On August 18th, 2021, 24-year-old D’Anthony Dorsey, a marine biology teacher at Auburndale High School in Polk County, FL was admitted to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center in Lakeland, FL, the same hospital in which he was born, with COVID-19. For over three weeks, his mother Lydia visited the hospital and whispered in his ear that they were all waiting for him to wake up. And for a few days, he did wake up. They called him “their miracle patient.” But then, he began to suffocate and despite all of the medical team’s efforts, they were unable to save him. He was unvaccinated. Lydia had to bury her healthy, athletic son because Florida’s government officials had convinced residents that masks were not preventing the spread of the virus. D’Anthony’s family is still divided on the safety of the vaccine.
On December 20, 2021, Randy Watt texted his daughter Jessica from an emergency room to let her know that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He too was unvaccinated. For 12 days, Randy fought for every breath while lying alone in his ICU bed in Akron, OH. Jessica and her daughter Jillian, Randy’s granddaughter, watched Randy die on their phones, unable to comfort him when his doctors and nurses reminded him that his dire situation was preventable. Family members found out after his death that was actively posting on a social media feed frequented by powerful, anti-vaccine influencers with political agendas and financial greed, preying on those who had been led astray by disinformation and falsehoods about the pandemic, many claiming that it was a hoax. And now, all three women are mourning in silence for fear of being told that Randy and D’Anthony’s deaths are insignificant; society is labeling them as “preventable,” diminishing the pain the families are still experiencing.
When vaccines first rolled out, master barbers Mike Brown and Fredie Spry were fearful, even defiant, about getting the vaccine. But as long-time partners in the University of Maryland’s HAIR Network, they decided to work with Dr. Stephen Thomas and HAIR trainers to separate rumor from fact. Today, they serve as trained health advocates, offering barbershop-based health education and navigation to clients who remain hesitant, meeting people with empathy, respect, and trusted-venue dialogue.
Jessica Watt Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in counseling from North Carolina State University, a certificate in Violence, Loss and Trauma from Marshall University and has worked as an elementary school counselor for the past two decades. She works closely with children who have experienced trauma, grief and loss and for the past five years, has found it necessary to support her students with a wide array of stress and difficult experiences while schools have learned to navigate education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Jessica resides in Southeastern Ohio with her husband, Stephen, and their children Jillian, Brendon, Maddie, and Benjamin.
Jillian Dobson earned a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies and then became a nationally certified PA-C. During the first few years of her career, she endured working in inpatient medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and witnessed numerous patients fall victim to the virus. She and her husband Jesse reside in Bellaire, OH.
Lydia Dorsey is a mother shaped by love, loss, and purpose. A University of South Florida graduate and financial professional, Lydia’s life was forever changed when her 24-year-old son, D’Anthony, a vibrant young teacher, was taken by Covid. His passing ignited her calling. Now a grief coach and community advocate, Lydia stands with families in underserved communities disproportionately impacted by Covid and racial injustice. Through her voice and her work, she protects her son’s legacy, transforming grief into action, remembrance into healing, and personal pain into a collective path forward.
Mr. Rothschild is a shareholder of Parsons Behle & Latimer focused on corporate bankruptcy, insolvency, and reorganization. He also heads the firm’s aviation industry practice. As an Adjunct Professor, Mr. Rothschild teaches the Bankruptcy Fundamentals and the Corporate Finance, Reorganization, and Chapter 11 courses at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Prior to joining Parsons Behle & Latimer, Mr. Rothschild was an attorney with Peitzman Weg LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Mr. Rothschild earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
Dr. Michael A. Gisondi is the inaugural Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Dean for Academic Advising at Stanford School of Medicine. He is the Principal and Founder of The Precision Education and Assessment Research Lab (The PEARL) and a Distinguished Member of the Stanford Medicine Teaching and Mentoring Academy. Dr. Gisondi is a medical education researcher and an expert in the application of social media in medical education. He is a member of the editorial boards of Academic Life in Emergency Medicine and International Clinician Educators Blog, and he is associate editor of the textbook, Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Stephen Thomas is a Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Health Equity. A nationally recognized leader in the movement to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities, Dr. Thomas has dedicated his career to advancing trust, community engagement, and equity in public health and biomedical research. Through innovative programs such as the HAIR barbershop/salon network, which brings health education, non-invasive clinical screenings into barbershops and salons, Dr. Thomas’ pioneering work continues to bridge the gap between academic research and community-based solutions. Through HAIR, UMD and community barbers co-design practical tools—from conversation scripts to screening events—that move people from questions to care.
Fredie Spry Jr. is a devoted father, entrepreneur, and community leader whose journey began with hardship and transformation. After being incarcerated as a teenager, Fredie returned home determined to rebuild his life. He earned his GED, worked tirelessly as a barber, and through discipline and perseverance, opened his own barbershop. His success led him into real estate and construction, founding companies that now uplift others. In 2011, Fredie joined the HAIR (Health Advocates in Reach and Research) Program with Dr. Stephen Thomas at the University Maryland, becoming a Wellness Warrior dedicated to improving community health and empowering others to live healthier lives.
Michael Brown is a master barber and community health advocate with over 15 years of experience serving clients at The Shop Spa. Beyond delivering high-quality grooming services, he has become a trusted leader in promoting health and wellness within the community. Through initiatives like Shots at the Shop and other outreach events, Michael has organized vaccine clinics, health screenings, and educational forums to increase awareness of preventative care, chronic disease management, and mental health literacy.
Former newspaper photographer Meg Daniels, Director and Co-Producer of I’m Still Here, Love has been telling people’s stories from around the globe for over 25 years. Over the course of her career, she became a photo essayist and filmmaker, knowing that it was her responsibility to use her storytelling skills as a platform for raising awareness about social justice issues both well-known and shrouded by secrecy. Her first feature-length film Proper Pronouns, has received several accolades and is now available on Prime. Meg graduated with her MFA in documentary filmmaking from WFU in May, 2019.
Charles Cleaver is a pianist and composer based in Durham, North Carolina. In addition to composing for film, Charles performs regularly in North Carolina and elsewhere with many groups, including Big Star’s Third and Chris Stamey & The Fellow Travelers. Charles is also known for his work as a session musician, engineer and producer, and can be heard on myriad recordings by both established and emerging recording artists. His recent credits include mixing engineer, co-producer and musician on “Conviction: Songs of Faith From Women In Prison,” a collaboration with local songwriting groups organized by Interfaith Prison Ministry for Women.
Story Consultant Sarah Galloway got her start in documentaries as an assistant editor on the seminal film Hoop Dreams. After twenty years of making documentaries, interactives and other exhibit media for the American Museum of Natural History she began a freelance career. Her first independent documentary, BIKE RIDDIM won the Asbury Park Press Award at the 2018 Asbury Park Music + Film Festival. Sarah’s second independent, WILD in the Garden State is screening in festivals now. Sarah lives in New Jersey with her husband. She can be reached at SarahGalloway.com.
Kelly Burns is a motion designer, animator, and digital artist living in New York City. In the early 90’s he began obsessively documenting street art in NYC, and in 2003 self published “I NY – New York Street Art”. In 2005 a revised and updated edition was published by Die Gestalten Verlag.
This was not intended to be a film; rather, the project started as a Public Service Announcement at the request of my dear friend, Jessica Dougherty, who watched over Facetime as her father died from COVID-19 in January 2022. He was unvaccinated. After several months of research, we decided to launch a crusade to understand how millions of people became victims of the mis- and disinformation relayed through social media during the pandemic. As we uncovered how disproportionately it affected the BIPOC community, we knew their voices had to be included in the film. Three other participants, Lydia Dorsey, Mike Brown, and Fred Spry, came on board to share their stories of the racial health disparities they experienced as members of the Black Community. They watched their loved ones die as an indirect result of the nation’s broader history of slavery, segregation, systemic racism, and unequal access to resources, built and reinforced through centuries of social, economic, and political policies.
We were all overwhelmed with farcical information, especially through social media. We processed subtle messages, sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously, because we couldn’t make sense of what was happening or stay abreast of how rapidly things changed.
Savvy social media influencers saw the pandemic as an opportunity to capitalize on disinformation with the intention of gaining popularity by constructing fictional realities that affected all classes, races, genders, and ages, often resulting in financial gain. Followers began to experience cognitive dissonance, the human psychological or emotional discomfort we all experience when presented with evidence that is inconsistent with or even directly challenges information we have always held to be “the truth.” It contradicts unvetted information we have received from people we trust and respect. As a result, people who otherwise trusted science began to dismiss reliable, scientifically-proven data, and questioned experts’ integrity.
There remains a stigma around COVID-19 deaths: they’re labeled as “preventable.” Society is refusing to acknowledge the pain that family members are still experiencing, leaving loved ones who lost family and friends to the virus to feel marginalized in their grief.