Biography

Frances Grace Mortel (she/her) is a photographer and filmmaker, born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She studied in University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) and worked as art director/production designer for several film and television projects. She moved to Spokane, Washington in 2016 and completed the Digital Media Production program at Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) in 2019. She graduated with a BA Film degree at Eastern Washington University (EWU) in 2021, receiving the Dean’s Student Excellence Award, Social Justice Advocate of the Year Award, and Achievements in Screenwriting and Criticism.

A member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Filipino American Artist Directory, and Spokane Film Project — she has exhibited in Terrain, FemFest Art Festival, Spokane Arts’ Saturate, Pagdiriwang’s Larawan in Seattle Center, and other group shows with local collectives such as LFrances currently works as Communications Specialist for APIC Spokane and serves as board member for Spokane Film Project. A member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and Filipino American Artist Directory — she has exhibited in Terrain, FemFest Art Festival, Spokane Arts’ Saturate, Pagdiriwang’s Larawan in Seattle Center, and other group shows with local collectives such as La Resistance and Shades of Me. She participated in Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Film Studies Program (2020), Telluride Film Festival – Student Symposium (2021), and is part of the pilot batch of WA Filmworks Media Mentorship Program (2021). She recently won the Most Promising Filmmaker Jury Award at the Spokane International Film Festival 2022 for her short film, Dear Nanay, which also took the Honorable Mention Jury Award at the Local Sightings Film Festival 2021 and Cinemetropolis Award for Best Local Short at Seattle Asian American Film Festival 2022. You may find her upcoming exhibits and screenings here: mortelmedia.com/calendar

About her work

The challenges of being a mother, immigrant, and queer artist of color fuel her desire to tell empowering visual stories that expose human truths and stand for social justice. Frances is currently capturing conceptual portraits with focus on women and QTBIPOCs (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color), exploring street reportages highlighting the working class, writing and producing fiction & non-fiction films about the plight of immigrants, and experimenting on other alternative and accessible ways to create intersectional and intergenerational media.

https://www.mortelmedia.com/

More Our Stories Our Visions Artists

We have all been to many meetings and rallies at the end of which no one knows what they can do.  If you participate in demonstrations, rallies and social media you need to go to your local coffee house and have a discussion with five to ten individuals about what you can do about racial and social justice and community development. Begin building the community you want to live in. We want to build 100 of these coffee discussion groups. You may want to come to one of these listed below. Or start your own and let us know. Be sure to invite someone from the affected classes.

There are now several First Thursday* Coffee and Discussion groups:

• First Thursday Coffee & Discussion East Central Community Center 10 am (Resumes March 4, 2020) 500 S Stone

• First Thursday Original Coffee & Discussion 10:00 am Clark’s Fork (meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays) 1028 N Hamilton St #100, Spokane, WA

• First Thursday Evening Discussion 6 – 8 pm Location varies. TEXT (509) 934-3933 and ask for location.

• African American Men’s Discussion TEXT (509) 934-3933 and ask for date, time, location.

*These groups originally started out on the First Thursday of each month. Now they meet on the dates and times established by each group.

Call to Participation

Those interested in racial and social justice
Those interested in community development
5-10 people meeting regularly for deep discussion
Willing to meet regularly to plan strategies and take actions

Contact TEXT (509) 934-3933 for more information.

In This exhibit was first seen at the Spokane downtown library from January through March. Now we will be moving two E. Central Community Center we were able find it’s permanent home. But it will be made available to other institutions and galleries if you’re interested contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net.

Coming soon to East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone.

If You Really Knew Me you’d know that I’m the Black guy photographing your events and meetings.  If You Really Knew Me you’d know I am a supporter of community building (4comculture.com).  If You Really Knew Me you’d know I taught my photography students that good photographs have four components.

This exhibition has

• Impact – size 4 x 5 feet
• Technique – cutting edge technology: CherryPIX video
• Design/Composition – bold colors, striking brush strokes and textures, interaction
• Content – in depth storytelling, stereotype blowing, media mixing, community building

If you would like to take part and meet new friends, you’ll visit East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone Spokane WA for First Thur each month at10 AM coffee discussion.

IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME Stories of Survivors and Warriors.

EXHIBITION

This exhibit we’ll be House & display at the E. Central Community Ctr.  May.

This will be a traveling exhibit and can be made available for exhibitions at your gallery or institution. contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net

Photographs by Robert Lloyd

Video by Doug Dalton and DaShawn Bedford

Wendy Levy for The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture

A collaborative, interactive photography exhibition in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness month in Spokane, these photographs were created with local women survivors and warriors. We hope these images and stories raise awareness, engagement and political will, so all those still in risk may find safety and freedom.

A project of The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture, The Spokane Human Rights Commission, Community-Minded Television,The Jonah Project and Spokane Arts Supply

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I would like to thank all of those that are helping us to develop a database of African Americans involved in the Spokane and Inland Empire in the visual, performing, literary and media arts. 

Steve Pitters and I have been discussing how to bring about a change in mind-set infusing overall community opportunity for African Americans in the Arts in Spokane. The individuals listed here are being asked to consider the following ways they can enhance the cultural scene for each of us by doing the following:

• Develop a community who will commit to attend each others functions and events. This will help to ensure our visibility at these events.
• Use this list to notify us of our activities.
• Use this list to make others in the community aware of our activities.
• People in other cultures and communities in the United States and elsewhere insure the development and growth of talented individuals and businesses.
• We need to change the “me for myself” attitude. Spokane is small enough for us to be able to sustain and support the talents of those who wish to share it with others.

Send us your thoughts and calendars of events and let’s collaborate with each other in support of like-minded interests and events.

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