David Meltzer
During a panel at the 2025 Sundance Festival in Park City, Utah, it was announced that the Walker’s Rising Stars Scholarship would open its eligibility to high school students nationwide.
At “Spotlight on Tomorrow,” an event held at The Elvis Suite and presented by Darling & Co in January 2025, Dr. Jeffrey Walker, founder of Walker’s Rising Stars, spoke on a panel hosted by Deadline’s Dominic Patten. He was joined by musician Kimberly Cole, director Rachel Fleit, actor Jimmy Akingbola, director Carlos López Estrada, and singer, songwriter, and documentary filmmaker Kimberly Cole. The gathering brought together industry professionals for intimate discussions on the future of entertainment.
In a country where funding for artistic programs is minimal across the U.S. public education system, it grows increasingly difficult for young and aspiring creatives to build a foundation for their career, let alone succeed in one. Rising Stars, founded by neurosurgeon Dr. Jeffery Walker in partnership with the Pinellas Education Foundation, aims to provide financial assistance to students seeking careers in creative fields–singing, dancing, and culinary arts–while celebrating individuals regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation.
During a discussion highlighting the disparities faced by underrepresented creatives trying to break into the industry, the panelists shared their insights and contributions toward solutions.
Dr. Walker’s solution was collaborating with Florida’s Pinellas Education Foundation, rewarding over $800,000 in scholarships over the years. For Carlos López Estrada, his approach was teaming with Kelly Marie Tran to launch the Antigravity Academy, a smaller and independent initiative dedicated to fostering the next generation of students. The academy’s mission is to create opportunities for young adults who might have never considered a career in the entertainment industry—taking an unconventional but necessary approach to bridging the gap.
While the evening celebrated the artistic achievements of the Sundance entries and the success of Rising Stars in providing financial support to young talent, the panel also ignited an equally important conversation: a call to action for greater investment in art programs.
So why Sundance? The indie film festival is the home to the successful beginnings of various films that go on to win Academy Awards, so why are the panelists discussing public education? The answer is simple. As Kimberly Cole, producer of the upcoming competitive roller-skating documentary “Blood, Sweat & Wheels”, put it, “These people are doing this for nothing other than the love of something,”. The panel’s participation in Sundance highlighted the festival’s overarching goal of supporting independent voices and drawing attention to the role that arts education will have in influencing the entertainment industry’s future.
Rachel Fleit, whose documentary “Sugar Babies” competed in the Sundance US Documentary Competition, shared a repeated motive among the teens in her film– a desire to make a name for themselves. The financial advantages of the sugar baby business have aided many, primarily younger women, in furthering their professional and personal goals as financial barriers often stand in the way of education. Fleit explains that some of these teens were thinking about their education–an expensive privilege. With programs like Rising Stars, young adults won’t have to resort to unconventional methods to fund their futures. Instead, they can be supported by programs dedicated to helping them achieve their artistic ambitions.
Now, with Walker’s Rising Stars expanding beyond its home state of Florida, more students will get the opportunity to be rewarded with scholarships and build industry connections to open doors for the next generation of talent. In today’s political climate, providing financial assistance for students has become more challenging than ever. However, with foundations like Rising Stars and the unwavering support of advocates working to bridge the gap, the nation’s young creatives will have the opportunities they deserve.
