Forever Founder. It’s a title that resonates deeply with me as I reflect on the incredible journey of BAYCAT over the past 20 years. As I prepare to step down as Executive Co-Director, this milestone isn’t about stepping away—it’s about stepping forward, into a new role that honors my enduring love for this community and my lifelong commitment to its mission, vision, and values.
When I founded BAYCAT, I dreamed of reclaiming and reimagining the narratives about communities like mine—stories that too often marginalized or erased us.
Now, two decades later, I am filled with awe and gratitude for what we’ve built together: a vibrant, resilient community of intersectional storytellers of color, amplifying voices and advancing justice through media.
This transition isn’t just about me—it’s about paving the way for BAYCAT to flourish for the next 20 years and beyond. It’s about making room for the next generation of leaders, reaffirming the strength of our north star, and sustaining the legacy we’ve built together.
Making Space for the Next Generation Leadership
True leadership is about creating opportunities for others to lead. At the heart of our commitment to expanding leadership has always been our community. As I step back from day-to-day operations, I do so with unwavering confidence in BAYCAT’s mission and in the next generation of leaders who are guiding us into the future.
I am especially proud to work alongside Laura Gomez-Mesquita, BAYCAT’s Executive Co-Director! Since joining the team in 2022, Laura has brought a powerful combination of deep expertise and lived experiences in media production and education, and an unwavering commitment to equity. Her dedication to uplifting voices and creating pathways for BIPOC storytellers makes her the ideal leader to guide BAYCAT into its next seasons.
Joining Laura is an extraordinary leadership team with a collective 85+ years of experience in people operations, education, community engagement, creative production, and equity-focused storytelling—a team that has been carefully and thoughtfully prepared for this transition over time. Their leadership will foster innovative pathways in media, sustaining and strengthening BAYCAT’s mission, and building on our 20-year legacy to propel us into an even brighter future. We are excited to roll out a more streamlined model of BAYCAT Academy and BAYCAT Studio that integrates education and production to connect the next generation of creatives with innovative, antiracist career pathway experiences in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape.
I am also deeply grateful for our engaged and supportive Board of Directors, led by Co-Chairs, Eric Pearson and Marianne Wilman, Secretary, Jason Robinson and Treasurer, Charles Patton. This passionate and visionary group has been instrumental in shaping BAYCAT’s success, and their steadfast belief in our mission and mentorship have given me the confidence to embrace this transformative moment of transition.
Together, this united leadership team—Board, Laura and the staff alike—is paving the way toward our north star for a future where BAYCAT’s storytellers thrive and our mission continues to inspire lasting systemic change.
The Strength of Our North Star
BAYCAT’s mission, vision, and values have always been our guiding compass:
Mission: Providing education and opportunities for economic advancement for intersectional storytellers of color in film and media arts.
Vision: A world where inclusive and equitable communities access the power of media to center experiences and voices of intersectional BIPOC storytellers.
Core Values: Antiracism, community, learning, and accountability guide us as we dismantle systemic inequities and empower creatives to tell their stories and change the world.
As we launch into the next seasons of BAYCAT, we reaffirm our commitment to our north star in a changing industry: becoming the premier antiracist creative career pathway. As new technologies like AI reshape the media landscape and aspiring media makers build careers in an industry that is morphing daily, who tells the story matters more than ever. For the next 20 years, my hope is that BAYCAT will continue to ensure that BIPOC creatives are equipped to shape the narratives – not be erased by them.
Sustaining Our Legacy: Founders Legacy Circle
To ensure BAYCAT’s sustainability and impact for decades to come, I’m proud to introduce the Founders Legacy Circle. This initiative will help nurture new leadership, expand opportunities for intersectional storytellers, and build on BAYCAT’s rich library of digital assets. It reflects our shared commitment to creating a lasting foundation for the future while honoring the 20 years of storytelling that brought us here. I look forward to sharing more about this exciting endeavor in early 2025 and will be inviting you to help frame the next seasons of BAYCAT’s story as we continue to empower storytellers to change the world.
Forever Founder
Although I will be stepping down as Executive Co-Director, BAYCAT will always be my family. As Forever Founder, I will continue to be a champion and ambassador for our mission, celebrating your successes and amplifying your stories. I’ll remain through the first quarter of 2025 to support strategic partnerships and to ensure that everyone who has been part of BAYCAT’s journey—youth, alumni, mentors, partners, funders, and supporters—is included in shaping the next 20 seasons of BAYCAT’s story. During this time, I hope to personally connect with as many members of our community as possible, so I won’t be a total stranger!
To everyone who has shaped BAYCAT over the past 20 years, a deep heartfelt THANK YOU. Your belief in our work has made everything possible. I encourage you to reach out and to stay in touch with me, our Board, Laura, the leadership team and staff.
As 2024 comes to a close, I also invite you to celebrate our 20 years of impact by making an end of year contribution here. Together, we’ve proven that storytelling has the power to change the world, and together, we’ll keep building, creating, and transforming for years to come.
With love and gratitude,
Villy Wang
Forever Founder, BAYCAT
