Read the complete media release here.

In August 2014, a Chicago-based Collective of artists and friends launched the #LetUsBreathe fundraising effort to bring respirator masks, tear gas remedies, medical & hygiene supplies, and water bottles to protesters in Ferguson in the wake of a violent, militarized police response after the death of Michael Brown. During their second supply delivery trip, they met Lost Voices, a group of youth that refused to leave the protest area and that vowed to camp there until Officer Darren Wilson was indicted for Mike Brown's killing. They activated the Collective in a way that has fueled its activism and organizing in the five months since that first trip and they are the reason Chicago filmmaker Lonnie Edwards was invited to return  the following weekend to document their stories and create a documentary, originally titled Lost Voices: A Ferguson Story​. ​

The #LetUsBreathe Collective used part of its crowdsourced funds for travel, lodging, and meals for Mr. Edwards and four other photographers over the course of several supply trips. They believed deeply that telling Lost Voices's story would help spark activist movements worldwide and provide resources and stability for these at risk emerging leaders. Now, Mr. Edwards is attempting to remove #LetUsBreathe from decision-making about the film, giving interviews claiming that he is the sole owner and creator of the film, and excluding Lost Voices as financial beneficiaries of the film. In the spirit of love and community, the #LetUsBreathe Collective invites you to chime in on the standards by which the entertainment industry should engage the activist community. What is ethical stewardship of marginalized narratives? What guidelines should be demanded of artists and journalists? How do we document with dignity? Would you support a film called A Ferguson Story if the person claiming to be its sole creator spent more time in Los Angeles pitching the film than in Ferguson? 

In December, Mr. Edwards removed Lost Voices from the title of the film and introduced #LetUsBreathe leadership to Todd Walton, who he said would be helping with building a website and launch a marketing plan for the film. The Collective was not consulted when Mr. Walton was added as an executive producer and #LetUsBreathe was removed from the film's producer credit and excluded from the website that Mr. Walton built. While the Collective  appreciates Mr. Walton's contributions to the project, he has since excluded #LetUsBreathe leadership from decision-making regarding marketing, distribution, and screenings of the film, and this is legally problematic. #LetUsBreathe drafted a production agreement asserting its right to be included in the decision-making, granting Lonnie 60% of any future net revenue from the film, granting Lost Voices 30%, and #LetUsBreathe 10%. They consider this to be a very generous offer, given their role in conceiving the film, however it is an offer than Mr. Edwards rejected. He instead offered a contract granting himself 90% of future net revenue and #LetUsBreathe 10%, with no consideration for Lost Voices. The #LetUsBreathe Collective and its allies have a deep moral objection to Mr. Edwards commercializing the film for personal gain.

Mr. Edwards's counter-offer came with the ultimatum that the Collective agree to it, or that all footage it can prove it owns will be removed from the film and the project will move forward without #LetUsBreathe. Because Mr. Edwards was only available for one of the many trips #LetUsBreathe took to support Lost Voices, the footage he shot himself comprises a small fraction of the film. The rest of the film is news clips he pulled from the internet and original footage shot primarily by other photographers who have released their footage to #LetUsBreathe. The Collective also holds media releases signed by all of the Lost Voices and other community members that were interviewed in Ferguson releasing the right to use their likeness exclusively to #LetUsBreathe. The majority of photographers that contributed footage and all of the members of Lost Voices support #LetUsBreathe's initial agreement and will not give Mr. Edwards permission to use their footage or likeness if he insists on proceeding in a manner that deviates from the initial purpose of the film.

This film has created travel, speaking, and learning opportunities for the folks who sacrificed on the frontlines of this movement, and the Collective wants to continue to see that happen. Before being removed from the producer credits, the Collective produced screening events at the University of Chicago, Young Chicago Authors, Kuumba Lynx, the Greenhouse Fellowship, and King High School, as well as provided travel, lodging, and meals for Lost Voices to be featured at these events. #LetUsBreathe is happy to move forward with this project, as long as they are at the negotiating table to advocate for Lost Voices and the people of Ferguson that they committed to serving when they donated funds toward bringing Mr. Edwards and other photographers on their supply delivery trips to Ferguson. 

Please sign if you agree that Lonnie Edwards and Todd Walton must remain accountable to the activists represented in the film and chime in to the community conversation on how to #DocumentWithDignity - what guidelines should the activist community require of the entertainment industry in telling (or selling) our stories?