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{{short description|American film director}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Safiya Songhai
| image = Songhai1.jpg
| caption =
| birth_place = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania (U.S. state)|Pennsylvania]]
| yearsactive = [[1999 in film|1999]] - present
| occupation = Film Director, Television Host, Television Producer, Beauty Queen
| URL = www.SafiyaSonghai.com
}}

'''Safiya Songhai''', is an American [[Film Director]], University Professor, Television Anchor/Reporter and [[beauty queen]].

==Biography==

===Family===
Songhai was born in [[Philadelphia]] to Dwight Lamont Hendricks and Tamara Pierce.<ref>[http://main.wgbh.org/ton/programs/7023_01.html 10 O'Clock News | [Nthabiseng Mabuza]]</ref> Songhai's parents met at the Philadelphia International Film Festival and Market, a festival where Songhai would later win her first film award. Her mother came from a prominent Philadelphia family and was the co-creator and host for [[WPVI]]'s show ''Visions'',<ref>[https://6abc.com/archive/5803934/ 6abc.com: Visions 3/27/08]</ref> and later worked at various stations as a camera woman and a news editor for ''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2429953/filmokey Tamara McClinton - Keywords]</ref>

Songhai is the granddaughter of renowned dermatologist [[Dr. Harold E. Pierce]], great-niece of retired federal judge [[Lawrence W. Pierce]], niece of internationally acclaimed artist [[Barkley L. Hendricks]], and cousin of actress model and sportscaster [[Jayne Kennedy]].

Songhai is an African-American descendant of the 300 year old Pierce, Murray, Cuff, Gould settlement located in [[Gouldtown, New Jersey]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/gouldtownveryrem00stew/page/180/mode/2up | title=Gouldtown, a very remarkable settlement of ancient date : Studies of some sturdy examples of the simple life, together with sketches of early colonial history of Cumberland County and southern New Jersey and some early genealogical records | date=1913 }}</ref> and [[Bridgeton, New Jersey]].

She is a descendant of the [[Bamileke people|Bamileke]] of Cameroon and derives from [[Haitians|Haitian]], and [[Barbadians|Bajan]] immigrants. Songhai is also a descendant of the [[Lenape]] and [[Iroquois]] native people of the Delaware Valley.

===Education===
After the age of 7, Songhai was raised in [[Roxbury, Boston|Roxbury, Massachusetts]], and graduated from [[Boston Latin School]].<ref>[http://www.learntoquestion.com/about/latin/quotes/index.html Boston Latin in Quotations since 1635]</ref> Songhai excelled at Public Declamation, Student Government, and writing, and graduated in the top 10% of her class. She was also the President of the African Cultural Society, and a member of the National Honors Society. Songhai was voted most likely to become Head Master due to her immense involvement in her high school. Songhai also founded two awards, the Latin Spirit Scholarship and the Crystal Apple Teacher's Award<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2006/12/15/inez_middleton_64_beloved_boston_latin_teacher/ Inez Middleton, 64, beloved Boston Latin teacher - The Boston Globe]</ref> while she was President of the Student Council.

Songhai was the 1st runner-up to Miss Black USA 2008, representing Massachusetts.<ref>[http://missblackusa.org/Contestants2008.htm Miss Black USA - Scholarship Pageant] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430202224/http://www.missblackusa.org/Contestants2008.htm |date=2008-04-30 }}</ref> Songhai was also a local winner and runner-up in both the District of Columbia and New York state pageants for the Miss America competition.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/us/24pageant.html?pagewanted=print Winners Cite Broken Promises in Pageants - New York Times]</ref> From 2010 - 2012.

===Higher education===
Songhai began her studies at [[Dartmouth College]], concentrating in film, history and creative writing. Later, she transferred to [[Howard University]]<ref>[http://www.filmmaking.net/directory/filmschools/film_schools_details.asp?id=360 filmmaking.net | directory : film schools : Howard University]</ref> where she graduated summa cum laude and became a third-generation legacy of the school. Songhai later completed her [[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]] in Film and Television production from [[New York University]]'s, [[Tisch School of the Arts]] [[Kanbar Institute of Film and Television]].

While an undergraduate, Songhai landed the position of television host at the [[PBS]] affiliate [[WHUT-TV]] in Washington, D.C., and worked at [[WJZ-TV]] in [[Baltimore]] as a producer and announcer for the [[Maryland Lottery]]. She won a student Emmy<ref>[https://archive.today/20110717003152/http://media.www.thehilltoponline.com/media/storage/paper590/news/2002/10/18/Sports/Football.PreGame.Show-300275.shtml Football Pre-Game Show - Sports]</ref> in her final year in college.

==Film career==
{{Infobox person
| name = Safiya Songhai
| image =Safiya_Songhai.jpg
| caption =Safiya Songhai, 2006}}
In 2003, Songhai began her fledgling film production company Mpirefilms.<ref>[http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=i47r08.2.1 TESS - Error]</ref> The first projects were short films, public service announcements<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cablepositive.org/news/6-27-03.html |title=Cable Positive |access-date=2008-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517053637/http://www.cablepositive.org/news/6-27-03.html |archive-date=2008-05-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and even audition tapes for reality show hopefuls. Her first film, ''LadyLike'', received distribution through AltCinema<ref>[http://www.altcinema.com/ladylike.html Shady Bi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103192719/http://www.altcinema.com/ladylike.html |date=2007-11-03 }}</ref> and has been screened internationally.

In 2010, Songhai joined the faculty of Prairie View A&M University as a full-time professor of mass communications. She was nominated by students and faculty for the President's Teacher's Award, and the PV Choice Awards for excellence in teaching.

She is currently an Assistant Professor of Video Production and Immersive Media at University of Nevada, Reno.

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
! width="33" rowspan="2"|Year
! rowspan="2"|Film
! colspan="5"|Credited as
|-
! [[Film director|Dir]].
! [[Screenwriter|Wri]].
! [[Film producer|Prd]].
! [[Actor|Act]].
! Role
|-
| align="center"|2006
|''LadyLike''
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| [[Mother]]
|-
| align="center"|2007
|''In Silent Spaces''
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
|
|
|-
| align="center"|2008
|''The Trial of Charumathi''
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| align="center"|[[Image:Yes check.svg|15px]]
| The Fallen One
|-
|}

===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="5" align="center"|LadyLike<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.altcinema.com/images/films/ladylike/Ladylike.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-07-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320004501/http://www.altcinema.com/images/films/ladylike/Ladylike.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-20 }}</ref>
|-
! width="33"| Year
! width="200"| Festival
! width="100"| Result
! width="100"| Award
! width="200"| Category
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| All-American Film Festival <ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.allamericanfilmfestival.com/2008%20Film%20Selections.html 2008 Film Selections]</ref>
| align="center"| Competition in March
| align="center"| Finalist
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2007
| align="center"| Garden State Film Festival <ref>[http://www.gsff.org/winners.html GSFF - 2007 Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202044352/http://www.gsff.org/winners.html |date=2008-02-02 }}</ref>
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Best Student Short
| align="center"| Student Shorts
|-
| align="center"| 2007
| align="center"| Duluth Short Shorts Competition
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Grand Prize
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2007
| align="center"| Reel Sisters Film Festival <ref>[http://www.reelsisters.org/filmFestival.htm Film Festival] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320012758/http://reelsisters.org/filmFestival.htm |date=2007-03-20 }}</ref>
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Curator's Award
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2006
| align="center"| Philadelphia International Film Festival and Market <ref>[http://www.philafilm.org/screening.html Philafilm 2006 Screenings]</ref>
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Best Student Short
| align="center"| Student Shorts
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="5" align="center"|In Silent Spaces
|-
! width="33"| Year
! width="200"| Festival
! width="100"| Result
! width="100"| Award
! width="200"| Category
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| Appalachian Film Festival
| align="center"| Official Selection
| align="center"| Festival April 17
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| Fusion Film Festival
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Best Cinematography Clarissa Delos Reyes
| align="center"| Graduate Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| All-American Film Festival <ref name=autogenerated1 />
| align="center"| Competition in March
| align="center"| Finalist
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| New York University Black History Show
| align="center"| Showcase
| align="center"| Screening on Feb 28th
| align="center"| Student Shorts
|-
| align="center"| 2008
| align="center"| Harvard University Black Arts Festival
| align="center"| Competition in March
| align="center"| Finalist
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2007
| align="center"| Bushwick International Film Festival <ref>[https://archive.today/20120714230101/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=198497059 MySpace.com - BushwickFilmFestival - 24 - Fille - BROOKLYN, New York - www.myspace.com/bushwickfilmfestival]</ref>
| align="center"| Nominated
| align="center"| Finalist
| align="center"| Short Films
|-
| align="center"| 2007
| align="center"| Philadelphia International Film Festival and Market
| align="center"| Won
| align="center"| Best Short
| align="center"| Shorts
|-
|}

==Journalism and television producing==
Songhai was an Anchor for ''Arise News Now'' at the international news network, Arise.tv. In 2012, Songhai was a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter for the ABC affiliate KQ2 in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 2008, she covered the Crime and Justice beat for the ''Richard French Live show'' on WRNN-TV in Westchester, NY. Songhai has also contributed to the online news network FDNN-TV covering human interest stories of East Coast firefighters. While in college and graduate school, Songhai worked as a TV host, and producer for WHUT-TV, the PBS affiliate in Washington, DC. She won a Student Emmy as a co-producer for a special called the ''Spring Black Arts Festival''. Songhai also announced and produced the weekend lottery broadcast at WJZ-TV 13 in Baltimore, MD.

Songhai is featured in two books as an expert interview, ''Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide a Down and Dirty DV Production'' by Anthony Q. Artis and ''Reel Food from Reel Women'' by Nina Knapp. Songhai has been featured in ''Hype Hair magazine'', and was the Jet Beauty of the Week in the December 22-29, 2008 of ''Jet magazine''.

==Pageantry==
Songhai was first runner-up in the [[Miss Black USA]] 2008 pageant, representing Massachusetts in the competition. Songhai has had a notable career in the [[Miss America]] Pageant system, winning the title of Miss Five Boroughs in 2004 placed in the top ten winning preliminary on-stage questions in the [[Miss New York]] Pageant. Prior to this win, Songhai was first runner up to [[Miss District of Columbia]] 2003, second runner up to [[Miss District of Columbia]] 2001, and was first runner up to Miss Metropolitan Manhattan 2004. Songhai's talent is usually a comedic monologue, and she has won top-interview, and on-stage question at nearly every pageant in which she has competed.

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
before=Nwannedima Uchendu |
title=Miss Black Massachusetts USA|
years=2008|
after=Saundra Quinlan|
}}
{{s-end}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
before=Karmen Kluge|
title=Miss Five Boroughs|
years=2004|
after=None|
}}
{{s-end}}

== Name meaning ==
Safiya means "clear and pure-minded woman" in the [[Swahili language|Swahili]] language. [[Songhai people|Songhai]] is from the largest and most accomplished 15th- and 16th-century West African Empire, now [[Mali]], [[Burkina Faso]] and [[Niger]], whose leaders emphasized education and social, economic and gender equality.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*{{IMDb name|id=2256154}}
*[http://www.Mpirefilms.com Mpirefilms official site]
*[http://www.MissBlackUSA.org Miss Black USA official site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100605002916/http://missblackmass.org/ Miss Black Massachusetts USA official site]
*[http://www.missamerica.org/competition-info/state-contestants.asp?state=New+York&year=2004 Miss America official site 2004]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
*[http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=i47r08.2.1 Mpirefilms Trademark registered]
*[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/us/24pageant.html?pagewanted=print ''New York Times'' article]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Songhai, Safiya}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:Artists from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Howard University alumni]]
[[Category:Dartmouth College alumni]]
[[Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:African-American film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:American women film directors]]
[[Category:American people of Kpelle descent]]
[[Category:Miss Black USA delegates]]
[[Category:African-American beauty pageant winners]]

Safiya Songhai - Revision history

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