Ava DuVernay is an American filmmaker who attended the University of California Los Angeles. Her films focus on racial issues within society. She was the first black woman to win the directing award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. DuVernay was also the first black woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Director. Lastly, she was the first black female director to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Using her education at UCLA, Ava DuVernay accomplished a lot as a black woman.