At 42 years old, Hisonni Mustafa knows a thing or two about perseverance. The award-winning filmmaker, father, and first-generation college student has been named the 2025 Commencement Speaker for the College of Southern Nevada, and his journey to the podium is nothing short of cinematic.
Mustafa, who is graduating from CSN’s Film Program with honors, is best known for his breakout feature film Take Out Girl, a gritty, heartfelt drama shot in Las Vegas that earned over 20 awards and was picked up by Hulu after making waves at more than 50 film festivals. But before streaming platforms and red carpets, Mustafa was a gymnastics coach, an acting gig hustler, and a young man navigating the world with a scholarship and a dream.
“I came back to school carrying more than just textbooks,” he said in his graduation speech. “I carried life. Responsibilities. Doubts. And a hope that maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.”
That hope led him to CSN, where he sought not just credentials but craft. Although largely self-taught, Mustafa enrolled at CSN to sharpen his skills and push himself creatively. Along the way, he balanced fatherhood, coursework, and financial challenges—relying on support from his longtime partner, his toddler son Kenzo, and the CSN community.
“Life doesn’t wait for second chances,” he reflected. “My son was born during my very first semester. That moment could’ve ended everything. But CSN gave me the space and support to keep going.”
The college also gave him something more tangible: access to TRIO programs, affordable childcare, food pantries, scholarships, and a network of professors who cared. “They saw potential in me,” he said. “They valued people more than policy.”
His story is full of those moments where passion meets grit. Raised by a single mother alongside four sisters, Hisonni credits his uncles, gymnastics coaches, and partner of 20 years as critical mentors who helped fill the gaps and shape his path. Despite his success, he remains humble. When asked if he invited anyone to graduation, he quietly replied that he hadn’t considered yet—he’s more focused on what’s next: a bachelor’s degree, an MFA after that, and two films recently nominated for regional Emmys.
One of those films, Legend Has It, The Remarkable Rise of Stephen McCain tells the story of Olympic gymnast Stephen McCain. The other, Silenced, is a haunting narrative exploring the tragic consequences of medical neglect for women. Both echo a theme that runs through Hisonni’s own life: resilience, family, and the power of being seen.
Now, as CSN’s 2025 commencement speaker, Hisonni will stand before thousands of graduates, embodying what’s possible when community, creativity, and courage align.
“To anyone who thinks it’s too late to start over, or that the weight of real life means your dreams have to be left behind—I’m here to tell you: it’s not,” he said. “You can carry a diaper bag on one shoulder, a bookbag on the other, and still hold a camera—and a vision.”
Dreams, it turns out, are built right here at CSN.
To learn more about Hisonni’s film projects or connect with him, visit his website.
