OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood and The Micheaux Film Festival showcased a star-studded panel on Oct. 25, highlighting the impact of accurate and authentic storytelling, especially in narratives focused on medical issues and organ donation.
The event was moderated by Sarah E. Fahey, event chair, and included rapper Freeway, an organ donation advocate; Emmy-winning writer and producer Carol Barbee (“Raising Dion,” “Three Rivers”); writers and producers Jason Hanzel (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Graceland”) and Tristan Thai (“The Good Doctor”); and short film director Kameishia Wooten (“Choices”).
Freeway shared his experience with organ donation, which began in 2015 with a diagnosis of kidney failure.
“There were signs. I was scheduled to perform with Fabolous, and when I looked into the crowd I had this anxiety attack. Through the grace of God I got through it, but then after that I got blood work done,” recalled Freeway.
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After diagnosis, he found that many in the music industry had similar experiences but kept it hidden.
“Some people don’t want to look weak, but the best thing we can do is spread awareness,” he said, highlighting that his own risk factors included hypertension, diabetes, and being African American. Even while on dialysis, Freeway joined Jay Z and Beyonce for the “On the Run” tour to show that “dialysis isn’t a death sentence.”
Following his son’s tragic passing, whose organs saved four lives, he urged others: “Be an organ donor. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.”
Barbee discussed her experience on CBS’s “Three Rivers,” and spending time with three donor families and doctors to portray their stories accurately. She states that the show led to a double-digit increase in registered donors, demonstrating the real-world impact of media.
“Eight months ago, a friend needed a heart transplant. This is so real and impacts so many lives,” she said.
Thai shared how empathy helps writers convey complex stories, urging writers to imagine if a loved one needed a transplant. He cited an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” in which the protagonist grapples with being a donor match, as an example of how meaningful yet complex themes of organ donation can be portrayed. Thai stressed that real stories could inspire richer narratives in media.
(Dana Elaine Carroll/L.A. Sentinel)
Kameishia Wooten described her willingness to donate a kidney to her sister with Lupus, joking, “There are going to be rules if you get my kidney.” The panel played a trailer of her film, “Choices,” “about three teens who await pregnancy test results underneath the school bleachers, all dealing with three unique situations with teen pregnancy.”
Wooten’s film, written to counter the often-traumatic portrayals of Black teens, celebrates themes of sisterhood and self-determination.
The event also featured stories from OneLegacy ambassadors impacted by organ transplants. Duane, a heart and kidney transplant recipient, recounted his health journey, including his mission to dispel myths about organ donation within the LGBTQ+ community. Duane and his partner, who later underwent heart surgery, both had “their hearts touched” by the same surgeon.
Dr. Robert Hill, a heart and kidney transplant recipient, emphasized the importance of preventive health care. Reflecting on his experiences, he urged men—especially Black, Latino, and Native communities — to seek regular checkups.
“Sometimes we just ignore the signs. The stereotypes that it makes you weak if you go to the doctor, ok well, they ain’t gonna see you as weak if you’re dead,” he stated, stressing that organ donation saved his life.
LaBrina Boyd-Jolley shared the story of her mother’s decision to be a donor. Learning of her mother’s registration after her passing was a shock, but it led her to OneLegacy, where she received grief support and discovered the lives her mother’s donation had saved.
“I couldn’t bring my mom back,” she said, “but I was here to help her legacy live on.”
The Micheaux Film Festival’s partnership with OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood illustrated the power of authentic storytelling in spreading awareness and inspiring change, showing that stories rooted in truth can save lives.
