Jade (an acronym for Jamaican-American-Destinee'-Empress) is an award-winning, independent filmmaker, who has been in the filmmaking business for more than 16 years. Born on the tranquil and balmy breezes of Jamaica, Jade moved to Mount Vernon, New York at the age of five where she grew up until the age of 17 to live independently on her own, attending colleges. After living in Manhattan for half of her adult life, Jade considers herself to be a true 'Manhattanite.'

Those who know Jade personally believe that she has a passion for and promoting social change, and passion for the cinema, making her the queen of Deaf Cinematheques. She is a woman with many goals who is destined to make a difference in her community.

People have always encouraged Jade to move to 'Tinseltown,' Los Angeles (LA), assuming that she'd make a name for herself or gain more work as a filmmaker, but, she disagrees. "New York City will always be my home." LA is a strange woman's land. I don't fit in and never will. Today, qualified, skilled filmmakers can produce films wherever they are with professional production equipment, especially, digital filmmaking, and they can earn recognition at film festivals or online. Although, she says, "networking in LA is enriching if you have something worthy to show."

Most recently, Jade has been selected as the 2006 recipient for the Amos Kendall Award, which is given by the Laurent Clerc Cultural Fund Committee of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association. It recognizes deaf individuals for notable excellence in a professional field not related to deafness. Additionally, the Director Guild of America (DGA) invited Jade to join their prestigious union membership. Through DGA union membership, independent directors are supported in their efforts to get their films made, distributed and exhibited throughout the country. Jade is honored that her name is now being recognized in the Hollywood and Independent mainstream film industry as a director.

Today, Jade is the world only known African-American Deaf filmmaker, who was the first deaf person to graduate from a high-ranking film school at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University in 1993. She recently opened a film showing of the new film, "9/11 Fear in Silence: The Forgotten Underdogs" at her alma mater Cantor Film Center NYU on October 14, 2006. The film, being the 10th in her repertoire, was well received by 150 film critics, film lovers, students and supporters. ""9/11 Fear in Silence: The Forgotten Underdogs" was produced two days after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

To learn more about Jade or purchase her DVDs, visit: www.jadefilm.com

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