irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $207KMedia - Production of documentary films on issues of human rights and the quest for justice.
- #2 $103KOutreach - Media to catalyze change. Includes the following projects: VIVX (Virtual International Volunteers Exchange) an international program designed to create networks of human rights and land defenders under threat and connect them with filmmakers to raise their profiles through positive narratives for change.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
500 YEARS: Guide for Educators
Educational resource with discussion questions and activities to accompany the film series on Indigenous resistance in Guatemala.
BORDERLAND | The Line Within
Documentary film exposing the human cost of U.S. immigration enforcement and the "border industrial complex," created in collaboration with affected communities.
SolidariLabs
Program fostering collaboration between artists, media makers, and activists to strengthen grassroots movements for justice.
VIVX (Virtual International Volunteers Exchange)
International program connecting human rights and land defenders at risk with filmmakers to amplify their stories.
When the Mountains Tremble
Documentary chronicling Guatemala's struggle against military dictatorship, featuring Rigoberta Menchú, used as forensic evidence in genocide trials.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Documentary Film Production 5 activities
- Facilitation of international filmmaker-defender media collaborationsImplements the Virtual International Volunteers Exchange (VIVX) program, connecting human rights and land defenders under threat with filmmakers to co-create positive media narratives that amplify their stories globally.
- Implementation of media-based impact and advocacy campaignsDesigns and implements outreach initiatives and media-driven campaigns to advance social change, including a movement against impunity in Guatemala and a campaign for women's economic empowerment in Latin America; uses film content as tools for public education, awareness-raising, and action.
- Operation of collaborative filmmaking labs with grassroots activistsRuns labs that integrate documentary filmmaking with social justice advocacy through sustained collaboration with grassroots activists, co-creating media that amplifies voices of human rights and environmental defenders.
- Production of documentary films on human rights and justice issuesProduces independent documentary films and digital media that highlight human rights struggles, including titles such as "BORDERLAND | The Line Within," "BORDERLAND | Underground," "500 YEARS," and "When the Mountains Tremble," with global distribution through theatrical release, broadcast (e.g., PBS), and streaming platforms.
- Sharing of human rights filmmaking and outreach methodologiesDisseminates its model for human rights filmmaking and media impact campaigns to filmmaker-activists across the Americas, supporting capacity building within activist-media networks.
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History Education Curriculum Development 1 activity
- Provision of educational resources tied to documentary contentProvides free educational guides with discussion questions, activities, and resources for educators, specifically developed around the film "500 YEARS" to support classroom and community engagement.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$498K
Contributions & grants$472K95%
Program service revenue$4K1%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$22K
expenses
Total expenses$626K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$204K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$329K
Cash$172K
Investments$0
Liabilities$64K
Net assets$265K
Liquid reserves3.3 mo
6 years on record · 2018–2023 · YoY revenue +13.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paco De Onis | Executive Dir. | 50 | $82K |
board members · 6
- Eduardo Gonzlez — Director
- Irma Alicia Velsquez Nimatuj — Director
- Jay Schwartz Coffey — Treasurer
- Jennifer Trone — Director
- Ken Grossinger — Director
- Wendy Levy — Chairman
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- Facebook Partner — Platform used to share fundraising campaigns and promote outreach
- Festivales Solidarios Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- Fundación Rigoberta Menchú Tum Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- Human Rights Watch Government — Collaborates with or is recognized by Human Rights Watch through endorsement from its U.S. Immigration and Border Policy associate director.
- LinkedIn Partner — Platform used to share fundraising campaigns and promote outreach
- Movimiento Semilla Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- New Day Films Partner — Distributes Skylight's films through New Day Films.
- Nobel Women’s Initiative Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- Red Tz’ikin Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- Skylight Community Partner — Platform for sharing short films on grassroots activism.
- Skylight Masterclass Online Partner — Educational program encouraging empowerment and world-changing action through media.
- SolidariLabs Partner — Collaborates with SolidariLabs through mentor roles and regional coordinators in Latin America and Mexico, and for AfroColombia initiatives.
- SolidariLabs Partner — Initiative fostering the intersection between justice, communication, and art.
- The Resistance Saga Partner — Project documenting life in resistance and grassroots struggle.
- Tiichajil_Good Life Partner — Collaborative project focused on imagining an Indigenous future.
- VIVX Partner — International program connecting human rights defenders with filmmakers to co-create positive narratives for change.
- WITNESS Partner — Endorsed by a former Executive Director of WITNESS, indicating alignment with its mission of using video and technology to defend human rights.
- Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) Partner — Outreach and impact partner for the film "When the Mountains Tremble".
- WhatsApp Partner — Platform used to share fundraising campaigns and promote outreach
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art as Resistancemethodology: art_as_resistanceBy transforming emotional responses such as anger into creative media, the organization enables communities to engage in activism through artistic expression, because creative resistance validates lived experience and sustains long-term movement participation.
- Artist-Activist Solidarity Networksmethodology: movement_building_through_collaborationBy training and connecting activist-filmmakers and fostering collaboration between artists and grassroots movements, the organization amplifies impact through decentralized leadership and collective creative resistance, because solidarity networks increase reach, resilience, and cultural relevance of social justice messaging.
- Story-Driven Advocacy for Structural Changemethodology: story-driven_advocacyBy centering authentic stories of injustice and resistance through documentary filmmaking, the organization drives public engagement and builds movements that advocate for structural change, because narrative-based media fosters emotional connection and motivates action more effectively than data alone.