joua LEE

filmmaker

BIOGRAPHY

Joua Lee Grande is a Minneapolis-based filmmaker, community educator, and cultural organizer whose work is rooted in amplifying underrepresented voices and reclaiming narrative power. A storyteller at heart and in practice, Joua centers the experiences of historically marginalized communities, with a focus on Southeast Asian American narratives, diaspora identity, and community resilience.

Her acclaimed short documentary On All Fronts premiered in May 2022 on WORLD Channel and PBS digital platforms as part of the Asian Americans: Stories of Resilience & Beyond series. The film received national attention and has screened at leading festivals including the PBS Short Film Festival, CAAMFest, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and the Qhia Dab Neeg Film Festival, among others.

Joua’s artistic and community work is grounded in a decade of experience building spaces for collective storytelling and empowerment. She has designed, led, and facilitated numerous arts and media education programs for youth, families, and emerging artists across the Twin Cities, using media literacy and creative expression as tools for agency and healing. Her background also includes broadcast journalism; she worked as an editor at WCCO TV 4 News (CBS Affiliate), sharpening her technical skills and narrative instincts in a fast-paced newsroom environment.

A committed advocate for equity in the arts, Joua is a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, and has also been recognized as a MediaJustice Network Fellow and Diverse Voices in Docs Fellow. These fellowships have supported her artistic growth and expanded her collaborations across national and international platforms.

Joua believes that storytelling is inherently political, and that truth is plural, not singular. She challenges dominant narratives by working collaboratively with community members to tell stories that reflect lived realities, ancestral knowledge, and the complexities of cultural identity. Her mission is to build community through media—centering care, truth-telling, and creative vision.

Qualifications

Joua Lee is proficient in cinematography and photography, with a strong understanding of visual composition and technical camera work. She has experience working with intermediate lighting and audio equipment, especially in documentary and live event settings. Her storytelling skills are rooted in documentary filmmaking, with a particular emphasis on personal and community-based narratives.

She has extensive experience in grant writing, having secured funding for a variety of media and community engagement projects. Joua has spent over a decade teaching media production to both youth and adults in classroom, community, and nonprofit settings. She is also highly skilled in designing, coordinating, and facilitating culturally responsive arts and media programs.

In addition to her work as an educator and filmmaker, she serves as a mentor to emerging artists, especially those from BIPOC and underrepresented communities. She is proficient in industry-standard software including Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and Adobe Photoshop.

skills

  • cinematography

  • photography

  • intermediate lighting and audio

  • documentary storytelling (and personal documentaries)

  • grant-writing

  • teaching media production to youth and adults

  • designing, coordinating and facilitating community programming

  • mentorship

  • softwares: Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Photoshop

links