erin's tea

Hello dearest collaborators + friends,

I’m writing this as I emerge out of my editing cave to get some fresh air and smell the remaining spring flowers. I’m excited to share some videos that will be releasing soon, and an opportunity for us to share space.

dine with me + mezcla media collective

The easiest way to support me is through Mezcla Media Collective, and what better way to do so than attend this very special + intimate dinner.

The funds we receive from the ticketed seats and the Give Butter campaign will go directly into the amazing programming and workshops that Mezcla curates for its members and film community. Earlier this month, I attended a face-casting workshop and learned about the process of building a prosthetic face mask.

The cherry on top of this dinner is that we will have a showcase of Mezcla member films and a fireside chat with Lilly Wachowski — Chicago-based visionary writer-director-producer of The Matrix, Bound, Cloud Atlas, and Work In Progress, etc etc. Lilly will engage in a conversation with McKenzie Chinn, acclaimed writer, actor, filmmaker, and producer of the award-winning feature Olympia.

You can reserve your seat using this Give Butter link. I hope to see you there!

power in unity, power in knowledge

One Earth Film Festival, curated by One Earth Collective, is an environmental film festival based in Chicago, and I truly wish more people knew about this festival. I’ve worked with them for 10 years, and I’ve been able to stay informed about environmental issues and local actions through this collective.

What I love about this festival is that every screening is accompanied with a post-film discussion, allowing the viewer to reflect on what they watched, as well as learn about what the city of Chicago and Chicago organizers are doing to care for our land and our communities.

This year, I created a collection of recap videos from our festival’s discussions, which features some key successes that are happening within Chicago’s infrastructure and important action items we can take as individuals. The video featured here was from a screening about birds + human impact on birds. For those attending Mezcla’s dinner, you’ll get to see “Broken Flight.” All post-film discussions will soon be featured on One Earth’s socials, so please give them a follow to watch more!

one of my favorite interviews

Marcie and Debra clap the slate to begin their interview. Special thanks to Ashley Battle for operating the camera during our conversation.

My current film, Reading Came First, has been making strides this month with gathering interviews. Roy, my main subject, is traveling abroad, so I am utilizing this time to interview his family + close collaborators. I had the honor of interviewing his mothers, Marcie & Debra, a few weekends ago, and their stories affirmed Roy’s love of literature and music.

Later today, I’ll be interviewing a few of Roy’s music collaborators who helped with his latest album, “Dandelions: God’s Don’t Cry.” If you haven’t listened to this album yet, I highly encourage you do so!

in gratitude

moving pages from Julien James’ “ I Love You Always, Always.”

 

One of the many things I enjoy about being in partnership with a talented photographer is that I get to learn about the incredible artistry that is flourishing in St. Louis. Justin Mikhail Solomon lensed the newly released book, “I Love You Always, All Ways” by Julien James at NEU Studio. The care and intention that Justin puts into collaborations he cares deeply about radiates through these images. For my pals in LA, this book debuts this weekend at LA Art Book Fair and you can get a copy at booth B1 at 950 S. Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105.