Kickstarter

Happy Holidays Kickstarter Family!

I hope everyone in the states has had a loving Thanksgiving! This year was so pivotal to our project because you helped it become a reality and we're on target to complete the documentary 2013!

I am so thankful for all of your support and I want to update you with some great progress we’ve made since reaching our fundraising goal this summer.

Being a part of this documentary from so early on, you all know we set out long ago to one day use our progress to honor my grandmother on her 90th birthday. Well, I’m happy to report the good news!

Photograph: Hasna (my mother), Muta'Ali (me), Ruby Dee (Gram Ruby), Nora (my aunt) (Photographer: Brahm Rhodes)

On November 14th, in celebration of Gram Ruby’s 90th birthday, we premiered a thirty-minute excerpt of “Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee” at a beautiful, flower-, food- and drink-filled, live music accented, picture taking, gift-giving occasion in Harlem, New York (where Gram Ruby first began her career).

Angela Bassett, Courtney Vance, Susan Taylor, and Khephra Burns hosted the night. Kickstarter backers at the $500 level and above, as promised, were invited and, in addition to completing the film, we will distribute the rest of the rewards to you all in 2013.

For a peek into the evening, please watch this video we prepared for you!

We’ve been so busy shooting and editing during the past four months and I am happy to say we represented the documentary well. The crowd was extremely pleased and you, our Kickstarter Family, were a significant part of making it possible!

Please join us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lifesessentialswithrubydee) for additional photos of the event and to see a copy of the event program where all of your names are featured.

Photograph: Hosts Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance (Photographer: Brahm Rhodes)

Photograph: Hosts Susan Taylor and Khephra Burns (Photographer: Terrence Jennings)

Event Programs

Kickstarter backer listing in event program (we fit all 394 names!)

Photograph: Jevon "NJ" Frank (producer), Ruby Dee, and Muta'Ali (Photographer: Brahm Rhodes)

The evening was also made possible due to great support from the following:

HONORARY CHAIRS
Ambassador Andrew Young
LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson
Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance

HOST COMMITTEE
Billye and Hank Aaron
AARP
1199SEIU
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
The National Black Theatre

SPECIAL THANKS
Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr. 
Charitable Foundation
Camille and Bill Cosby

Photograph: Muta'Ali, Khephra Burns, Susan Taylor, Henry Singleton of 1199SEIU, Gina Miller of 1199SEIU, Ruby Dee, Cynthia Butler-McIntyre of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Billye Aaron, Dionne Polite of AARP, Angela Basset, and Courtney Vance (Photographer: Brahm Rhodes)

We’re well on our way. Much more work needs to be done and there will be much more progress and accomplishment ahead for all of us!

Once again, thank you for all of your love, support, kind words, and pledges that have allowed us to give you this wonderful update on Gram Ruby’s birthday celebration and energize us in completing the remainder of the documentary. Back to work for us.

Photograph: Muta'Ali, after the event (grateful!) (Photographer: Terrence Jennings)

Have a great week, everyone!

- Muta’Ali

I'm so happy to report that we've surpassed our Kickstarter fundraising goal! Over 390 of us came together to make this happen and we pushed our fundraising to just above 106% of our goal.

I wouldn't dare start to name names because there are so many people who've done so much online and offline to make this happen for the documentary. Thank you to everyone who contributed financially, told a friend about this project, promoted online with us, invited us to their TV/Radio shows across the country, wrote great articles about the project, hosted fundraisers, and opened their doors to the project! 

For the latest updates on the documentary moving forward, please reach us at http://www.rubydeestory.com.

So, after all this, it's time to get to work! We'll be shooting, editing, promoting, fundraising, and getting an excellent cut of the film ready for Gram Ruby's 90th Birthday Screening/Celebration in October. Talk soon! We did it! Spread the word!

- Muta'Ali

Hi Everyone,

Good morning! One more update for you. Firstly, I'm sure you see the video below. Of course, that's Mr. Glynn Turman, who so graciously met up with our steadily expanding crew and me at the National Black Theatre.

In this clip, he speaks on integrity in the choice to accept or deny a role. Of course, this ties in to the story of my grandparents' lives and the lives of many others.

Additionally, as I'm sure you know, Mr. Turman played the role of my grandmother's son in "A Raisin in the Sun" many many years ago. He shared some great stories of those times.

Seven (7) days left! Talk about crunch time! Thanks to all of you who have continued to support by increasing your pledge amounts and gracefully nudging all of your friends who have yet to contribute.

Oh yeah. Thank goodness I found the 'Other' box under my 'Messages' section on Facebook. Glad to have connected with you all.

- Muta'Ali

Happy Father's Day!

I hope you are enjoying today with your families and loved ones.
Thanks to you all, we're 47% funded. Now, we've got 12 days left to
make this documentary a reality. With everyone's continued support, we
can reach our goal by June 30th.

There are over 3,400 likes on our Kickstarter page (way more than many
successful Kickstarter campaigns). That's awesome! But, we must turn
those "likes" into dollars.

To all who read this email: would you please send a message to all of
your friends (forward this one, if you'd like), sorority or fraternity
members, co-workers, family members, newspapers, blogs, social
networks, etc. and ask that they back this project for at least one
dollar? We're so close!

Well, that's not my full update. Please, take a look at a quick clip
from the Alan Alda interview.

Mr. Alda is a proud father and grandfather, and he speaks candidly to
the importance of a father's devotion to family and community.

I've got plenty more to share with you this week. Enjoy your day (and forward this message)!

Here's the link to our Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/JJtE7M

- Muta'Ali

Actress, Producer, Director, Filmmaker, Wife, and Mom, Kim Fields and her husband Christopher Morgan take a second out of their busy schedule to show support for the Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee documentary.

The love that Ossie and Ruby had is a shining example for couples everywhere. Kim and Christopher as a couple share their excitement to see this documentary on the love, lives and works of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee produced.   

We have been receiving support videos from other great notable names.  Visit our Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee Facebook page to view other great videos Facebook.com/LifesEssentialsWithRubyDee

-Life's Essentials Team