Leslie Cunningham is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, educator, publisher, and visionary storyteller whose work lives at the intersection of art, culture, and social justice. As the founder of TRIBES, a boutique digital media company in Durham, North Carolina, she amplifies transformative stories that uplift Black resilience and cultural legacy.
A cultural truth-teller, Leslie brings together her background as a Black history educator and her mastery of documentary arts to illuminate hidden histories and challenge dominant narratives. Her films blend intimate storytelling, historical inquiry, and lyrical visuals—sparking dialogue, remembrance, and community healing.
Leslie’s work has earned national and international acclaim. She received Dancecinema’s 2024 Uncovering History Award for her commitment to revealing untold stories through moving image. Her feature documentary JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton’s Harlem in Havana earned her Best Director at the Seoul Film Festival, affirming her place as a bold and boundary-breaking cinematic voice. In 2025, she was invited to curate an exhibit and serve as an official judge for the Burlesque Hall of Fame’s Miss Exotic World Competition, honoring her deep expertise in Black burlesque history.
Her current film, I BREATHE LIFE!, co-directed with Debbie Vu, follows spoken word artist and activist Monica Daye, founder of Stand Up Speak Out-NC (S.U.S.O.). Set in Durham, North Carolina, the film explores trauma, healing, and transformation through art and advocacy.
Leslie also leads The Harlem in Havana Project, a multimedia initiative celebrating the artistry, resistance, and global impact of the legendary Black and Cuban girl show that broke racial barriers during Jim Crow. Rooted in her family legacy, the project—anchored by the award-winning JIG SHOW—preserves a vital chapter of Black cultural history.
Her debut film, M.I., A Different Kind of Girl (2012), was a groundbreaking look at Black LGBTQ+ subculture, following a masculine-presenting woman navigating the drag world. Inspired by Paris Is Burning yet determined to center queer women of color, Leslie carved out new cinematic space for voices too often erased.
Beyond filmmaking, she is the creator and publisher of TRIBES Magazine (est. 2004), a platform spotlighting raw talent and revolutionary art across music, fashion, visual culture, photography, poetry, and global underground expression. She is also the author of Steel Town: A Black Punk Memoir from the Haunted Summer of 1982, a coming-of-age story celebrating identity, rebellion, and creative awakening.
A graduate of Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, Leslie is a proud member of Film Fatales and Gamma Xi Phi, communities committed to artistic excellence and equity.
The Atlanta School of Burlesque recently established the The Atlanta School of Burlesque: Leslie Cunningham Burlesque Education Scholarship, supporting Black burlesque dancers with the training and tools they need to thrive—continuing Leslie’s legacy of expanding representation and opportunity in the arts.
Invite Leslie for your next event, screening, workshop, or conversation. Get in touch.
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