By Stephanie Kim, Public Relations Specialist
Hmm.. where do I start..
Born and raised in the state of cowboys, sweet tea, and barbecue, Texas was all I had really known. After graduating college in Austin, I moved out to Los Angeles with wide eyes and big dreams. I came with nothing but hopes that everything would turn out exactly how they were supposed to.
There was only one thing that pulled me to this city: motion pictures.
I’ve always been captured by the power within films. I, myself, have been so strongly influenced by some of the movies I’ve seen in my past. The ability that characters, their words, their interactions can have on the audience always blew my mind.
But after getting an amazing job and seeing Hollywood and all it has to offer, I began to wonder. Billions of dollars flooding into this industry for so many movies, but, what kinds of stories were these films sharing? Were all of these movies truly taking advantage of the influence they have?
I started to wrestle in my thoughts about what my part was in this field, this city, this world. And I thought to myself, I want to help tell stories worth sharing. I even wrote it in my journal that day haha.
Would you believe me if I said I met Eugenia and Kiri two days later? Welp, that’s what happened!
Friends invited me to a big dinner and I was 30 minutes late. I got there, and there were two new girls talking about an amazing film project revolving around a heartbreaking issue. They called it “After The Rain” and I immediately knew I had to join!
I still have my full-time job and being a part of this coalition hasn’t been the easiest. BUT, it has given me the joy, the excitement, the passion to continue to strive to love others. I may not personally know the people that are being bride kidnapped or enduring another horrible injustice, but as a fellow human being, I am called to have compassion, love, and to do my part.
It’s been such a learning experience and I cannot wait to see the final product and the impact it will have on the people of Kyrgyzstan.
After The Rain is just the beginning. I know this coalition will start to move the world one story at a time.