The Writers Guild Foundation, in partnership with Storyline Partners, hosts a virtual panel delving into contemporary experiences and depictions of systems facing and opportunity youth in film and television.
Systems facing youth are those affected by the child welfare, juvenile justice, and/or homeless systems, while opportunity youth are individuals who are or have previously been disconnected from school and work. Featuring research from UCLA's Center for Scholars and Storytellers, the panel will explore creating authentic narratives that this vulnerable population encounters while avoiding harmful stereotypes.
Panelists include:
Aaron Covington - Creed
Sarah Lampert - Ginny & Georgia
Shukree Tilghman - This Is Us
Moderated by Dr. Yalda T. Uhls (Founder, Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA).
Panel starts at 5PM Pacific Time.
RSVP for free or with a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds benefit the Writers Guild Foundation’s future panels and events, community programs, and Library & Archive. After signing up, you’ll receive information on how to access the Zoom panel.
Questions? Feel free to reach out to us at events@wgfoundation.org.
In Partnership With
About the Panelists
Aaron Covington co-wrote the film Creed. He’s worked in comcis, writing for Marvel, in video games writing and directing NBA2K17 and for television with the hit NBC sitcom Grand Crew. He has an MFA from USC in film production and a BA from The Ohio State University.
Sarah Lampert is the visionary creator, EP, and co-showrunner behind Netflix mega-hit series Ginny & Georgia, which has become one of the most-watched series in the history of Netflix and is currently in its fourth season.
With a unique ability to tap into the hard-to-reach YA audience, Sarah has connected with millions of fans who have embraced the show for its honest and relatable portrayal of teen life, complex family relationships, and mental health struggles. Ginny & Georgia has appeared in Netflix’s Top 10 in 88 countries. The highly anticipated third season premiered on June 5, 2025 at No.1 and becoming the most-watched Netflix title that week with 17.6 million views in the first four days.
Sarah was named a BAFTA Breakthrough talent and was featured on the 2017 Young and Hungry List. She is currently developing another original series at Netflix.
Shukree Hassan Tilghman began his writing career on the USA drama series SATISFACTION, then on the CW series The VAMPIRE DIARIES, before becoming a writer and producer on the hit NBC series THIS IS US, where he earned an Emmy Nomination for Best Drama Series. He was a writer and Co-Executive Producer of the TNT drama series ANIMAL KINGDOM, and Executive Producer of the MGM+ series EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK, starring Forest Whitaker, and recently Co-Executive Producer on Peacock drama series BEL AIR.
In addition, Shukree has written pilots at NBC, ABC, HBO, HULU, HBO MAX, and APPLE.
Shukree received a B.F.A. in Film and Television from New York University and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from Columbia University.
About the Moderator
Dr. Yalda T. Uhls is the founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA, which is the only youth-centered organization to bridge the gap between social science research and media creation to help storytellers better reflect the lives of adolescents. She is an internationally recognized research scientist, educator, author, and expert on the science of media and adolescent development. Dr. Uhls’ career bridges the worlds of entertainment and psychological research. She was a movie executive at MGM and Sony who earned an MBA and Ph.D. from UCLA.