Jana Naomi Smith is the writer-director behind the two-time Ambie and Tribeca Film Festival award-winning audio drama, Red for Revolution, a six-part series exploring love and liberation starring Danny Glover, Jennifer Beals, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Vanessa E. Williams and more. Previously, Jana wrote the podcast Built to Last, hosted by Elaine Welteroth and featuring Issa Rae and Kimberly Drew, and is the creator of the meditation series Relax, Relate, Release, featuring insights from Dr. Maya Angelou, Ruby Dee, Dr. Angela Davis and others. In 2024, she launched Relatively Conscious, a multimedia space inspired by the words of James Baldwin, which hosts bi-monthly in-person and virtual events. She is a recipient of the Ida B. Wells Disrupting the Master Narrative Award for her short film Baptême, and is currently participating in the Chicago International Film Festival Lab, bringing to life her debut narrative feature film.
