Live From the Academy…

In an evening of firsts, our 4th annual telethon highlights what our members are made of.

For three months, members and staff conceptualized, organized, planned and created what we hoped would be an inspiring and memorable hour of programming.From our first planning meeting in late May, we were courageous in pitching ideas from the outlandish to the introspective. The final product turned out to be a mix of both, and so much more.

Because, as we say, it’s just us, we forged ahead, sometimes with only a vague notion of an idea. Our amazing multimedia team met our every challenge with a solution and made it all happen. Eleven promo videos shot at dozens of unique locations, filmed sketches, skits and interviews, endless hours of editing, rehearsing, and rewriting; this was a passion project for us all.

And when it was all said and done, it was an experience of a lifetime for us. The result is an apt snapshot of our creative, resilient community. Watch it and you will see the easy rapport of our emcees (and the first-ever member emcee, Cayman Sieffert, who charmed and endeared us), the joy and playfulness of our teams, and the vulnerability of those who stepped out of comfort to bring light to mental health. This is who we are.

Very special thanks go to the Steinwachs Family Foundation, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and the Giving Generously Fund for their considerable matches. And to everyone who watched, shared or donated, your generosity keeps us going, not just financially but in our hearts and minds. Your support sustains us.

Great news: if you missed it, you can still stream it by clicking here. Make sure to stay tuned until the end for fun bloopers and additional footage not seen live.