PRODUCER
María Fernanda’s care and stewardship of this production was truly masterful.
— Executive Client at the Park Avenue Armory
María Fernanda (she/hers) is an inter/national producer and programmer who partners with performing arts centers, national literary initiatives, museums, public libraries, bookstores, and more to support their programming and cultural landscapes.
Specializing as a creative producer for the performing arts, María Fernanda’s expertise is in producing venue-wide live productions (3k+ attendees), commissioning new work, dispatch, developing residencies for both individuals and groups (70+), and extensive artist contract management. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened her research in virtual stages and producing multi-day events on various platforms.
Producer credits include: Assistant Producer, Soundtrack of America (Quincy Jones, Maureen Mahon, Jon Batiste, Steve McQueen); Producer, Jacqueline and Jason’s Block Party! (Jacqueline Woodson), Production Asst Misc. (Patti LuPone; André 3000; Common; Black Thought); Company Manager, Reach Opening Festival, (Sister Nancy, more).
María Fernanda is the founder of Black Producers Network (est. 2021), a collective that builds preparatory and responsive resources for independent producers across the globe, including Los Angeles, New York, Monrovia (Liberia ), Accra (Ghana), and more. New season of offerings debuts in 2026.
“María Fernanda’s kindness and calm disposition was so well appreciated.”
— Senior Client & Photographer
María Fernanda produced Jacqueline Woodson and Jason Moran’s venue-wide Jacqueline & Jason’s Block Party!
COMMISSIONS, selected
Assistant Producer of Soundtrack of America, led by Quincy Jones, Maureen Mahon, Jon Batiste, and Steve McQueen
(Virtual) Programs Manager of CONTINUOUS REPLAY, led by Bill T. Jones and Janet Wong of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Assistant Producer of POWERPLAY, led by Nona Hendryx, Carrie Mae Weems, and LATASHÁ
(Hybrid) Programs Manager of Repertory Conversations with A.I.M. with Kyle Abraham, Tamisha Guy, and Jae Neal
Producer and Assistant Manager of Jacqueline and Jason’s Block Party! with Jacqueline Woodson
Company Manager at The Reach Opening Festival, including Sister Nancy, Angelique Kidjo, Kronos Quartet, and more.
(Hybrid) Producer of Salon: Captcha: Dancing, Data, Liberation led by Rashaad Newsome, Saidiya V. Hartman, Kiyan Williams, Aimee Meredith Cox, and Tavia Nyong’o, with quantum interpolations from Arthur Jafa (The Black Technologies of Emergency) and Ruha Benjamin
Contract Manager and/or VISA processing for touring artists, such as Mavis Staples, Angelique Kidjo, Maurizo Pollini, Irma Thomas, Boston Pops, TAO, Berliner Philharmoniker, and other artists
Production Assistant for touring artists, such as Patti LuPone, André 3000, Common, Black Thought, Norah Jones, D-Nice, Machel Montano, Bebe Winans, PJ Morton, and other artists
Producer of Archer Aymes Retrospective: A Juneteenth Exhibition, led by Carl Hancock Rux, Dianne Smith, Aaron Diehl, and Alicia Hall Moran
Producer of Queer Hip Hop Cypher led by Krudxs Cubensi and Shanté Paradigm Smalls
Producer of Bloom led by Nao Bustamante
(Virtual) Producer of multi-day CantoMundo Digital Fellowship Retreat, with a creative lecture by LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs
Assistant Producer of DIS OBEY, with a creative lecture by Boots Riley
(Hybrid) Programs Manager of Beyond Series: Bassem Youssef in collaboration with Pomegranate Arts
Assistant Producer of Maze, led by Reggie ‘Regg Roc’ Gray, Kaneza Schaal, and ft. Eisa Davis
(Virtual) Programs Manager of Holiday Sauce...Pandemic!, led by Taylor Mac and Machine Dazzle in collaboration with Miss Devina Ross
(Virtual) Programs Manager of American Dreams led by Leila Buck and Tamilla Woodard
Producer of Living in My Skin, led by Yelaine Rodriguez with Fabiola Jean-Louis, Tasha Dougé, and more
(Virtual) Programs Manager of The Local, in collaboration with Samuel J. Peña and student collaborator Maia Gomez
(Virtual) Programs Manager of gather, in collaboration with Christine Anglin and student collaborator Maia Gomez
(Virtual) Programs Manager of Each Measure, in collaboration with student collaborator Maia Gomez
Producer of A Multilingual Reading, in collaboration with peer student Zoe Moore
And more.
“María Fernanda’s care and stewardship of this production was truly masterful.”
— Executive Client at the Park Avenue Armory
María Fernanda produced Archer Aymes Retrospective: A Juneteenth Exhibition, led by Carl Hancock Rux and Dianne Smith.
TESTIMONIALS FROM ARTISTS
Pictured: Inaugural DIS OBEY artists with Producer and Curriculum Specialist. Left to Right: Najee Omar, María Fernanda (Producer), Thiahera Nurse, Jason P. Smith, Kameelah Janan Rasheed (Curriculum Specialist), and Kearah Armonie
“I’m thankful for everything you did for me, my life was really going through so many difficult growing changes […]. I was offered a recording deal back in October and […] now I’m full immersed in building my business and I’m making beats—it’s a whole thing.”
— Artist, 2nd Year DIS OBEY artist
“I’m just really proud of the work Nova, Gabe, and I created. And I want to say thank you. This was all new to me. But you believed in me and my work. And that has brought me here to this place and this moment. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and in connection to my purpose.”
— Artist, 2nd Year DIS OBEY artist
VOLUNTEER
As an adult accomplice,* María Fernanda offers mentorship and guidance to youth-led collaboratives and collectives in Washington (D.C.), New York City, and Phoenix, including,
Brave New Voices 2024 │Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, New York City Writing│Creative and Independent Producer Alliance’s Emerging Producer Fellowship│ASU Black Artists and Designers Association│ASU Boss Up│DC Youth Slam Grand Slam Finals│E. L. Haynes Public Charter│DC SCORES│Parkmont Poetry Festival│Politics & Prose’s Pier Reads for Young Writers (series named by María Fernanda; selected and approved by several youth poets including the DC Youth Poet Laureate)
*In social activism, an adult accomplice is defined by YWCA as someone who assists young people in creating a space of inclusion, equity, and safety for all, often at the risk of their own social and/or professional standing and physical well-being.
YOUTH COMMISSIONS
María Fernanda also programs and produces artist residency programs for young people.
High school — She co-launched a free writing, performance and civic engagement multi-year program, which led to young people learning about the process of commissioning their own youth work. She is now building a youth touring program for DC’s Parkmont Poetry Festival for the 20 high school winners of the annual contest.
Middle school — She managed a two-week literary camp encompassing field trip visits, guest speaker talks, workshops, celebrations and other activities. She is now building a youth touring program for DC’s Parkmont Poetry Festival for the 20 middle school winners of the annual contest. She secured program-generating collaborations with DCPS, DPR, and more.
Primary and Secondary school — She managed a free three-year dance activism program on-site, based in New York City.
Considering unique partnerships, María Fernanda engaged and collaborated with NYCHA community centers and New York City Public Schools (primary, elementary, and high schools) to offer on-site programming in multi-purpose spaces, classrooms, auditoriums, gyms, dance studios, and more. Partners have included,
Academy for Young Writers│Performing Arts and Technology School │Urban Assembly School for Collaborative Healthcare │ El Puente at Independence Towers│Benjamin Banneker Academy │Hudson Guild Community Center│Southern Queens Park Association Cornerstone│South Jamaica Development (NYCHA) │Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement – Ravenswood │August Martin High School (Beacon) │Brooklyn Frontiers High School │El Puente at Independence Towers│Fort Greene Young Minds COMPASS Program│Frederick Douglass Academy III│George Westinghouse Jr. High School of Career and Technical Education│Landmark High School│Ocean Bay Cornerstone (Beacon) Community Center│PS 007 Samuel Stern│PS30 Hernandez Hughes│Teachers Preparatory High School│SONYC Union Settlement School of the Arts, Collaboration, and Technology│The Ralph Bunche School PS 125 via Boys & Girls Club of Harlem │West Brighton Cornerstone Community Center│Ingersoll Community Center│and more
PREVIEW
Preview select commissions that María Fernanda worked on, below.
SOCIAL
