Who's In the Film

Pioneers in Skirts follows three teen girls on a co-ed robotics team facing an upcoming state-wide competition, a new mom fearful her pregnancy news will fault her raise negotiations, and Ashley (our director) who finds herself doubting her aspirations, even though she had been dreaming of this career her entire life.

Focusing on various elements to help make this story relatable, Pioneers in Skirts dives into the Film Industry and the Girls Who Dream Big cultural narrative while also offering People with Experiences and Facts to share and Cultural Moment clips from popular television shows and films – all to build the audience’s empathy necessary for change.

Featured in our “Film Industry” Story

Television icons Joan Darling and Norman Lear as well as several female filmmakers help set the scene for what is happening to ambitious women as they start out in their careers in the film industry.

Joan Darling

Director, Writer, Actor, Sundance Advisor

Norman Lear

Television Producer, Writer

Ashley Maria

Director, Producer, Writer

Mindy Bledsoe

Director, Producer, Writer

Asha Dahya

Producer, Writer

Jess Blaise

Producer, Writer

Bridget Stokes

Director, Producer, Writer

Brea Grant

Director, Writer, Actor

Jenn Duong

Producer, Immersive Storyteller

Featured in our “Girls Who Dream” Story

Teen girls and their fathers & mentors open up about what it is that causes a girl’s ambition to shatter.

Lia Schwinghammer

Executive Director, Queen City Robotics

Madeline Yara

Teen: Robotics Team

Iman von Briesen

Teen: Robotics Team

Sophia Schwinghammer

Teen: Robotics Team

Jake Yara

Madeline's Father

D.I. von briesen

Iman's Father

Jerry Schwinghammer

Sophia's Father

James King

Teacher, Charlotte engineering EC

Shared their experiences & the facts

Industry leaders and topic experts talk about their own experiences as well as give actionable steps that we ALL can take to resolve the many issues that are unique to working women around the globe.