WINNERS
2026
WINNING FILMS
Filmmaker: Rita Backes Kozhimannil
“Against the Wind”
White Bear Lake, MN
“Avery & Abi Creating
Better Food Futures”
Filmmakers: Abigail Cooper and Avery Walker
Ravenna, MI
Filmmakers: Ada Grace O’Connor and Jane Mathis Alexander Fettus
“Creating Better Food Futures”
Washington, D.C.
“Changing Food Futures
4 Wheels at a Time”
Filmmaker: Jackson Alexander Brisco
Kennesaw, GA
“Feeding Hope”
Filmmaker: Gabriella Grace Dibrell
San Antonio, TX
Filmmakers: Natalie Goldban, Sammy Goldban and Teddy Kroin
“Food Show”
Scarsdale, NYU
Filmmakers: Brianna Wang and Adrianna Wang
Planting the Seeds of Food Literacy”
Jackson, MS
Filmmaker: Myles Alexander Fredrickson
“Mickey-Don’ts”
Castaic, CA
Filmmakers: Ewura-Adjoa Darkoa Dwumfuoh, Maame-Abena Konadu Dwumfuoh and Nana-Ama Pokua Dwumfuo
“The Divide on Our Plates”
Oakley, CA
Filmmaker: Ike Grace Apata
“The Same Bowl”
Atlanta , GA
Nourishing Narratives will host 2026 winners and their guardians in Metro Detroit for an exclusive celebration at the College of Creative Studies and The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
Celebrating Nourishing Narrative Winners in
Detroit
“Nourishing Narratives reminds us that young people aren’t waiting to impact the future, they’re already shaping it. These filmmakers challenged audiences to think differently about food, community and opportunity. Their stories demonstrate the power of storytelling to spark meaningful change and show that meaningful change isn’t defined by age, but by the courage to share your voice.”
— Skot Welch, Founder and President of Mosaic Film Experience
MEET THE JUDGES
FIRST ROUND
Noah Salaam
Howard University
Kentaro Johnson
Southern Opportunity Foundation
Cady Molloy
Cherry Creek School District
Renae Cairns
Teens for Food Justice
Njeri Jenkins
DC Action
Liz Broussard Red
Center for Mississippi Food Systems
Joshua Courtade
Independant Filmmaker
Rhea Singh
FoodCorps 2018, Whole Foods Market
Chisara Ehiemere
NYU Stern CSB
Virginia Anzengruber
Producer, Screenwriter, Comedian
Mariah Barrera
BreakBarriers
Taylor Hinton
Meadville Area Middle School
Armand Moyer
Video Production
Kerri Vanderhoff
Grand Valley State University
Ellie Brouwers
Ottawa Hills High School
Zach Liniewski
WGVU Public Media
SECOND ROUND
James Lester
Editor
Tamarra Campbell
TMedia Impact Solutions
Katherine Marte
P77K
Tyler Donnelly
P77K
William Petrowitz
P77K
Stephen Ritz
Green Bronx Machine
Morgan Hawkins
2025 Nourishing Narratives Top Ten Winner
Margaret Edwartowski
Detroit YMCA
Ebony Blanding
R:imagine ATL
Leah Gold
2025 Nourishing Narratives Top Ten Winner
Lacey Cornell
Vetri Community Partnership
Mallory Patterson
Wrinkle Creative
Lynn Hughes
Action Youth Media
Valeria Massarelli
Women in Film and Television DC
“This year’s top films demonstrate how youth are building better food futures with creativity and compassion. We applaud Mosaic Film Experience for providing a platform for youth voices, and celebrate all the young filmmakers for sharing stories of community-driven food justice solutions.”
— Alex Amouyel, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation
THIRD ROUND
Crystal FitzSimons
Food Research & Action Center
Ann Dang
Garden School Foundation
Eva Bloomfield
Elevate Prize
Shauna Wilson
The Henry Ford
Valerie Clark
Clark Strategies
Tim Hotchner
Producer/writer
Stephanie Lip
Chef Ann Foundation
Stacy Dean
Carbonell Family, Global Food Institute, The George Washington University
Carlos Rosas
Inspiring Motion
Maralyn O'Brien
Chef Ann Foundation
We're so proud of these young storytellers. They brought incredible creativity and passion to exploring food justice through film. These stories show what happens when young people have the tools and platform they need—they create work that sparks real conversations and drives change.
— Elizabeth Merriman, Programming and Education Manager at Mosaic Film Experience