Lena Waithe Joins The Fire This Time Festival New Works Lab; 8th Cycle Playwrights Revealed

Emmy award-winning writer, actor, and producer Lena Waithe (“The Chi,” “Queen & Slim,” “Them,” “Master of None”) has joined The Fire This Time Festival as a Creative Consultant for their New Works Lab. Her involvement marks a significant step forward in their mission to nurture emerging talent and develop innovative new projects. TFTT also revealed the artists who were selected for Cycle 8th of New Works Lab: Yasmin Godo, Brooklynn Fields, and Desiree “Dez” Davis.  

For Cycle 8, TFTT has expanded the pool of participants to allow artists new to writing for the stage to develop full-length plays. This expansion has a twofold mission for cycle 8 participants: encourage more writers to experience the artistic freedom the stage offers and allow the writers to explore bold ideas and tell the truth in ways that might be limited in other media.

In 2015 The Fire This Time established The Fire This Time Writers’ Group with the mission to provide TFTT alumni and writers from the TFTT community the opportunity to develop new work in a nurturing, supportive and communal environment. In 2017, the initiative was renamed the New Works Lab. From its inception to the present, the lab has been co-directed by award-winning playwright and educator Cynthia Grace Robinson (“The Black Pearl,” “Letters From Loretta,” “Freedom Summer,” “When Night Falls”) and A.J. Muhammad (Dramaturg, Producer and Literary Manager with TFTT.)  The Lab’s eighth cycle began in November and meets monthly through July 2026.

Since its launch, over twenty playwrights have developed work in the New Works Lab including Kendra Augustin, Ngozi Anyanwu, Melda Beaty, France-Luce Benson, Kim Brockington, Tyrell Bennett, Christine Jean Chambers, Edgar Chisholm, Adrienne Dawes, Danielle Davenport, Rachel Herron, Khalil Kain, Jay Mazyck, Maia Matsushita, Liz Morgan, Shawn Nabors, Deneen Reynolds-Knott, T.R. Riggins, Marcus Scott, James Anthony Tyler, William Watkins, Shamar S. White, Mars Wolfe, and Antu Yacob.

Cycle 8 Writers

Desiree “Dez” Davis

is an accomplished writer and director with a BFA in Film and Television. Based in Los Angeles, Dez has honed her craft through hands-on filmmaking, developing a body of work recognized for its emotional depth, grounded character work, and innovative storytelling. Her latest short film, “Imagine You,” explores themes of self-reflection and psychological tension, while her upcoming project “Spaceships” expands her signature voice into a high-stakes, character-driven story about escape, identity, and the emotional weight of unresolved trauma. Both films showcase her ability to craft intimate, immersive worlds that resonate deeply with underrepresented communities.Throughout her career, Dez has collaborated with major tech companies, including Microsoft and Amazon, producing high-quality partner stories, conducting impactful interviews, and shaping narrative-driven video content. She also worked as a Junior Producer on EPK and behind-the-scenes content for Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures, gaining first hand feature-film set experience and strengthening her ability to bridge creative vision with production execution. Inspired by trailblazers like Lena Waithe, Ava DuVernay and Issa Rae, Dez aims to create thought-provoking, inclusive work that challenges assumptions and elevates the human experience. She is dedicated to building stories, and worlds that encourage honesty, curiosity, and deeper emotional understanding.

Brooklynn Fields

is a writer and motivational speaker devoted to story and helping people. As a child, if Brooklynn wasn’t on the basketball court or softball field, they were writing poetry or glued to a television screen. In 2019 they left their New York job, cashed out their 401(k), moved cross-country, and built a business to sustain their craft. They trained with Jen Grisanti and after countless hours of studying, writing and MasterClasses, they worked their way into their first writing cohort. Brooklynn landed a production assistant role on Netflix’s “FOREVER,” working for Mara Brock Akil. In 2024 Brooklynn produced two shorts, one accepted into multiple film festivals, and their pilot, “A Man’s World,” ranked in Coverfly’s top 9% for over 9 months. Brooklynn writes dramedies about healing, identity, and radical authenticity—stories that spark brave conversations.

Yasmin Godo