Allison A. Waite is an award-winning director and cinematographer. She obtained her MFA from USC's School of Cinematic Arts in Film & Television Production with a cinematography concentration as a George Lucas Foundation Scholar. Allison studied cinematography at AFI’s inaugural Women in Cinematography Intensive. She also obtained a B.A. from Hampshire College where she maintained an interdisciplinary major of Film/Video production and Africana Studies. Allison has most recently received recognition such as the DGA Directorial Achievement Award and a Student Academy Award for her film "The Dope Years: The Story of Latasha Harlins." Filmmaking is her activism tool of choice; she aims to give unresolved stories a voice and spark connections within her community.