🎥 Help Us Tell the Grant Street Story

Grant Street Community is producing a short documentary that captures the heart, history, and future vision of one of Durham’s historic neighborhoods. The film will feature the voices and leadership of the Grant Street Ladies whose families have lived in the neighborhood for 100+ years—Brenda Bradsher, Vivian Gunn, Pam Blake, and Dianne Merritt, Joanne Brown—along with Bishop Clarence Laney, Jr., as we celebrate his 30 years of pastoral leadership and the enduring presence of Monument of Faith Church, which has been a cornerstone of the neighborhood since 1933.

We are raising $7,000 to produce and premiere a community-rooted documentary in partnership with local filmmaker Jay Reid of Renaissance Digital.

This film will:

Tell the story of Grant Street in connection with Monument of Faith Church
Lift up the leadership, dignity, and legacy already present
Clearly name our hopes and long-term vision for neighborhood flourishing
Invite broader community partnership

📍 Community Screening

We are planning a public screening on Saturday, April 18 at 3:00 pm at the Hayti Heritage Center

Neighbors, business owners, city officials, nonprofit leaders, and community partners will be invited.

The screening will serve as a launch moment for:

Volunteer teams
Expanded fundraising
Press engagement
Long-term neighborhood collaboration

The following weeks, we plan to host a community garden ribbon-cutting, building tangible momentum.

🌿 Become a Documentary Sponsor

We are inviting businesses, organizations, and community partners to sponsor this project.

Sponsors will:

✔ Be listed in the documentary credits
✔ Be featured in the printed program at the screening
✔ Be recognized publicly at the event
✔ Be part of shaping the narrative of this historic neighborhood

This is an opportunity to align your name with a project rooted in preservation, dignity, and long-term care.

🎟 Sponsorship Levels

Community Sponsor – $250
Name listed in screening program
Supporting Sponsor – $500
Name in program + logo in sponsor slide at screening
Legacy Sponsor – $1,000
Logo in documentary credits + program feature + verbal recognition at screening
Presenting Sponsor – $2,500
Prominent placement in film credits + printed materials + recognition at event

💛 Every Gift Matters

Not a business? Individual gifts are welcome too.

$25 – Helps fund interview production
$100 – Supports editing
$250 – Supports screening costs
$500+ – Helps us build community momentum

This project is being managed by BLK South who serves as the steward of the 15-Year Neighborhood plan for Grant Street Community. Click here to learn more.

The Grant Street Story: A Community Documentary