Dewey A. Ortiz, Jr. is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and producer. His work is dedicated to shifting perceptions of African Americans in cinema, particularly D.C.’s Black community. Much of his work highlights the perseverance of Washington, D.C. residents. His series, Survivor Stories, chronicling four courageous D.C. women who have survived domestic abuse, won Best Web Series at the 2017 D.C. Black Film Festival. In 2019, Mr. Ortiz completed The Runaways, a powerful short filmed in D.C. and PG County, MD, that follows abused and neglected teenagers as they gather the courage to escape their tumultuous lives. The Runaways enjoyed a successful film festival run culminating in ten festival appearances and a Best Film Award. It is currently available for streaming on KweliTV. Higher Power is his debut feature film.