RACHEL VELASQUEZ
COMPASSION EQUITY LEADERSHIP STORYTELLING
SILVER DISTINCTION
Multiplatform Campaign
Shorty Award
GOLD WINNER
Muse Award
SILVER WINNER
Diversity and Inclusivity
Telly Award
SILVER WINNER
Brand Content
Telly Award
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM
2020 Chi-Town Multicultural Film Festival
AUDIENCE CHOIDE AWAR FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
Women's Film Festival San Diego
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Direct Monthly Online Film Festival
GOLD AWARD
Queen Palm International Film Festival
ROYAL GEM DIAMOND AWARD
Queen Palm International Film Festival
FINALIST
Arizona Film Festival
ACHIEVEMENTS
SEMI-FINALIST
Louisiana LGBTQ+ Film Festival
GOLD AWARD
Queen Palm International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Alt Fest
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Pride Houston's Reel Pride
GOLD AWARD
Queen Palm International Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST
The Dumbo Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST
2020 The Couch Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Best Competition Shorts
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Montgomery Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Bush Films
A Queer Film Series
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Columbia Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST
2020 The Couch Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Film Collective
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Best Competition Shorts
OFFICIAL SELECTION
San Antonio Black International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Jersey Shore Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lighthouse International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Chicago Feedback Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
First Coast Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Sacramento Underground Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Hollywood South Urban Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Jersey Shore Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lighthouse International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Film Collective
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Chicago Feedback Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
St. Louis International Film Festival
AUDIENCE FAVORITE FANTASY FILM Shockfest International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Trinidad + Tobago Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Hollywood South Urban Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Hollywood South Urban Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
First Run Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Hollyshorts Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
St. Louis International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
St. Louis International Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Phenom Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Sacramento Underground Film Festival

+ Managed the production of:
+ 70+ videos at a time [PPFA]
+ 20 videos per week [NYC Mayor's Office]
+ Led an all women of color video team. [PPFA]
+ Received several internal awards of recognition for leadership by communication departments. [PPFA, DNC]
+ Working smarter, not harder by tripling video content after budgets were slashed by 60%. [NYC Mayor's Office]
+ Viral videos were highlighted on media platforms: NBC, MSNBC, CNN, NY1, Reuters,
Politico, The Hill, and Brietbart. [PPFA, NYC Mayor's Office, DNC]
+ Restructured a video team strategy at the start of a global pandemic that was centered multiple in health crises, advocacy and political upheaval, and teaching staff how to work over cameras while remote. [PPFA]
+ Leads with compassion and curiosity. Believes that trust is the foundation of creating good work and being a good ally to the community and cause.
+ When news broke that 300 Guatemalan children were separated from their families at the southern border and brought to a federal detention center in Harlem – our team sprung into action with a digital and televised response that sparked a nationwide outcry. Our team’s videos and livestreams were shared nationally amongst digital, print, and televised outlets. [2018, Mayor's Office]
+ I joined the DNC’s 2016 GOTV bus tour, where I visited 35 cities with senators, activists, community leaders, and candidates to meet with locals, hear their stories, their concerns, and encourage people to vote. [2016, DNC]
+ I was requested by the Mayor to produce a documentary short to shape his State of the City address and the policies for the coming year. We filmed several families across all five boroughs and identified the universal need to expand paid sick leave for New Yorkers. As a result, Mayor DeBlasio delivered this promise in his address and went on to sign the bill in 2020. [2019, NYC's Mayor's Office]
+ I was personally requested by DNC’s Interim Chair, Donna Brazile, to create a video to honor President Obama at the 2016 Black Caucus Gala. Actor Jeffrey Wright narrated a story which celebrated the historic achievements of our first Black president. The video was highly praised and I received a DNC’s communication division award for my work. [2016, DNC]
+ As the fall of 2020 drew near, I led the production of an extensive video library for the general, and congressional election.There I produced over 100 video assets including support ads, attack ads, social rapid responses, training videos, and GOTV videos for both national and state races.
+ I produced and filmed videos with President Obama, Vice President Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary Clinton, and various Senators, Members of Congress, and celebrity supporters. Many social videos went viral and were broadcasted by national news outlets.
"Now, that is a great video!"
President Barack Obama
Remarks at 2016 Black Caucus Gala)
Bans of My Body
Shorty Award
Multiplatform Campaign
Silver Distinction
2020
Muse Award
Gold Winner
2020
Telly Award
Silver Winner
Diversity and Inclusivity
2021
Telly Award
Silver
Brand Content
2021
Ours to Tell:
Queen Palm International Film Festival
Gold Award
2020
Queen Palm International Film Festival
Royal Gem Diamond Award
2020
Direct Monthly Online Film Festival
Best Documentary Film
August 2020
Women's Film Festival San Diego
Documentary Short
Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary
2020 Chi-Town Multicultural Film Festival
Best Short Documentary Film
2020 Arizona Film Festival
Finalist
2020 Louisiana LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Semi Finalist
2020 The Dumbo Film Festival
Semi Finalist
2020 The Couch Festival
Semi Finalst
Official Selection:
Alt Fest
Best Competition Shorts
Pride Houston's Reel Pride
Montgomery Film Festival
The Bush Films
A Queer Film Series
Philedelphia Independent Film Festival
Columbia Film Festival
The Film Collective
SABIFF - San Antonio Black Internaltional Film Festival
Reel Out Charlotte Film Festival
Jersey Shore Film Festival
Lighthouse International Film Festical
Chicago Feedback Film Festival
First Coast Film Festival
Sacramento Underground Film Festival
Hollywood South Urban Film Festival
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival
St. Louis International Film Festival
A Girl and His Guardian:
Shockfest International Film Festival
Audience Favorite Fantasy Film
Official Selection
Trinidad + Togabo Film Festival
Official Selection
First Run Film Festival
Official Selection
Hollyshorts Film Festival
Official Selection
Phenom Film Festival
EXPERIENCE
GENRE
Advocacy, Branding, Broadcast Journalism, Education, Political, Electoral, City Government, Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, Mental Health Services, Training Videos, Tours, Rallies + Protests
CONTENT
Rapid Response, Short Documentary, Feature Narrative, Short Narrative, 2D+ 3D Animation, Motion Graphics Animation, Livestreams, Gifs, TV commercials, Radio Commercials.
DISTRIBUTION
Earned Media, Owned Media, Paid Media,
National Commercial Broadcast, Local Commercial Broadcast, Screenings, Events, Radio, Websites
POSITIONS
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Director of Video
Mayors Office of New York City Director of Video
Democratic National Committee Producer
Cloud Nine Creative Founder / Producer / Director
Animated Storyboards Director
Freelancer Creative Director / Story Advisor / Producer / Director / Editor
Royal Pains Season 7 & 8 / Production Office
The Knick Season 2 / Production
Mr. Robot Pilot / Production Office
The Family Fang Feature / Production Office
Anderson Cooper AC360 CNN / Intern
D.L. Hughley Breaks the News CNN / Intern
Believe Media Production Office
MTV Volunteer / Intern
New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Film & Television Honors Scholar