Ryan Stopera is an award winning writer, director, photographer, and producer based in Minneapolis.  A self taught artist, he began his career working with individuals experiencing homelessness, children and families, and foster care youth, as well as in program development and affordable housing development.  He began documenting protests after the recession in 2008.  Ryan’s photos and films helped elevate narratives not seen in the mainstream media, and catalyzed his passion for documentary and narrative storytelling.  His background in social work and community organizing, and his relationships across communities make collaboration essential to his work, whether in creative projects such as filmmaking, or making space for connection, such as producing community events or program development.  Ryan’s latest short film serenity won the Audience Award at Twin Cities Film Fest and Best Short Film at Portugal Indie Film Festival in 2023.

Drew Arrieta is a documentary photographer and visual artist, working at the intersections of resilience, solidarity, and human connection through photography and interdisciplinary storytelling. They combine photography with materials like textiles and collage to tell layered stories—ones that challenge the usual narratives and create room for imagining different, more connected futures.. Rooted in community engagement, their work uses photography as a tool for witnessing and amplification. Arrieta’s work has been featured in NBC News, Vogue, and the Columbia Journalism Review. They are the recipient of the 2024 Minnesota Book Arts and Jerome Book Arts Residency, the 2023 and 2024 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Individuals Grant, and the 2024 Urban-Rural Solidarity Artist Grant.