Cristyn Allen-Steward is the founder of the Columbus Black International Film Festival where she has created a platform for filmmakers to show their work.  She is actively broadening the awareness of Black independent cinema in Columbus and the surrounding areas. Additionally, Cristyn  is the Executive Director of the Columbus International Film and Animation Festival, one of the oldest film festivals in the nation. Cristyn is an active filmmaker/writer. She received her bachelors degree in creative writing from Miami University and her MFA from Academy of Art University in San Francisco.