Transformative Storytelling

To counter the enormous amount of pessimism, dissension, and the fracturing of trust that has eroded our country’s confidence in traditional institutions and each other, we are investing in compelling, human-centered storytelling projects that have the power to reveal hidden narratives, nurture our common bonds and shared humanity, amplify young people’s voices and raise awareness about promising solutions.

Harnessing the Power of Film

The Foundation’s recent investments in transformative storytelling include I Got My Brother, a short documentary about brothers Jarrett and Baylon Harper, who reflect on the abuse and neglect they endured in the foster care system. After serving 20 years for taking the life of the man who abused them, Jarrett now advocates for young people in foster care. The film premiered at SXSW, where it won the Audience Award, and was acquired by the Los Angeles Times.

The Foundation also supported Speak., a documentary following five high school students as they compete in the super bowl of public speaking. The film debuted in competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and continues to reach audiences across the country. It is a story of hope, joy, and the promise of the next generation.

We seek to partner with values-aligned filmmakers and innovators

to support content that is integrated with the Foundation’s programmatic strategy and can serve as a force multiplier to help us realize our mission of creating greater opportunity, accessible to all. We know that social impact storytelling has the power to catalyze conversations and drive change so we are committed to collaborating with our partners to reach the widest possible audience.

Inspirational stories

of against-all-odds entrepreneurship, leadership, shared humanity, bridging differences and divides to foster common bonds.

Young adults navigating through adversity

including exiting the juvenile justice system, foster care, homelessness, and the challenges of the youth mental health crisis.

Restoring faith in the promise of America

How are we connecting Gen Z to pathways to opportunity, good jobs, and a bright future – and what role will AI play?

Stories

I Got My Brother

Two brothers reflect on their candid and often humorous memories of surviving the foster care system and prison, realizing along the way that their path to healing has always been each other.

From director Victor Gabriel.

feeling lost & finding your purpose

i know we’re not the only ones that have felt very very VERY lost at some point in our lives. no school to guide us, no passion to follow, just an empty canvas for us to fill. that first streak can feel so daunting so how are we supposed to get on with it? what kind of live are we trying to live? how are we supposed to know? in this episode we chat about how maybe the answer is service and well… play!

are we all unemployed?

been unemployed for so long i forget health and dental insurance is a real thing real people have and not just some buzzword that gets thrown around. why is everyone unemployed, what’s the real way in, and does it all come down to luck?

in this episode we talk about our experience never having a corporate job, what we’ve learned about how people actually get hired, and give you advice on how to hit it from the back because most jobs are filled through personal network and referrals. start cold emailing girl and never stop….

 

The team behind “Speak.” answers Very Important Questioner Nick Ducassi’s very important questions about their documentary at the L.A. Times Studios@ Sundance Film Festival.

Our Partners

Latest Stories

“We believe in the power of human-centered, aspirational storytelling to nurture our common bonds, foster our shared humanity, and inspire the next generation of leaders, and we look forward to pursuing projects across many different formats aligned with our family’s philanthropic work and mission.”

– Howard Schultz