (feature or TV pilot). Please include your logline, format, and intended audience/home.
Roadmap truly wants the winning recipient to get the most out of the program. For that reason, winners are expected to attend each session and complete all assignments to the fullest of their ability. Writers who fail to complete any assignment or attend any of the classes during the first two weeks of the program will forfeit their spot for the remainder of the program.
View our complete rules and guidelines here.
In Loving Memory
The lack of diversity and representation in Hollywood has been at the forefront of the national conversation for a while now. At Roadmap, we want to do our part to help bring more diversity to the big screen (and the small)! For us, that starts with the screenwriters.
That's why we are proud to sponsor the Roadmap Writers Diversity Initiative Competition!
We launched this tribute in memory of Roadmap Writer Coletta Preacely-Garcia, whose budding career was cut short when she passed suddenly shortly after Roadmap's launch in 2016. Coletta was an extremely hardworking screenwriter who was always working to better her craft—tirelessly writing, rewriting, and taking advantage of every opportunity presented to her to gain skills, make connections, and polish her screenplays.
This tribute highlights diverse writers that embody this same spirit.
Signing & Staffing Success
Past winners of this competition have been signed to representation by Anonymous Content, Rosa Entertainment, APA, First Story Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, Fictional Entity, The Buchwald Agency, and more!
December 2020 winner Lillian Wang was also recently staffed on a show for Netflix!
Eligibility
Writers who have or had representation in the last three months are not eligible for the Diversity Initiative prize.
It's important to us that the writer who receives this prize can truly get the most from it! Therefore, we request that anyone who accepts the prize participate fully in the program. If a writer accepts and misses the introductory classes, they will have to re-apply to the initiative to be considered for another month. Once Pitch Prep has been completed (with FULL participation), writers can continue with the program at their own pace.
Roadmap reserves the right not to to pick a winner from a given month’s applicant pool if we don't find a candidate whose writing and interview skills are ready for the Career Writer Program.
Past Diversity Initiative/Tribute Winners

Coradata McCloud
December 2022

Brit Cowan
December 2022

Tiffani Davis
November 2022

Irene Hernandez & Kelsey McConnell
November 2022

Mark Heath Howard
November 2022

Harrison Hamm
October 2022

Ahyoka Saas
September 2022

Feyza Safoglu
August 2022

Meemee Taylor
July 2022

Kyle Sosa Frederick
June 2022

Rebecca Jordan Smith
May 2022

Toyi Ward
April 2022

Alejandra Gracia
February 2022

Larry Coleman
January 2022

Robert A.
December 2021

Sierra Sanborn
November 2021

Blaine Ross
October 2021

Larry Collins
September 2021

Kathryn Orwig
August 2021

Helen Fernandez
July 2021

Latasha Mercer
June 2021

Vanita Borwankar
May 2021

Jason Coombs
April 2021

Ashley V. Hudson
March 2021 (Co-winner)

Candace Patrick
March 2021 (Co-winner)

John Lowe
February 2021
Signed by The Buchwald Agency

Lore V. Olivera
January 2021

Lyric Fergusson
December 2020

Lillian Wang
November 2020
Signed by Rosa Entertainment
Staffed on Netflix show

Tarik Woodbine
October 2020

Quinton Stroud
September 2020

Jennifer Irons
August 2020

Kayona Ebony Brown
July 2020
Signed by Anonymous Content
Hired to write two featurettes for CBS & nominated for a Sports Emmy

Eljohn Macaranas
May 2020

Lori Beth Crawford
April 2020

Lenna Murisier
March 2020
Signed by Untitled Entertainment

Amena Kheshtchin-Kamel
February 2020 (Co-winner)
Signed by Seth Nagel Management
Signed by The Seymour Agency (from Roadmap Authors)
Landed two writing assignments with the producer of Netflix's RATCHED.

Chloe Samantha-Rose Owens
February 2020 (Co-winner)

Krystal Foster
January 2020

Erica Land
December 2019
Signed by Recon Literary

Monisha Dadlani
November 2019

Christina Jun
October 2019

Ashlei Hardenburg-Cartagena
September 2019
Signed by First Story Entertainment

Craig Winstead
August 2019

Katie Wadsworth
June 2019

Vanar Jaddou
May 2019

Jessica Burnett
April 2019

Aimiende Negbenebor Sela
March 2019 (Co-winner)

D.K. Uzuokwu
March 2019 (Co-winner)

Shawn Parikh
February 2019
Signed by Klasco Entertainment.
He then won the NBCUniversal Writers on the Verge Fellowship.

Ijaaz Noohu
December 2018
Signed with APA

Monique Madrid
November 2018

Amy Wang
October 2018

Jaclyn Chan
August 2018

James Moorer
July 2018
Signed by KDX Entertainment

Harker Jones
June 2018

Felicia Felton
May 2018

Juan Francisco De La Guardia
April 2018

Brian O'Donnell
March 2018

Ziyad Saadi
February 2018
Signed by Fictional Entity

Larry Coleman
January 2018