Lola Mosanya

Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism, Columbia College Chicago - Television Journalism

Born and raised in a diverse pocket of London, I am a journalist and documentary filmmaker sharing stories about identity, language and internet culture. I began my career as a Multimedia Journalist at BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat. My short films like Black Beauty & The Brazilian Butt Lift & Learning My Mother Tongue have attracted large audiences and prompted discussions worldwide on platforms like BBC News, YouTube & Twitter.

I am a graduate of Loughborough University, where in 2016 I completed my B.A. in English and American Studies. As a Fulbright scholar, I’m excited to bring my undergraduate experience full circle. I’ll be able to trade in the American books, films and linguistic studies I came to hold dearly, for American teaching faculty, peers and a vibrant arts and film community in Chicago.

In an age of documentary populated by extraordinary events & multi-million-pound TV deals, I hope to use film school to experiment with innovative ways to continue to tell the ordinary stories. My practice will draw from traditional observational documentaries and new media to expand my portfolio of work depicting seemingly mundane situations in various communities. What is ordinary is different everywhere, and I’m very excited to find my new normal in Chicago.