My name is Daren Dien and I'm a Vietnamese American filmmaker. In 2020, a rude disturbance shook our world…Asian Hate. I had just left my Sony career to write a light hearted screenplay, but I couldn’t focus while my brothers, sisters, and elders were being attacked physically, verbally, and mentally. I began to think about the beginnings of hate… where it starts, and how it spreads.

Disturbed by the crimes but inspired by the #StopAsianHate movement, I wrote a screenplay called Birth of a Mind - a short film about the origins of hate through the eyes of our children. And yes, the film's title is a play on "Birth of a Nation", the 1915 racist movie that sparked the resurgence of the KKK.

I am reaching out today because our short film needs help raising funds. Initially, we thought the #nohate message alone would do the work, but it's been 16 days and we've raised $7,000 out of $15,750, and only have 7 days left to go.

This is where APABA has graciously stepped in. By hearing about us from ARC, the Anti-Racism Committee of South Pasadena, APABA has granted us $500 for the project - Yay!

We've also gained some attention from organizations: 1) LA vs. Hate and 2) the Asian Youth Center; and both have expressed interest in helping the film and eventually showcasing it to students and at events in the near future.

And of course, we're not solely seeking funds from your organization; my team is just scrambling to pursue better ways to highlight our short film to more eyes and we hope you could help. Would you have any advice or connections to further make the community aware of this #nohate short film? Anything would be greatly appreciated!

Here's the kickstarter link for more information: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darendien/birth-of-a-mind