In Fresno, Producer Lays Out Vision for More Authentic Muslim Representation in Hollywood

Michael Wolfe, executive producer and president of Unity Productions Foundation, told attendees at a Nov. 15 lecture in Fresno that his organization’s mission is to expand and humanize the portrayal of Muslims in American media.

Wolfe, who co-founded UPF 25 years ago, said the nonprofit has produced 14 nationally aired films and a range of digital projects, including educational websites. The group is now expanding into educational gaming as part of its effort to reach wider audiences.

He said UPF visits Fresno every few years to update the community on new work and ongoing initiatives. A key focus of his lecture, titled Changing the Narrative of Muslim Culture in Hollywood, was addressing the long history of misrepresentation of Muslims in U.S. media.

Wolfe said UPF began consulting fo