Maya Roseman may live and work in Los Angeles now, but her story begins right here in Spokane.
“Born and raised,” she said proudly. “Spokane is the hometown.”
She credits her parents and grandparents for grounding her in Black history and culture. Her childhood home, she recalls, was deeply Afrocentric. “We were taught the history, saw the pictures and videos, and got taken to all the events – whether we wanted to or not.”
Community gatherings like the African American graduation and the longstanding Juneteenth celebrations at Liberty Park left a lasting impression. Youth programs like Xinos and Kudos, along with the Saturday Academy at East Central Community Center, offered structure, mentorship, and cultural grounding. These community pillars, she reflects, helped shepherd Black youth from adolescence into adulthood.
When Roseman left Spokane to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., she was following a dream seeded early in her life: to work in entertainment.
“I didn’t necessarily know what or how, but entertainment was always the goal,” she said.
Her eyes had always been set on Los Angeles. But it wasn’t until she landed at the Mecca of HBCUs that she began to understand just how wide the world could be.
Graduating from Lewis and Clark High School in 2002, Roseman found that Howard exposed her to a powerful spectrum of Black identity – students from across the diaspora, from Jamaica to Ghana to Haiti – each bringing with them a strong pride in their heritage.
“There was this strong sense of cultural connection,” she said. “It made me want to explore more, to travel and learn.”
Howard also challenged her sense of identity and accomplishment.
“In Spokane, I stood out,” she said. “At Howard, I entered a large pool of people all doing great things.”
She remembers how being surrounded by her peers reminded her just how capable and driven she really was.
After earning her degree in television and film production at Howard, Roseman went on to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Producing at UCLA. It was a step not just toward another degree but toward a new life in Los Angeles – the heart of the entertainment industry. There, she found her niche in post-production, specifically on the finishing side of the business, where trailers and final edits come together before public release.
“I’m the last stop before a project hits theaters or goes online,” she explained.
For nearly eight years, Roseman worked with major studios, helping guide projects through color correction, sound design, and final delivery. Her portfolio includes work on Marvel properties like She-Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Thunderbolts, as well as trailers for Into the Spider-Verse, The American Society of Magical Negroes, and Back to Black, the upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic. When asked where she draws inspiration in the industry, Maya points to screenwriter and director Gina Prince-Bythewood.
“I don’t think she could ever make a bad movie,” she said.
“People often don’t realize how many jobs there are in entertainment beyond acting or directing,” she said. “There’s a whole world – from IT to accounting to labor.” She emphasizes that it’s important for young people to know those opportunities exist.
Grad school, she added, opened her eyes to the business side of the film industry.
“Film schools don’t always teach you how to sell what you make,” she said. “They don’t talk about staying power, the corporate side, or jobs outside directing and acting.”
As a Black woman navigating a predominantly white and male industry, Roseman has learned to balance authenticity with adaptability.
“In the words of Nike, I just do it,” she said. “The space will be the space, and I choose to be in it.”
While she acknowledges that code-switching is often necessary, she doesn’t let it define her. “I am who I am. Get on my page or get off.”
Now, she’s stepping into a new chapter – working with a company that integrates AI tools into creative storytelling.
“The industry is changing,” she explained. “I want to be part of where it’s headed – not just where it’s been.”
“AI won’t destroy creativity,” she added. “There will always be a human element. But it’s changing the game, and it’s creating new opportunities.”
To young creatives, Roseman offers this advice: “Your future is not defined by your circumstances. Be open to learning. Have a good heart. Build a sense of self so strong that it can survive any space.” She continued, “You can’t just stay in your circle. You’ve got to expand. Sometimes that means showing up alone, finding your people, and building new circles. That’s what I did.”
Despite having lived nearly 20 years in Los Angeles, Roseman still carries Spokane with her.
“I have a love and appreciation for Spokane. It’s part of my makeup. The people I grew up with – my elders, my peers – they were amazing,” she said.
She sees herself as part of a larger continuum – one where the elders once created safe spaces for Black youth, and now, it’s her generation’s turn to pick up the torch.