Self Portrait (February 2021)

Jay Gash (She/They) is a Black & Queer filmmaker, 3rd generation photographer, creative, and educator born and raised in Oakland, CA. Since 2013, Jay is the Owner and Creative Producer of GASH Productions (formerly known as J. Gash Photography). Their films and photography explore intimacy between moments, people, places, and things.

Jay was a filmmaker in Re-Present Media’s inaugural Re-Take Oakland cohort from 2019 - 2021, an education and documentary filmmaker mentoring program, where she started producing her second short documentary film, ‘When the Garden Comes’ - which premiered at the 18th Annual Queer Women of Color Film Festival in 2022. Jay was the Post Production Producer for ‘On the Pulse of Life’ a short experimental documentary that documents the birth justice movement in Alameda County, California, and celebrates new motherhood for Black women, by Emmy nominated documentary filmmaker and editor Jessica Jones. In 2022, the film premiered at the 175th anniversary of the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building as a part of their FUTURES exhibition. In 2021, Jay was a Field Producer on an ongoing transmedia project ‘Esé Pelo Tuyo’ (‘That hair of yours’) about AfroLatinx hair styles and histories in collaboration with Kuthul Media and the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. In 2023, Jay became a recipient of the Nikon x Black Women Photographers Grant developed by Founder Polly Irungu.

Recently, as the Director of Photography and Editor Jay collaborated with Journalist Niema Jordan on ReWork the Bay’s short film, ‘Equity at Work’, which explores how leaders from diverse sectors are building an equitable future by empowering workers and driving systemic change. Additionally, Jay was the Director of Photography on a short bio documentary, ‘Sounds About White: The Untold Story of the DEI Expert’, which provides an intimate look into the experience of Dr. Akilah Cadet during the global pandemic and the summer of allyship that followed the murder of George Floyd. The film was made in collaboration with Change Cadet and RePresent Collaborative and screened for the first time at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, CA.

In addition to her work as a creative, Jay has been deeply involved in youth and young adult workforce development and social change initiatives over the years. They recently completed the 2022 Oakland Surge Fellowship, a cohort based program that unites, accelerates, and empowers emerging leaders of color in education. They previously held the position of Associate Director of Youth and Emerging Media Maker Programs and Creative Producer of Youth Productions at BAVC Media where they created opportunities for emerging media makers to develop skills in photography, video and audio production, podcasting, game design, animation, and AR/VR. As a born leader, Jay supports a number of diverse populations from youth and young adults to sick & disabled populations and two-spirit individuals.

For over 10 years Jay has mentored numerous cohorts of LBTQIA+ individuals in completing short films through the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP) in San Francisco, CA; supporting not only as a mentor, but also assistant director, cinematographer, editor, and creative consultant. In 2023, they held the position of Strategic Capacity Coordinator at QWOCMAP where they supported core artistic programs and events including the Film Freedom Academy Filmmaker Training Program (4-Day Workshop), annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival, Boutique Distribution Program, and the Critical Juncture Program for LBTQIA+ people of color supported by the Dream Keeper Initiative and Human Rights Commission. Jay is proud of their contributions to the inaugural Critical Juncture program which removed economic barriers, designed career pathways, and created access to financial resources and professional development opportunities for an intergenerational cohort of 21 LBTQIA+ and Black/African Descent filmmakers in the Bay Area.

Jay is most passionate about photography, filmmaking, technology, music, education, and business - investigating spaces where they all intersect. Jay hopes to continue building a legacy of voice and representation for people of color through storytelling in all forms.

“When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision — then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” — Audre Lorde