Cultivating Dreams for BIPOC Creatives

Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, has a scarcity of affordable production studios that cater to BIPOC creatives. While the industry has made progress in increasing diversity both in front of and behind the camera in recent years, there is still much work to be done to increase access for underrepresented creators, especially in South Los Angeles. Moon Global Studios is helping to address this disparity by providing an affordable production space for BIPOC creatives to practice their craft and pursue their dreams in music, film, and digital media - right in the community of Inglewood.

Pamela Moon, Founder of Moon Global Studios

Moon Global Studios is a start-up, Black-owned and family-run small business founded by Pamela Moon. Pamela started her 32-year television career in the mailroom of CBS Television City, working her way up to become the only Black woman master control broadcast engineer in satellite transmission.

While at CBS, Pamela also started her own video production company, With Grace Productions, to help organizations in her community create promotional videos.  In 2019, she founded the nonprofit organization, Moon Global Foundation, which fosters opportunities for youth and adults in the media and arts. In 2021, she founded Moon Global Studios, adding a physical space in her community that offers an editing suite, recording studio, and live streaming room for film shoots and photography needs. 

Moon Global Studios is a recipient of LISC LA’s Asset Building for Communities of Color (ABC) program. Emerging businesses operating in comminities of color face limited funding options and a lower likelihood of securing full financial support compared to communities with above average incomes. With support from Wells Fargo, ABC is investing in small businesses which serve low-to-moderate income communities across LA County through flexible capital and technical assistance to help them grow, maintain and create jobs, and build wealth. 

Pamela used the capital she received from ABC to purchase equipment and technology to make the studio fully operational. She is also expanding and diversifying their services, bringing them additional revenue. Pamela is making leasehold improvements in order to use the space as an art gallery and affordable gathering space for screenings, readings, or receptions for industry professionals and the community. With the one-on-one technical assistance that she has received from the ABC program, she has been able to focus on her target market and the number of new clients needed to meet her projected goals.

“The investment from ABC has increased my studio's value in the industry tremendously! Top-of-the-line edit equipment is something most small and newly opened studio spaces either can’t afford or take years to acquire,” said Pamela. “Not to mention our client base does not have to travel outside of their community to access top-notch equipment to obtain their creative goals.” 

Pamela has been involved in several organizations that aim to improve the quality of life in her community, including serving on the 10th District Women’s Steering Committee, the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute, and for the last ten years, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission Board. As a Commissioner representing the Second District, she recognized the inequities faced by smaller organizations in accessing county funds and grants, sparking her passion for advocating for and implementing equity measures.

You can learn more about ABC by visiting  www.liscla-abc.org.