Michael Fequiere

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Kojo is a loveable and precocious jazz prodigy. When he's not at home in New York, he's touring the world, which serves as both stage and classroom.

Directed by: Michael Fequiere

Shot by: Anthony Joseph

Produced by: Berman Fenelus + All Area Crew

Edited by: Shannon Jackson

Edafe Okporo is the director of the only shelter in New York City that provides housing for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. He knows what it’s like to arrive in the U.S. with nowhere to go. Okporo left Nigeria seeking asylum after he was attacked by a mob because of his sexual orientation. With the hope of a better life, he came to the U.S., but soon realized he faced another battle. Refugees can undergo harsh treatment, having to navigate complex asylum law and face time in detention centers. Still, he persevered, and built a life for himself. Now, Okporo is helping others do the same.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Asher May-Corsini

Editors: Justin Beach + Katia Vannoy

Senior Producer: Samantha Stamler

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

Yellow cheese and chimichangas—you’re not going to find them in chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s Phoenix restaurants. One of the best Mexican chefs in the world, she creates dishes with cultural pride, serving authentic Mexican food inspired by women who handed down recipes for generations. Beyond her restaurants, she is an activist fighting bills and laws targeting the undocumented by building community through street art, lowrider events and lots of love.

Director: Asher May-Corsini

Producer: Michael Fequiere

Editor: Oriel Danielson

Senior Producer: Samantha Stamler

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

He’s quadriplegic. She’s able-bodied. Meet Cole and Charisma. They’re an interabled couple. They live, love and laugh like the rest of us. But when people see them together, many assume Charisma is Cole’s nurse or caregiver. Some stare and whisper. Rather than retreat from public view, this Virginia pair began vlogging about their relationship, getting real about everything from intimacy to house hunting. They hope to educate people, and if they inspire other love matches, well, that’s a happy bonus.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Jonathan O'Berne

Editor: Carlos Martinelli

Senior Producer: Samantha Stamler

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

Drag isn’t just for adults. It’s for kids, too. So says 11-year-old Desmond Napoles, aka, Desmond is Amazing. He got hooked on drag after watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race” with his mom. And he went viral after voguing the entire route of the 2015 New York City Pride parade. An LGBTQ activist, Desmond was one of the grand marshals of Brooklyn Pride this year. He radiates joy and positivity wherever he goes. But, despite all the love he spreads, Desmond has his fair share of haters that have required him to have extra security at school. Still, he continues to advocate for equal rights for all, and even started Haus of Amazing, a space where drag kids can come together and be themselves.

Director: Asher May-Corsini

Producer: Michael Fequiere

Editor: Katia Vannoy

Senior Producer: Samantha Stamler

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

You might not recognize their faces, but Brionna and Jalil Jay Lynch have been cruising through all your favorite action movies. As professional stunt drivers, they’ve been burning rubber in everything from “Black Panther” to “Creed” to Beyoncé’s music video for “Formation”. The father-daughter duo are quickly becoming the best in the game and are now some of the most sought out stunt drivers in Hollywood.

For more from Brionna and Jalil Jay Lynch, follow them on Instagram at @helmethairr and @1xstunts.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Dave Yim

Editors: Michael Fequiere + Jessie Auritt

Senior Producer: Ingela Travers-Hayward

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

When basketball courts end up with cracks, dips and divots, Dan Peterson and company step in. With the help of artists and community volunteers, Project Backboard resurfaces public courts and turns them into fly, large-scale pieces of art. The organization has brought new life and sleek aesthetics to over two dozen basketball courts around the world—including in Dan’s hometown of New Rochelle, New York. Working with local volunteers, Project Backboard brought artist Scott Albrecht's multi-colored vision to life.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producers: Farhod Family + Dave Yim + Rodrigo Valencia

Editor: Oriel Danielson

Senior Producer: Ingela Travers-Hayward

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

For many people, there’s a stigma surrounding mental health issues. They don’t feel comfortable, or like it’s even okay to discuss their feelings. Which is why Lorenzo Lewis founded The Confess Project, to take the shame out of talking about mental health. The national movement targets young men of color, and it’s picking up steam at barbershops across the South and Midwest. If there’s one place where men do open up, it’s the barbershop, Lewis says. So he is giving barbers the tools they need to facilitate honest, non-judgmental conversations with the guys in their chairs and, ultimately, access to professional help.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Dominque Turner

Editor: Joe Radano

Senior Producer: Drew Beebe

Supervising Producer: Samantha Stamler

Hear that swish? That’s the Salam Stars crushing it on the court. The all-female varsity basketball team is made up of Muslim students from the Salam School, an Islamic school in Milwaukee. All the players wear hijabs and modest athletic wear. In an ideal world, that wouldn’t be a big deal, but they often face judgment based on their outfits and their religion. But these athletes ignore the haters. The Salam Stars are focused on the game. They play to win while making space for other girls to do the same.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producers: Mickey Todiwala + Sarita Khurana

Editors: Michael Fequiere + Allie Straim

Senior Producer: Jillian Eugenios

Supervising Producer: Samantha Stamler

Raimundo Chirinos has devoted his life and career to protecting Puerto Rico’s waters. And in the wake of Hurricane Maria, his devotion matters more than ever. Among its many assaults, the Category 5 storm pulled fishing gear from the island’s shores into the ocean, creating “ghost traps.” These misplaced traps inadvertently catch fish and other species, disrupting the ecosystem and the local fishing economy. More determined than ever to protect his island’s waters, Raimundo has hired local dive fishermen to help him locate ghost traps, creating economic opportunity and community in the wake of devastation.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Asher May-Corsini

Editor: Justin Beach

Senior Producer: Ingela Travers-Hayward

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

He just might be the biggest bluebird landlord in Idaho. Al Larson has built and placed more than 350 wooden nest boxes throughout the state’s southwest. The birdwatcher started the project in the late 1970s after reading how important the shelters are to the survival of bluebirds. Today, at the age of 97, he is still at it. Larson monitors the little houses to record vital data about the number of eggs and nestlings. To date, Larson has helped fledge over 40,000 bluebirds.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Mariano Carranza

Editor: Oriel Danielson

Senior Producer: Drew Beebe

Supervising Producer: Samantha Stamler

Tara Strong makes her living rolling off cliffs and fighting villains … of the animated variety. You might not recognize her face, but you likely have heard her in hit cartoons like “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Rugrats” and “The Fairly OddParents.” Step inside the studio with one of most prolific voice actors in the game.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Dave Yim

Editor: Michael Fequiere + Allie Straim

Senior Producer: Drew Beebe

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

You’ve heard his vocal stylings as Hermes Conrad in “Futurama,” the Green Lantern in “Justice League,” Ollie Williams in “Family Guy,” and, of course, as Jack in “Samurai Jack.” As the man behind over 250 of your favorite characters, Phil LaMarr is one of the most prolific voice actors in the biz. But beyond his vocal prowess, LaMarr has left his mark on all your favorite movies and TV shows, from an appearance in “Pulp Fiction,” to a featured regular role on MADtv.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Writer: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Dave Yim

Editor: Michael Fequiere + Carlos Martinelli

Senior Producer: Drew Beebe

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

At the University of Texas, Dr. Kate Biberdorf is breaking stereotypes and blowing stuff up—all in a good pair of heels. Through her theatrical and dynamic approach to teaching, Dr. Biberdorf is breaking the stigma of what a stereotypical scientist looks like, while reaching students that might otherwise be intimidated by chemistry. By making waves within her field and empowering the next generation to get involved in STEM, she’s sending a message that any human can be a scientist.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producer: Isabella Bartolucci

Editor: Carlos Martinelli

Senior Producer: Ingela Travers-Hayward

Supervising Producer: Sadie Bass

A short documentary about Austrian bodypainter, filmmaker and photographer Neil Curtis as he prepares for his New York debut at the Leslie Lohman Museum.

Director: Michael Fequiere

Producers: Michael Fequiere + Neil Curtis

Editors: Michael Fequiere + Neil Curtis