Mike Gauyo Breaks Stereotypes While Bringing Fresh Stories to Hollywood
By Nikoleta Morales | Send Help on ALLBLK –AMC Network| Image: AMC Networks
Cultured Focus Magazine interviewed Haitian-born writer Mike Gauyo who is one of Hollywood’s emerging creatives dedicated to bringing more black and diverse voices to television. He is best known for his writing roles on HBO’s hit series “Insecure” and Netflix’s “Ginny & Georgia.” Gauyo spoke to us about his upcoming series, “Send Help”, set to premiere on August 11th on ALLBLK, AMC Network’s streaming platform where he serves as co-creator, co-showrunner, and executive producer.
Gauyo’s new series, “Send Help,” is a coming-of-age dark comedy series centered on a first-generation Haitian-American young man struggling to overcome the challenges of “making it” in Hollywood, whilst coming to terms with a recent family tragedy. Gauyo serves as co-creator, co-producer, and co-showrunner of the series along with his producing partner Jean Elie. Through Send Help, Mike is breaking barriers and opening up a space that hasn’t been opened up before.
“We wanted to explore what it was like for men to discover their trauma and what to do about it. Especially when you are from a Black and an immigrant family a lot of the emotional and mental turmoil has remained unchecked because it is assumed we just keep on moving. [The series is how] when you are not dealing with a trauma it can manifest in your life but we are doing it in a comedic way,” said Gauyo.
In 2017, Color of Change’s “Race in the Writers’ Room” report showed that 91% of showrunners were white, while only 5.1% were Black. Although many Black showrunners in the industry like Gauyo have made their way since then – the numbers are still far from equitable.
Gauyo also serves as the Founder/CEO of Black Boy Writes Media (BBWM), a production company founded in 2021, that’s dedicated to elevating marginalized voices in Hollywood and across the entertainment industry. Black Boy Writes Media creates unique, entertaining content that inspires, reflects, and possesses the ability to empower audiences from underrepresented communities. Black Boy Writes Media also amplifies the voices of new writers through its Black Boy Writes and Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative, which aims to provide Black writers with a sustainable pathway to becoming established writers in entertainment.
“The key to breaking barriers is being yourself and being intentional about what your mission is. What is that you want to do, what is it that you are trying to say…anywhere that you are disrupting the norm you are breaking a barrier,” said Gauyo.
Gauyo graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 2012 and moved to Los Angeles, CA, where he worked as a production assistant on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” In 2017, Gauyo landed a meeting with Issa Rae, which would ultimately lead to his first paid writing gig on her podcast, “FRUIT.” From there, Gauyo would go on to hold roles as a Writer’s Assistant on TNT’s “Claws,” Staff Writer on Netflix’s “Ginny & Georgia” and Story Editor on HBO’s hit series, “Insecure.”
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