Marj Kleinman is a producer, photographer, filmmaker, and the founder of the Stoop Stories documentary storytelling project. Since April 2020, Marj and the Stoop Stories Collective have profiled hundreds of families, essential workers, small business owners, activists, and artists throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Marj has more than 20 years of experience as a children’s content producer and writer, creating award-winning educational media with PBS KIDS, Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, and Noggin. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, PBS Parents and Scary Mommy. Marj holds an M.A. in Educational Psychology from New York University and a B.S. in Theater Management from Emerson College. She has taught theater to kids and photography to grown-ups. Marj is mom to a very feisty black cat named Blackberry.

Gabriella Canal is a documentary filmmaker and journalist living in Brooklyn. Inspired by her upbringing in a Colombian-American household, she produces character-driven stories rooted in identity and belonging, with a focus on women’s voices. She also loves highlighting the efforts of those working to improve human lives and protect the environment. As a producer, she has worked with The Atlantic, John Leguizamo’s NGL Studios, and Insignia Films. Her independent work as a director, DP, and editor has been featured by the Student Academy Awards, The New Yorker, The Video Consortium, New York Women in Film and Television, and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. She is looking to grow as a director and DP, expanding on her work of sensitive, vérité-led documentaries. In 2022, she became a Pulitzer Center Fellow and an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

“Stoops have always brought New Yorkers together, but in recent years stoop life has eroded, particularly in gentrified neighborhoods. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, Americans are facing a public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection, particularly youth and elders. “Stoop Chat with Jimmy & Shanaya” strives to increase connections across generations while celebrating cultural legacies and neighborhood pride. Through heartfelt conversations, Jimmy and Shanaya explore what it means to be part of their Brooklyn community. This short is the first in a series of intergenerational “Stoop Chat” videos that celebrate stoop culture and preserve neighborhood stories. It builds on the Stoop Stories community project founded at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to connect, support, and celebrate our NYC neighbors. Funded by Brooklyn Arts Council and the Stoop Stories community, this series pilot was directed by Stoop Stories founder and Emmy-nominated producer Marj Kleinman, and Student Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Gabriella Canal, in collaboration with the Stoop Stories Collective of storytellers and artists.”

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