2022

So Much More is a story that follows 75 year-old Brian McLane and his relationship with his full time caregiver Chris Bittel. Brian was born with Cerebral Palsy and has been in a wheelchair all of his life.  As he’s aged, his disability has become more pronounced and he now requires around-the-clock assistance. Chris is Brian’s most trusted caregiver and has worked with him for more than 10 years, helping Brian as he continues to lose his independence. When Chris began working for Brian about a decade ago, Brian was able to drive his car, feed himself and operate his wheelchair, and now he isn’t able to do any of this on his own. This unique story is one about perseverance and loyalty. While their relationship began professionally out of Brian’s needs, it has become one of friendship out of choice.

Pony Vista Farm has been owned and operated by David Diemer, age 87, for over 70 years. In January of 2020, David had a stroke which caused him to be immobilized and unable to leave his home. David’s two oldest daughters, Stacy Bonham and Rebecca Baker, have been involved with the farm for many years.  Recently, Stacy has had to take over the barn duties full-time. This story illustrates the legacy of Pony Vista and the impact recent changes have had on Stacy and on David himself. 

Anthony Hall, 37, is trying to fight the rise in gun violence and other systemic issues in Rochester so that his sons may be able to break the cycle. Anthony has experienced this cycle himself as his father was out selling drugs and in and out of jail. Anthony followed his father's footsteps by leading a gang, and ultimately becoming incarcerated himself. While in prison, Anthony made a conscious effort to change his life. He attained his GED and a degree in Theology. When he was released he re-enter his daughter and son's life, he started a non-profit, volunteered, interned, and eventually landed a job in Pathways to Peace, a gang intervention program run by Rochester. There he spent eight years bringing peace to the street he once ran. Three years ago, Pathways was disbanded and Hall has struggled to find a long-term job but is still on the streets helping his fellow Rochestrians. 

Legacy in the Soil is a short documentary that follows the Jacobson family through the hardest year of farming for them since the 1980’s. “A family farm is loved and cherished and so much energy is placed into it that it becomes the legacy of the farmers. And a legacy is something you really wish to hand down to your next of kin, your children. Otherwise, it becomes the end of an era,” says Nick Jacobson, a third generation farmer. He hopes to pass his 7,000-acre farm down to one of his children, Ivy, 13, Tate, 11, Aiden, 8, and Creighton, 6.

Only about 16.5% of family farms are passed down to the third generation. “To stay efficient in the business we need to expand. The challenge now is to prepare one of the kids to take over while also getting them to have a full-time job outside of the farm,” says Nick. However, a career outside of farming can lead to the farm not passing onto the next generation. “I’ve already had a conversation with Tate that he needs to go to college so that if he works the farm he can also work in between seasons and down time. Otherwise, you can’t make enough to live.”

This story is an audio slideshow that explores the ideas of family, race, and community in the realm of transracial adoption. As Justice works on this story about the Luckey family, she hopes to emphasize the importance of family with a strong community backing, especially for one's children, and the complexities of adoption and more specifically adoption across races.

This short film focuses on the work that Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a sea turtle rehabilitation center in Florida does, throughout the hatchling season to promote their survival against climate change, habitat loss and hunting.

According to the US Department of Justice, for every Black woman that reports rape or sexual assault, 15 Black women do not, and it’s even less likely among Black men and the LGBTQIA+ community. This project discusses how the history of sexual violence within the black community has newly fostered internalized oppression against itself due to being oppressed for many years by white individuals.  Many cases of sexual violence within the Black community either go unreported or ignored by officials. 

This making of this is meant provide Black identifying men, women, and non-binary individuals with a safe space to share their experiences with sexual violence in the hopes that they are able to heal from their experience. The stories of these individuals are a reclamation of their strength and humanity, and as well as an inspiration for others to share their stories, in hopes of building a better world for our communities. 

Nya Zielinski is a 10-year-old girl from Rochester, N.Y., learning to heal from the trauma of physical and mental abuse she endured from her biological family and the foster care system. According to the article What Emotional Abuse Does to Your Brain, “emotional trauma stays with you and shapes who you are as a person”. Nya’s “trauma brain” has affected the way she reacts and interacts with her friends and family. 

Since being adopted by Stephanie Zielinski, Nya has found a passion for caring for her loved ones and those who can’t protect themselves. Children who enter foster care are provided resources for support but often have a long road to healing. Nya has been able to find new hobbies and coping mechanisms that help her calm down and express how she is feeling.

Common Goal is a short documentary about the relationship between a father and son as they play sled hockey together. Myles, a twelve-year-old with spina bifida, looks up to an older teammate who is trying out to compete in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.