BY DEJA WALLACE
Luana Sandoval is a talk show host, singer, songwriter, creative, and Nashville native who moved to New York to expand her brand.
With two years of her talk show “Song of My Life” under her belt, Sandoval decided to take her creativity to the Big Apple. She now finds herself trying to make her big debut using Manhattan Neighborhood Network as a catalyst to becoming the next big thing.
Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) is a media learning, production, and distribution hub open to the public. MNN grants creatives the opportunity to have access to studios and equipment to create and creatively express themselves on a grand scale.
“For 32 years this non-profit organization has been Manhattan’s greatest secret, ” said DaShawn Pretlow, media education coordinator at MNN during a recent open house event.
Initially only available to Manhattan residents, MNN has now expanded its availability to all New Yorkers. Located in the heart of the city, this media hub invites people of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and creeds to express themselves creatively in a supportive non judgemental environment.
Along with the many hats Pretlow wears, he also hosts general information sessions to learn more about MNN are available at the beginning of every month. At these
information sessions, you learn how to have your show produced, tour the facility, and gain more information about the workshop classes MNN has to offer.
“The process of getting a show produced looks different for everyone,” explains media educator and podcast director Tiffany Blount, during MNN’s monthly information session. “We want creatives to have a place to create.”
CME, one of MNN’s podcasts, is a show that takes you inside the media-making process with well-accomplished creatives that have worked with heavyweights in media such as Disney, CNN, and DC. The CME podcast is for anyone looking for high-quality affordable and accessible media education.
“CME is basically everything we do at MNN in podcast form,” says Blount.
The staff at MNN wear many hats and are behind many projects. They bring a vibrant and inviting environment for creatives to blossom. Considering most of the staff have worked on or are currently working on projects, they’re relatable to one another, creatives like Sandoval and others feel understood and supported on their creative journeys.
Despite living in Nashville with limited studios to produce her talk show, MNN encouraged Sandoval to take the leap and move to New York. Now Sandoval finds herself every week glued to her TV watching her very own talk show.