ABOUT KAMALA
KAMALA LOPEZ
Kamala, a Yale University graduate in Philosophy and Theatre Studies, formed production company Heroica Films in 1995 with the mission to write, direct and produce media for women, about women and utilizing women both in front and behind the camera.
Kamala’s work on behalf of women and girls has received consistent National recognition.
She is the recipient of the 2011 Woman of Courage Award from the National Women's Political Caucus.
In 2012 Women’s eNews named her one of the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century.
The Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors and the Women’s Commission named her 2015 Woman of the Year (Arts/Media).
In 2016, the State of California awarded her the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Advocacy and Entertainment
The national civil rights group Equal Rights Advocates named her Champion of Justice (2016)
The City of West Hollywood gave her the Women in Leadership Award (2019)
She received the inaugural YaleWomen Impact Award for Excellence (2019)
In 2023, the City of West Hollywood awarded her with a proclamation for her important work around gender justice and equality.
Her feature film debut “A Single Woman” about the life of first US Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin won the 2009 Exceptional Merit in Media Award from the National Women’s Political Caucus.
In 2016, her follow-up feature, the documentary Equal Means Equal, won Best U.S. Documentary (Audience Award) at Michael Moore’s TCF Festival and was a New York Times Critics’ Pick. The film was the catalyst behind a national civil rights movement resulting in the ratification of the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: The Equal Rights Amendment.
Equal Means Equal was released in the summer of 2016 and began to be used by activists across the country in community screenings, house parties and online to reinvigorate the fight to complete ERA ratification. In March of 2017, after over thirty-five years of inaction, the Equal Rights Amendment was ratified in Nevada. Then in March of 2018, Illinois ratified and on January 27th of 2020, Virginia became the 38th and final state necessary and the ERA was ratified after close to a century of struggle.
Kamala has been the Keynote or Featured Speaker in venues as disparate as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery, the United Nations, The National Arts Club, at the YaleWomen Global Conference and Stanford Law School.
Kamala has appeared as herself on multiple television, radio and cable networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, BBC, CNN, PBS, Telemundo, Univision, NPR, KPFK, WBAI, KIIS and many more.
Senator Russ Feingold
“Kamala is a dynamic, potentially historic figure in the long struggle for women’s rights in this country.
I want to emphasize how confident I am that Kamala would be a hit as a speaker for many audiences. She has a fabulous story to tell how a Hollywood actress became motivated to spend many years fighting for this long overdue change. She can effectively answer legal and practical questions from some of the smartest law students in the country (one signed on right after class). More importantly, for this purpose, however, she explains the great need for the ERA with a moving and dramatic portrayal of the plight of low- income working women struggling with the gender inequities that exist on our society. Her beautiful articulation is coupled with humor and some "tough talk" reflecting her understanding of the grass-roots reality of the problem. I believe many audiences would find her compelling at many levels.”
KAMALA QUICK FACTS
Kamala Lopez is an award-winning filmmaker, actress and Yale graduate born in New York City to an Indian mother and a Venezuelan father.
In 2016, her follow-up feature, the documentary Equal Means Equal, won Best U.S. Documentary (Audience Award) at Michael Moore’s TCF Festival and was a New York Times Critics’ Pick.
She has served on the Board of Directors of Young Artists United as well as the Jury and Advisory Board of The Women’s International Film and TV Showcase
Her feature film debut “A Single Woman” about the life of first US Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin won the 2009 Exceptional Merit in Media Award from the National Women’s Political Caucus.
Kamala is a fellow of Film Independents Director’s Lab as well as their Writer’s Lab.
She is the recipient of the 2011 Woman of Courage Award from the National Women's Political Caucus