Still Here: Images of Resilience & Memory
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Hey Maya,
The world of journalist Issac Bailey and his hometown of St Stephen, South Carolina came to life in photos as more than 100 people gathered on Thursday, October 9 at Rivian San Francisco for Still Here: Images of Resilience and Memory, an art and film fundraiser.
Together, 68 donors helped raise around $5,000 toward our $8,000 goal for the night – funds that will help our film team return to the Carolinas to continue documenting Issac’s story.
We’re just $5,000 away from our goal, and every contribution makes a difference.
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Photographs by Misha Velasquez
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Guests explored Jon Warfield Harrison’s photography exhibit - presented in vignettes of the home - documenting Southern Black family life and intergenerational memory in Saint Stephen, South Carolina.
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Photograph by Misha Velasquez
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Short films I, Stutter by James Robinson and Tartamudeo by Dave Rodriguez screened in Rivian car screening rooms, giving more perspective on the stuttering experience and representing what the power of storytelling could accomplish.
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Photograph by Misha Velasquez
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An open bar, bites from The Bird and Afterwork Bar, and complimentary coffee from Slow Street Coffee fueled the event.
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Photograph by Stanley Lui
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The evening opened with emcee Nina G, comedian and author of Stutterer Interrupted, who welcomed guests with warmth and humor.
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Photograph by Stanley Lui
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Kyle Smeallie shared a message on behalf of Jim Lebrecht, who was unable to attend due to illness.
“When you have grips and other crew members that are deaf, disabled, or Neurodiverse, those people have an opportunity to network and show that they are capable as others that are trying to work their way up the ladder.”
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Photograph by Stanley Lui
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Dom Kelly, CEO of New Disabled South shared his personal story of coming to acceptance, openness and pride in his stutter late in life, and the importance of telling stories about this community and using art as resistance in the face of our present day realities.
“Telling stories about our community is how we survive long term, is how we survive the long generational arc. Because these are stories they don't want us to tell.”
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Photograph by Stanley Lui
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The film team - Maya Chupkov, Tessa Andrade, and Christina Chin - talked about their journey creating the film up until this point and about how they wanted to bring a piece of St. Stephen to San Francisco through the exhibit.
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Photograph by Stanley Lui
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Author and professor Issac Bailey, the central participant in the documentary, reflected on the contradiction in his family and the reality of living with a stutter - sometimes he’s really proud and sometimes he isn’t.
“Yes like in order to like actually be honest, like in terms sort of that like, I sort of like actually toggle, yes like at least between pride and shame. Even now. I do.”
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Photograph by Misha Velasquez
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For everyone who joined us on October 9, we hope you left feeling connected, not only to Issac and his family, whose story is at the heart of this film, but also to the team bringing it to life. This event was a celebration of community, art, and storytelling that bridges experiences across difference.
And for those who couldn’t make it, we’ll be sharing highlights, more photos and reflections, and other updates from the evening soon, so stay tuned and follow along as we continue this journey to bring Still Here to the screen.
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Still Here: Images of Resilience and Memory marked the beginning of a larger journey. The film will continue production in the Carolinas, while Proud Stutter leads the impact work that brings these stories to wider communities.
Stay connected: Follow the film’s IG page for updates and BTS footage of our film journey.
Fill out our survey: Fill out our event feedback survey.
Make a donation: Help us reach our goal of raising the remainder of the funds we need to get back to the Carolinas.
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Special thanks to our sponsors, partners, crew, and volunteers: Eliot Goldstein, Jon Warfield Harrison, Angie Lara, Rivian, The Bird/Afterwork Bar, New Disabled South, AImpower.org, Slow Street Coffee, Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic, National Stuttering Association, Jessica Chizen Speech, Community News Lab, FWD-DOC, Meenkashi Das, Dean Preston, Dom Kelly, Issac Bailey, Jim Lebrecht, Nina G, Misha Velasquez, Stanley Lui, Tessa Andrade, Patricia Chupkov, Dan Chupkov, Julie Fogh, Krithi & Swathy Manavalan, Phoenix, Kyle Smeallie, Khiry Shank, Ina Lilac, Sheena Brevig, Andrew Seigner, Jim Lebrecht, Keenan Goldin, Sari Grunis, Andrew Rogge, Jesse Vasquez, Cynthia Chin, Christina Chin, Sarah Nelson, Traka Lopez-White, Christopher Caulfield.
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Turning Compassion
into Action
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Whether you've donated or still considering it, every gift helps us cover the costs for the event and for our film.
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