The International Screenwriters Association created this new Student Fellowship program in an effort to uplift the next generation of screenwriters by introducing them to the industry and giving them access to resources to build their network. As part of our commitment to introducing them to the industry, we’re publishing a profile on the three winners and their projects.

Kenya Robinson – My Sister’s Keeper

Kenya Robinson

What do you hope to achieve in this fellowship?

Currently, my career goals include securing representation, building relationships through general meetings, and taking my first steps into a writers’ room. I’m committed to refining my craft and expanding my industry knowledge to create authentic stories that both entertain and inspire. Through the ISA student fellowship, I can continue to hone my skills through pitch practice sessions and the other programs offered. In addition, I believe the ISA Development Slate and the industry exposure would be instrumental in obtaining representation and general meetings.

How would you best pitch your script to a Creative Executive?

My Sister’s Keeper, a one-hour drama pilot, is an open love letter to my late aunt—a vibrant, courageous transgender woman. While this is a fictional story, this project was created to honor her and the unbreakable bond with her twin brother. The pilot follows Devon Jones, a man recently released from prison after serving 15 years for a violent crime he didn’t commit. As he attempts to reconnect with his twin, Shauna — a confident transgender woman now living openly — she suddenly goes missing, launching Devon into a dangerous search that forces him to confront his own bias and the systems that failed her. At its core, its Pose meets Seven Seconds, with the emotional complexity of Queen Sugar and the social urgency of When They See Us.

What are the most unique and surprising aspects of it?

The story centers on a fractured Black family navigating complex emotional terrain following the wrongful incarceration of Devon and the disappearance of his trans sister Shauna. What sets My Sister’s Keeper apart is its genre-bending blend of emotional family drama and crime drama, led by a cisgender male protagonist who must literally walk in his sister’s shoes to find her. The show also confronts the realities of violence against black and brown trans women—often overlooked in mainstream media.

Where does it fit into the current TV landscape?

My Sister’s Keeper fits within the current wave of bold, emotionally resonant dramas that center Black lives with authenticity, complexity, and urgency. In the spirit of shows like P-Valley, The Chi, and Found, it blends family drama, social commentary, and a slow-burning crime drama to explore the intersections of race, gender identity, and justice. As the industry continues to prioritize inclusive, socially impactful storytelling, this series offers a fresh lens by spotlighting the lives of black and brown trans women within a gripping, character-driven drama — delivering both cultural relevance and narrative intensity.

Hallie Stephenson – Abel’s Baby

What do you hope to achieve in this fellowship?

As a screenwriter graduating from college in 2025, I am entering a world that for me is both thrilling and formidable. ISA’s Student Fellowship is a fantastic opportunity to pursue real-world experience in the field. I hope to build a network of professionals in the entertainment industry and work with Executives to immerse myself fully in all the invaluable resources the ISA provides.

How would you best pitch your script to a Creative Executive?

Set in England and Australia in the late 18th century, Abel’s Baby is an episodic, historical crime thriller series full of romance, science, and adventure. The show chronicles the life of a female scientist, Abel, who is convicted of homicide and transported to Australia during a period of forced exile of criminals from England. It is about the extent people will go to protect their loved ones— and what happens when an unforgiving society pushes the wrong person too far.

The show deals with issues of reproductive rights, sexual coercion, inmate abuse, domestic violence, and the criminalization of queerness. The series is a gritty, raw exploration of the human spirit and survival in a world that brutalizes the most vulnerable and shows no mercy. At its core, Abel’s Baby is about two women raising an unexpected baby together against all odds and against all prejudices, as they are pursued across the continent with the help of Abel’s special talents.

What are the most unique and surprising aspects of it?

Abel’s Baby is unique for its combination of historical intrigue, strong female characters, and scientific elements. The protagonist approaches the social hierarchies and challenges of the late 18th century, not with powerlessness, but with knowledge. Abel is not a helpless prisoner, but a genius who uses her perceived vulnerability to conceal her true potential. With the use of her photographic memory and her education, Abel reclaims her life by taking action in a place where all her agency is stripped away.

She is a woman in a vulnerable position – she has no family, no credentials, and no future— but her intellect and knowledge is what sets her apart. No one would expect someone like her to be capable of such adaptability and invention, and she uses their underestimation to her advantage. My hope in creating Abel’s Baby is to captivate audiences who love complicated female characters and appreciate accuracy and real science in period dramas.

Science is inherently dramatic and thrilling, and we delight in those protagonists who rely on their intellect to solve their problems because it reveals to us the capabilities of the human mind that we all share.

Where does it fit into the current TV landscape?

Period dramas are immensely popular in 2025. Historical television allows audiences to safely escape into the past and offers glimpses into a world untouched by modern advances. We marvel at the ability ofcharacters to survive in these landscapes of our past. Abel’s Baby also offers the wonders of science, eliciting our natural curiosity about late 18th century discoveries and prompting us to question what Georgian era scientists knew of the world’s mysteries. Abel’s Baby combines the intrigue of historical television with the clever shenanigans in Breaking Bad and the moral ambiguity of Yellowjackets.

Julianna Hoyle