12/02/2025
“My second job after film school was working as a camera production assistant on Black Panther.
While working on that set, I organized a dodgeball fundraiser to support Outlast, and somehow Ryan Coogler got wind of it. He made a surprise donation that made it possible for us to host our film camp that year.
On a set that size, there’s very little opportunity for a production assistant to talk to the director at length. But one day, while on an errand, I ran into Ryan in base camp and finally had a chance to thank him for his support. I asked if I could run to my car to grab an Outlast shirt for him. He put it on immediately, and I snapped a photo.
Last night, I had the incredible opportunity to attend The Gothams. I saw Ryan, showed him the photo of him wearing the Outlast shirt, and asked if he remembered me from Panther—he did! I told him I’m still working with Native and BIPOC youth filmmakers, and that without his support that year, we might not have made it to 2018.
I entered the film industry because I wanted to see more people like me represented with vibrancy, nuance, and humanity. Getting to reconnect with Ryan and express my gratitude to a director doing that work on a scale that was inaccessible to people like us for so much of cinema history was the icing on an evening already full of highlights.
As it happens, this is the ONLY picture I took all evening.
One day, I’m going to attend The Gothams because a former Outlast youth is nominated. And I’ll remember to take more pictures.” - LT
