Award-winning actress, producer, and activist Erika Alexander is lending her powerful voice and platform to an urgently needed animated short film titled The Ones We Carry.
The project, currently fundraising on Seed & Spark, aims to illuminate the hidden struggles of mental illness—particularly in Black and marginalized communities—through poignant storytelling and breathtaking animation.
Alexander, best known for her groundbreaking roles in Living Single and Run the World, and for her advocacy work through Color Farm Media, serves as an executive producer on the film alongside Ben Arnon, her Color Farm co-founder.
Together, they are calling on creatives, mental health advocates, and everyday supporters to help bring the film to life.
“Let’s face it—depression often goes unseen,” Alexander says in a moving campaign video. “It hides beneath our smiles and in the rhythm of our daily lives. It’s time to tell our stories, to recognize these struggles, and to face them together.”
The Ones We Carry is written by Halima Lucas and illustrated by @ambrojah, with an emotional core inspired by the lived experiences of people navigating depression, trauma, and recovery.
In the video, co-producer and licensed psychotherapist Candace Washington shares her own powerful testimony, noting that:
- 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. lives with a mental health condition
- 50% of them also struggle with substance abuse
- 61% of children experience trauma before age 18
- One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes
Washington opens up about surviving multiple suicide attempts and how storytelling can be a lifeline.
“I’m that one in five. I’m that 61%. But I’m still here. And if I had succeeded [in taking my own life], I wouldn’t be able to share this story,” she says. “That’s why we need this film. To break the silence and remind people: you matter, and you deserve to live.”
Alexander and her fellow producers—including Loretta E. Wilson, Wink Woodall, Nicole Baskin, and Washington—envision the film as a springboard for dialogue and healing. With plans for community screenings, educational partnerships, and mental health awareness campaigns, The Ones We Carry is as much a movement as it is a movie.
Donations to the film’s production will directly support animators, storyboard artists, and the behind-the-scenes talent needed to complete the project. Supporters are urged to contribute via the Seed & Spark link in @theoneswecarry’s Instagram bio, and to follow for updates.
“We’re making something beautiful,” Alexander affirms. “Something that can help save lives.”
For media inquiries, contact: media@theoneswecarry.com or @nicolebaskinpr.
