Shine Global is proud to announce that it has won two 2025 Anthem Awards, which celebrate purpose- and mission-driven work from around the world, for our films and impact campaigns for Anuja and Comedy Against the Odds.

Anuja was named a Gold Winner in Human & Civil Rights: Documentary or Film, and Comedy Against the Odds received a Silver Award in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Documentary or Film.

“These awards are especially meaningful as they recognize Shine Global’s mission to harness the power of film to improve children’s lives,” said Shine Global Co-CEO and Creative Director Alexandra Blaney. “We’re honored that both Anuja and Comedy Against the Odds are resonating with both audiences and leaders across the social impact landscape.”

Comedy Against the Odds, directed by Suzanne Luna, is a short documentary that celebrates 10-year-old comic Austin Eletto and promotes autism awareness, acceptance, and inclusion. Through nationwide screenings, toolkits, media partnerships, and strategic collaborations with Chuck E. Cheese, Autism Speaks, and ReelAbilities Film Festival the film and campaign activated families, educators, and advocates to engage with stories that reframe neurodiversity.  A highlight of the campaign was the release of PSA spots starring Austin with Chuck E. Cheese that aired in 500+ locations as well as family and sensory-friendly screenings that engaged 450+ in-person during Autism Awareness Month.

Anuja, an Oscar-nominated short film written and directed by Adam J. Graves, follows a young girl in Delhi torn between child labor and education. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of child labor and girls education and integrated global streaming on Netflix, PR and social media amplification, influencer and celebrity engagement, strategic partnerships, educational tools, and targeted advocacy to use the film to drive awareness and catalyze real-world change. Anuja and the campaign reached an estimated 14 million people, earned an Oscar nomination, raised $20,000 for street children in Delhi, and received widespread acclaim.

“i want to dedicate this award to Sajda Pathan,” says writer/director Adam J. Graves as her “daring performance as Anuja reminds us that cinema as an art form has a unique power to change the very world it reflects.”

The 5th Annual Anthem Awards received more than 2,000 submissions from 42 countries, underscoring the global momentum behind storytelling that drives change.  Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, whose judges for the 2025 competition include leaders from across philanthropy, media, design, social impact, and global brands.

Shine Global congratulates the entire creative teams of Anuja and Comedy Against the Odds, as well as the young people and families who shared their stories. We are grateful for this recognition and remain committed to telling stories that foster empathy, inspire action, and improve the lives of children everywhere.

We are so grateful to the interns who help keep Shine Global running every semester and increase our reach and capacity. This semester we are excited to have April Aguilera join the team.

April Aguilera: Content & Marketing Intern
April Aguilera is an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California, majoring in Journalism and minoring in Social Work & Juvenile Justice. Her work can be seen with USC Annenberg Media. She writes articles, contributes to ATVN, a USC news broadcast, and participates in Annenberg Radio News. She hopes to find a career that intersects both aspects of social work/social justice and journalism. As a journalism major, she deeply believes in being a voice for the underrepresented and uplifting her community. She is excited to do so while interning at Shine Global Inc. By pushing forward the mission of sparking change and action through impactful storytelling in film, she is eager to see storytelling in a new light. 

Learn more about Shine Global’s internship positions and how to apply for a future term: https://shineglobal.org/internships/

Raiya Khan: Outreach & Engagement Intern
Raiya Khan spent her first two years of college at the University of Miami, where she majored in Motion Pictures and Communication Studies and served as the copywriter for Orange Umbrella, the university’s student-run advertising agency. Her passion for using storytelling as a tool for social change began in high school, where she served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Managing Editor at The Cypress, Brookline High School’s award-winning newspaper. In that role, she led initiatives to amplify underrepresented voices and foster inclusive storytelling, laying the foundation for her commitment to equity-focused media. Now, Raiya is transferring to NYU Tisch to pursue a degree in Dramatic Writing, where she hopes to further refine her voice as a storyteller and artist. She is eager to bring her editorial experience, narrative skills, and deep-rooted passion for humanitarian causes to Shine Global’s mission of producing impactful, socially driven content.

Cherub Massey: Content & Marketing Intern
Cherub Massey is a recent graduate from Boston University, where she earned her degree in Film and Television. With a strong background in digital storytelling, content creation, and visual media, she is passionate about using creative communication to amplify voices and drive engagement. Cherub is especially inspired by Shine Global’s commitment to telling stories that raise awareness and inspire change. As a content marketing intern, she looks forward to contributing thoughtful, mission-driven content across digital platforms

Ella Rembaum: Research and Content Intern
Ella Rembaum is a rising senior at the University of California, Berkeley. She is currently majoring in Film & Media Studies and minoring in both Creative Writing and Rhetoric. Since she began studying film and its theory, Ella has developed a massive interest in documentary filmmaking and the power the medium has in bringing about real social change, leading to her joining Shine Global as a Research & Impact Intern for the summer of 2025.

Learn more about Shine Global’s internship positions and how to apply for a future term: https://shineglobal.org/internships/

Imani Charles: Outreach & Engagement Intern
Imani Charles is a recent graduate of The New School with a B.A in Culture and Media. She has a background in film production and is super interested in the intersection of media and advocacy. Imani believes in the power of documentary in fostering empathy and awareness, and was fascinated by Shine Global’s commitment to empowering children and amplifying unrepresented voices. She’s super thrilled to learn and grow as an intern this season!

Ashanti Sharrieff: Content & Marketing Intern
Ashanti Sharrieff is a doctoral student in Educational Leadership at the University of Lynchburg, currently based in New York. With a background in media production, she has interned at First Gen Content, where she worked on feature film projects, and at HBO Max, contributing to a variety of media content. Ashanti is also the founder of True Tone Collective, a media production company focused on creating impactful, culturally relevant content. She is excited to intern at Shine Global Inc. because it offers the opportunity to learn how a non-profit film company partners with filmmakers, brands and lawmakers to create impactful, educational content that drives legal and social change.

Joyce Zhou: Content Marketing Intern
Joyce is a fourth-year student at the University of California, San Diego, where she is pursuing a double major in Communication and Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts (ICAM). With a strong foundation in digital content creation and visual storytelling, Joyce is passionate about applying these skills to create meaningful and engaging content. She is particularly drawn to Shine Global’s dedication to using film to amplify underrepresented voices and is excited to contribute to this mission by crafting impactful narratives and visuals for social media platforms. Joyce looks forward to supporting Shine Global’s efforts to raise awareness and inspire change through the power of storytelling.

Eileen (Herng-Ning) Lu: Outreach & Engagement Intern
Eileen is a recent graduate from Columbia University School of the Arts, where she majored in Film and Media Studies. Passionate about working in the film and media industry and gaining hands-on experience in distribution and publicity, she is especially interested in how films are promoted and released to audiences. Eileen believes that stories of children and marginalized people deserve to be known, and a very effective and impactful way to tell their stories is through films. She is excited to work with the Shine Global team to spread and raise awareness of these stories that need to be told, heard, and seen.

Spring 2025 internship opportunities have been posted and the application deadline is November 25, 2024. Learn more about our internship positions at Shine Global here: https://shineglobal.org/internships/