Author: Mizani Ball

About Mizani Ball: Mizani Ball is a filmmaker and award-winning producer based in New Orleans. She completed her MFA in Documentary Media at Northwestern University in 2021. Shortly after graduating she began working as an Associate Producer for the series Chicago Stories at Window To The World Communications, Inc. (WTTW). She launched her career as a filmmaker with her short film ‘Bayou For Us,’ which premiered at New Orleans Film Festival in 2021. Her work on the film ‘Birth of Gospel’ for Chicago Stories won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Documentary – Cultural. After years of freelancing in the industry working on productions for Vice News, WeTV, HBO, Participant Media and many more she decided to bring her talents back to New Orleans.

Her hips uncover the truth about America’s music history

June 6, 2025 Updated June 11, 2025

Dancer Chipo Kandake along with New Orleans drumming legend Herlin Riley present a show on Saturday that tells the story of what we call American music, which, she says, started with the Black community.

The Sound of Freedom

June 15, 2024 Updated June 17, 2024

The historical and ongoing struggle for civil rights have been expressed through music in New Orleans. So it seems only right that music is the driving force behind several local Juneteenth commemorations.

Focused On

Author: Mizani Ball

Her hips uncover the truth about America’s music history

The Sound of Freedom

Fess: The SongByrd of N.O.

‘Auld Len Synes’ – Top 2023 stories

Instagram: TheLensNOLA

Our reporting has more urgency than ever.