“I share my story so others know they are not alone.”
-Terah Williams
CLICK BELOW TO HEAR FROM TERAH
SEIZE THE DAY FUNDRAISER
The award-winning film team behind BEING MICHELLE is seeking emergency funding for sudden filming needs based on the current health condition of film participant Terah Williams who has catastrophic epilepsy. The film is titled SEIZE THE DAY.
Neurologist Dr. Heck of USC agreed to see Terah, and USC gave our team the rare opportunity of permission to film. They, like us, see the deep importance of our film, so we are all moving forward to document Terah's continued health journey.
We are urgently raising funds for this crucial stage of filming to cover production costs including permits & insurance, equipment rentals, travel, etc.
Thank you for your donation and support.
All donations are tax deductible through the 501(c)3 nonprofit Thriving Roots Initiative.
LOGLINE
SEIZE THE DAY follows the journey of Terah Williams, a 23- year old woman fighting for a normal life, despite a medical condition causing ongoing seizures, and the systemic racism she faces within broken social systems threatening to tear her life apart.
SYNOPSIS
What happens when broken social systems tear your life apart? SEIZE THE DAY explores the journey of Terah, a young woman struggling like many marginalized people in a society set on knocking you down. Faced with a severe form of epilepsy that restricts her physically and socially, Terah has had more than her fair share of setbacks. A failed health system and unjust judicial policies have Terah navigating a complex web of challenges without a safety net. Will new technology and a prominent medical advisor provide hope for better health, or will she be misled and let down, which is all too common for poor, uninsured people?
SEIZE THE DAY encapsulates the journey of three generations of Black women, with Terah as the nucleus surrounded by her mother and grandmother, as they hold on to personal triumphs, and fight to maintain their mutual support. Despite a multitude of setbacks, this is ultimately a story of perseverance. We experience the unjust aspects of the US healthcare and insurance systems faced by the uninsured, the inability to provide nutritious food for everyone, and the role of intergenerational trauma and racism within a culture that denies their influence on physical and mental health.
“African-Americans account for nearly one-third of all who have been diagnosed as having epilepsy.”
CONNECTION TO THE STORY
Director/Producer Atin Mehra experienced seizures in his childhood, most likely onset by trauma and malnutrition. Atin was able to access support from Ayurvedic, homeopathic and allopathic doctors who helped address underlying issues and the seizures stopped. In Atin’s birth country of India, access to qualified doctors from varying backgrounds are generally accessible to the larger population.
Producer Denise Hamilton has direct experience with the discrimination Black Americans face in the U.S. healthcare system. As caregiver to her elderly mother, she has seen examples of healthcare options not being offered to BIPOC, as well as uncaring medical staff.
The producing team has previous experience with the award-winning BEING MICHELLE, a feature-length social impact documentary that also addresses the struggle Disabled individuals face accessing basic human rights, specifically those living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
“Racism is absolutely
a health crisis.”
“All children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow and to pursue their dreams.”
Atin Mehra
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/DP
Mae Thornton Mehra
PRODUCER
Denise Hamilton
PRODUCER
Rajiv Sanghvi
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Tanya Ward
SOCIAL IMPACT PRODUCER
Lisa Gonzales
ADVISOR
Isabella Vargas
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Jacquill Moss
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Kimberley Browning
CONSULTING PRODUCER
Stephanie Filo
EDITOR
Martin Walter
EDITOR
Leon Lacey
COMPOSER
Carl Braz
COLORIST
Alyson Larson
CAMERA/ASST. EDITOR
Jason Smith
CAMERA
Mike Abela
CAMERA
Thriving Roots Initiative is a non-profit media company working in collaboration with marginalized populations to produce dynamic films and compelling content that expose injustice. Founded in 2019 by Mae Thornton Mehra & Atin Mehra, Thriving Roots Initiative believes in equality for children and all human beings. We harness the power of storytelling to serve as a catalyst to protect, strengthen, and sustain marginalized populations.