Jeremy shares how he is the oldest of five siblings and his parents are refugees from Laos. He grew up in Fresno, California; most of his peers were Asian and Hispanic. He notes how in his life, he has not had conversations about racism with his family. He is creating a short film, “Wokman,” which is a love letter to his parents and an act of resistance. He voices the importance of encouraging professionals and people of colour to help amply Asian stories, perspectives, and voices.
Jeremy Thao is a Hmong American screenwriter and director from Atlanta. His top objectives as a filmmaker are to create space and opportunities for underrepresented peoples to explore the world of filmmaking and help bring their stories to the silver screen. Jeremy's filmmaking highlights voices and narratives that have been traditionally overlooked and hopes to encourage others to share their stories as well. His upcoming short film, "Wokman" won the Spring 2021 Film Impact Georgia Filmmaking Grant, which Jeremy's BIPOC and women-led team of indie filmmakers are currently in pre-production for. Production is planned for August 2022 with hopes for a successful film festival circuit in 2023.