Jami Ramberan | Howard Profiles

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Faculty

Jami Ramberan, MFA ( She, Her)

Associate Professor

jami.ramberan@Howard.edu

https://www.jamiramberan.com

Department/Office

Media, Journalism, Film & Communication

School/College

School of Communications

Biography

Jami Ramberan is an Emmy and International Awardwinning filmmaker whose work blends imagination with social impact. A lifelong artist, she grew up playing five musical instruments and watching films daily, experiences that shaped her passion for storytelling across mediums.

She holds an MA in Media Studies from The New School and an MFA in Film from Howard University. For more than a decade, she has written and directed films, music videos, commercials, and branded content. Her projects have screened at festivals worldwide, aired on networks including The CW and MTV, and streamed on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video. Jami has also directed visual campaigns for brands including Maker's Mark and Courvoisier.

Her works include Vote and My Asian (Never Felt American), projects that continue her commitment to visually dynamic storytelling grounded in themes of identity, culture, civic engagement, and social consciousness. Through her films, Jami explores the ways personal experiences intersect with larger cultural and political conversations while centering authentic and underrepresented voices.

Beyond filmmaking, Jami is deeply committed to mentorship and pipeline-building initiatives that create pathways for emerging creatives in entertainment and media. Through her work at Howard and collaborations with students and industry professionals, she continues to champion opportunities that bridge education, artistry, and professional development.

Jami sees filmmaking as both an artistic pursuit and a tool for change, creating stories that are visually striking, emotionally resonant, and culturally relevant.

Education

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A)

Film Production
Howard University
2014

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Media Studies
The New School
2008

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

English
Seton Hall University
2005

Expertise

Film Production

Narrative filmmaking (shorts, features, series)
Music videos, branded content, and experimental formats
Directing, producing, development, and visual language
Festival positioning, grants, and industry pipelines

Academics

Undergraduate Courses

Howard Entertainment Capstone

Unscripted Series Production

Producing for TV and New Media

Producing for TV and Film

Intro to Media Production

Film and TV Thesis T

V and Film Practicum

Scriptwriting

Film Directing

TV Directing and Lab

Basic Television and Film

Advanced Television Production

Graduate Courses

Production, Distribution & Exhibition

Independent Study

Film Practicum

Film History

Film Theory and Criticism

Research

Specialty

Caribbean diaspora, African American women narratives, multiculturalism, social justice, education, technology, African American music, and environmental studies.

Funding

2018 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Artist Fellowship. 3 months. ($2000)

2018 Waterhouse Family Institute, Women, Equality and Empowerment. One Year ($10,000)

2016 ASHA Foundation, Focus: Intrinsic Motivation through Cultural Interactive Storytelling- Increasing Literacy Skills in young African American Males at risk for or experiencing language and literacy delays. One Year. ($10,000).

2013 Ford Historically Black College and University Community Challenge Competition Grant at Howard University; partnering with Earth's Natural Force Connections; March ($10,000)

Accomplishments

My Asian (Director and Producer)

"My Asian" is a poetic film, highlighting the horrific miscarriages of justice that Asian-Americans and Asians in America are, and have historically been subjected to: from day-to-day micro-aggressions to actual acts of violence and terror against members of our community.

Outstanding Performance Piece/Experimental Film, Oscar Micheaux Film Festival, 2022

Vote (Director, Executive Producer)

Set in our nation’s capital, "Vote" is a visual call to arms, highlighting the devastating contradictions that so many in America are experiencing right now, and paying homage to the countless individuals that have sacrificed and are sacrificing so that we may have the right to vote, and have our vote count.

Outstanding PSA Single Spot, Emmy Award, 2021
Best of Festival Award, Broadcast Education Association 2020

Everlasting (Writer, Director, Executive Producer); 2020

Short Film. In a world of social media obsession, a tech-savvy boyfriend tries to plan the perfect birthday for his girlfriend in spite of her sister's objections.

Audience Choice Award, Cannes Short Film Festival
Official Selection, Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival
Official Selection, Miami International Sci-Fi Film Festival

Silent Brave (Writer, Director, Producer)

Short film. A female veteran isolates herself in a small town, only to be reminded of a horrific incident that occurred within the ranks and the betrayal that follows.

Best Short Film, Paris Art and Movie Awards
Best Cinematography, Amsterdam Film Festival
Official Selection, Pan African Film Festival of Cannes, Indie Capitol Awards, San Francisco Black Film Festival, Baltimore International Black Film Festival