It Takes a Movement is a short documentary film produced for Thousand Currents, where I served as Producer, Cinematographer, and Portrait Photographer. The film centers frontline movement leaders building community-rooted solutions across South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, and Peru. Created in a global context where grassroots movements receive less than 1% of philanthropic funding, the film asks what becomes possible when movements are resourced at the scale of their vision.

The film uplifts leaders defending land, water, culture, and collective futures—including Goldman Prize Winner Nonhle Mbuthuma (Amadiba Crisis Committee), Ester (Aquelarre Bonao Collective), Chantelle (SEEP), and Lourdes (FENMUCARINAP)—alongside reflections from Solome Lemma and Zanele Sibanda on Thousand Currents’ 40 years of partnership-driven philanthropy.

Filmed over the course of a year, It Takes a Movement reflects the generational, courageous nature of movement work and the power of trust-based, long-term support. The film invites viewers to recognize that transformative change is already unfolding—rooted in the leadership of those most impacted, and strengthened when philanthropy shows up with humility, flexibility, and care.