The Ones We Carry
Washington, District of Columbia | Film Short
Animation, Drama
Support this film to shine a light on mental illness, save lives, and spark change. Through screenings, talkbacks, education, and collaborations, we aim to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide. Together, we can create a safe space for healing and hope.
The Ones We Carry
Washington, District of Columbia | Film Short
Animation, Drama
1 Campaigns | District of Columbia, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $15,615 for development. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
142 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Support this film to shine a light on mental illness, save lives, and spark change. Through screenings, talkbacks, education, and collaborations, we aim to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide. Together, we can create a safe space for healing and hope.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In this animated short, a woman on the brink of despair triggers an extraordinary intervention by the most unexpected saviors: her younger selves. A traumatized child, a raging teen, and a desperate young mother crash into her final moments, forcing a soul shaking reckoning.
With time drowning and past wounds flooding the present, she must do what she’s avoided for decades: listen.
This animated short blends 2D animation, 3D animation, and stop motion representing different stages of life.
Our storytelling approach takes cues from the visually stunning and emotionally resonant Entergalactic, which we admire for its contemporary narrative and immersive world-building. We are also drawn to the raw realism of Chilly & Milly, which grounds its animation in personal truth and authenticity. Additionally, we appreciate the biopic animation style of Piece by Piece, using animation as a unique lens to depict real-life figures and events. Our project will weave these influences together, using animation as a medium to tell impactful, meaningful stories that resonate beyond the screen.
The Ones We Carry is based on the life story of Candace Washington. Candace is a vibrant and multifaceted individual whose passions seamlessly intersect with mental health, the arts, and advocacy. She is a licensed psychotherapist, a sought-after speaker, and a production therapist in television and film. Despite her impressive resume and demeanor, she has faced and triumphantly overcome challenges with alcoholism, depression, and suicide attempts throughout her life, all while thriving publicly, academically, and professionally.
Mental health conditions affect millions globally, with one in five U.S. adults diagnosed. The Ones We Carry sheds light on this crisis by breaking stigmas and offering hope. The initiative promotes mental health awareness through education and fosters community discussions via impact screenings, and explores cultural influences on mental health. With rising rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout, especially among young people, there is an urgent need for stories that offer hope.
Along with the film is our mental health awareness campaign including the following principles:
Mental Health Awareness
Providing culturally competent education and resources.
Social Commentary
Hosting impact screenings with thought leaders around mental health.
Cultural Diversity
Exploring the intersection of faith, cultural norms, and mental health stigmas.
By making this film now, we contribute to awareness, acceptance, and change.
We are in development on The Ones We Carry and plan to begin production by Fall 2025 and completion targeted for Spring 2026. From 2026 to 2027, we aim to showcase the film at festivals, host impact screenings, and pursue distribution.
Our total budget is $750,000. We are currently seeking $15,000 in development funds. These funds will be used to refine and write this compelling project, collaborate with a line producer to finalize the budget, and secure animators.
We need your support to bring this impactful film to life. The Ones We Carry is more than just an animated short. It’s a powerful story that deserves to be told. With your help, we can turn this vision into reality, reaching audiences far and wide with a message that inspires, educates, and sparks meaningful conversations. Your contribution, whether big or small, will directly support development and ensuring that we create a film that makes a difference. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey!
Follow us for updates on the project:
Instagram: @theoneswecarry
For more information or to become a partner, please contact us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Animators
Costs $3,500
We believe in valuing and supporting our incredible team. Your support helps us take care of the artists who make this project possible.
Film Festival Submissions
Costs $1,000
Submitting to film festivals can be expensive, but it's a crucial step in gaining visibility for our project.
Development
Costs $10,000
Your support will help us invest in the writing and storyboarding process, ensuring that every detail is thoughtfully developed.
Incentives
Costs $500
With your help, we can send out unique gifts and heartfelt messages to our Seed & Spark supporters that leave a lasting impression.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
OUR TEAM
Our team is composed of passionate professionals with expertise spanning mental health advocacy, narrative filmmaking, public relations, and talent management. Meet the team...
Erika Alexander and Ben Arnon
Color Farm Media
Executive Producers
We teamed up with Color Farm Media founded by actress/activist/producer Erika Alexander and activist/producer Ben Arnon. Color Farm Media has produced social impact projects, including Good Trouble: John Lewis and Finding Tamika. Color Farm is an award-winning, diversified media company that empowers and elevates voices who are underrepresented, overlooked and undervalued. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on unique IP to develop and produce premium scripted and non-scripted content featuring multicultural characters and storylines for global audiences.
Halima Lucas
Writer
Halima is an Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize–winning writer whose work spans critically acclaimed series and top film festivals. Her short film Amelia’s Closet won the 2017 ABFF HBO Short Film Award and was a finalist for the Student Academy Award. From Marvel blockbusters to independent storytelling, Lucas continues to create bold, inspiring projects that amplify marginalized voices.
Loretta Edwards Wilson
Executive Producer
Loretta has a background in television programming and in various film producing roles. She has worked on movies such as Belle for Showtime and produced for BET’s "Rap it Up" campaign, contributing to winning an Emmy for the campaign. Most recently, Loretta has produced feature films such as The Final Say, My Valentine Crush, My Valentine Wedding and the mental health awareness film, For What It's Worth.
Ronald "Wink" Woodall
Executive Producer
Ronald "Wink" Woodall is a former child actor who has transitioned into the education arena with an MS Ed. in School Counseling. Since 2015 he has operated as a Talent Manager and CEO of The Talent Connect, a talent management company for actors and other creatives in the entertainment business. He has been developing and producing films since 2023. In 2025 he founded The Production Wellness House, a company established to normalize mental wellness in the entertainment business.
Nicole Baskin
Executive Producer
Beginning her journey as an intern at So So Def Records in Atlanta, Nicole has made her mark in the realm of publicity and content creation. Over the years, she has adeptly represented a brand spectrum of clients - from entertainers and media professionals to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, health and wellness advocates, and aficionados of lavish consumer goods. In 2023 she founded Briarwood Public Relations, positioning clients for success through media relations, speaking engagements, and brand partnerships.
Candace Washington
Executive Producer
Our inspiration behind the film, Candace is the Founder and CEO of Restorative Minds Therapeutic and Wellness Services. She is a mother, author, minister, licensed certified social worker-clinical, psychotherapist, suicide survivor, production therapist, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. Candace is an in-demand licensed mental health professional and speaker who discusses faith and healing. She co-founded The Production Wellness House, which supports wellness in TV and film productions. As a production therapist, she has worked on projects for networks like BET+ and PBS, creating wellness strategies for cast and crew. Candace leads mental health discussions at Howard and Yale Universities. She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Mental Health Professionals by the Boris L. Henson Foundation, founded by Taraji P. Henson. Candace has spoken at The Essence Film Festival about the necessity for mental health support within the entertainment industry.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
In this animated short, a woman on the brink of despair triggers an extraordinary intervention by the most unexpected saviors: her younger selves. A traumatized child, a raging teen, and a desperate young mother crash into her final moments, forcing a soul shaking reckoning.
With time drowning and past wounds flooding the present, she must do what she’s avoided for decades: listen.
This animated short blends 2D animation, 3D animation, and stop motion representing different stages of life.
Our storytelling approach takes cues from the visually stunning and emotionally resonant Entergalactic, which we admire for its contemporary narrative and immersive world-building. We are also drawn to the raw realism of Chilly & Milly, which grounds its animation in personal truth and authenticity. Additionally, we appreciate the biopic animation style of Piece by Piece, using animation as a unique lens to depict real-life figures and events. Our project will weave these influences together, using animation as a medium to tell impactful, meaningful stories that resonate beyond the screen.
The Ones We Carry is based on the life story of Candace Washington. Candace is a vibrant and multifaceted individual whose passions seamlessly intersect with mental health, the arts, and advocacy. She is a licensed psychotherapist, a sought-after speaker, and a production therapist in television and film. Despite her impressive resume and demeanor, she has faced and triumphantly overcome challenges with alcoholism, depression, and suicide attempts throughout her life, all while thriving publicly, academically, and professionally.
Mental health conditions affect millions globally, with one in five U.S. adults diagnosed. The Ones We Carry sheds light on this crisis by breaking stigmas and offering hope. The initiative promotes mental health awareness through education and fosters community discussions via impact screenings, and explores cultural influences on mental health. With rising rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout, especially among young people, there is an urgent need for stories that offer hope.
Along with the film is our mental health awareness campaign including the following principles:
Mental Health Awareness
Providing culturally competent education and resources.
Social Commentary
Hosting impact screenings with thought leaders around mental health.
Cultural Diversity
Exploring the intersection of faith, cultural norms, and mental health stigmas.
By making this film now, we contribute to awareness, acceptance, and change.
We are in development on The Ones We Carry and plan to begin production by Fall 2025 and completion targeted for Spring 2026. From 2026 to 2027, we aim to showcase the film at festivals, host impact screenings, and pursue distribution.
Our total budget is $750,000. We are currently seeking $15,000 in development funds. These funds will be used to refine and write this compelling project, collaborate with a line producer to finalize the budget, and secure animators.
We need your support to bring this impactful film to life. The Ones We Carry is more than just an animated short. It’s a powerful story that deserves to be told. With your help, we can turn this vision into reality, reaching audiences far and wide with a message that inspires, educates, and sparks meaningful conversations. Your contribution, whether big or small, will directly support development and ensuring that we create a film that makes a difference. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey!
Follow us for updates on the project:
Instagram: @theoneswecarry
For more information or to become a partner, please contact us at [email protected].
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Animators
Costs $3,500
We believe in valuing and supporting our incredible team. Your support helps us take care of the artists who make this project possible.
Film Festival Submissions
Costs $1,000
Submitting to film festivals can be expensive, but it's a crucial step in gaining visibility for our project.
Development
Costs $10,000
Your support will help us invest in the writing and storyboarding process, ensuring that every detail is thoughtfully developed.
Incentives
Costs $500
With your help, we can send out unique gifts and heartfelt messages to our Seed & Spark supporters that leave a lasting impression.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
OUR TEAM
Our team is composed of passionate professionals with expertise spanning mental health advocacy, narrative filmmaking, public relations, and talent management. Meet the team...
Erika Alexander and Ben Arnon
Color Farm Media
Executive Producers
We teamed up with Color Farm Media founded by actress/activist/producer Erika Alexander and activist/producer Ben Arnon. Color Farm Media has produced social impact projects, including Good Trouble: John Lewis and Finding Tamika. Color Farm is an award-winning, diversified media company that empowers and elevates voices who are underrepresented, overlooked and undervalued. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on unique IP to develop and produce premium scripted and non-scripted content featuring multicultural characters and storylines for global audiences.
Halima Lucas
Writer
Halima is an Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize–winning writer whose work spans critically acclaimed series and top film festivals. Her short film Amelia’s Closet won the 2017 ABFF HBO Short Film Award and was a finalist for the Student Academy Award. From Marvel blockbusters to independent storytelling, Lucas continues to create bold, inspiring projects that amplify marginalized voices.
Loretta Edwards Wilson
Executive Producer
Loretta has a background in television programming and in various film producing roles. She has worked on movies such as Belle for Showtime and produced for BET’s "Rap it Up" campaign, contributing to winning an Emmy for the campaign. Most recently, Loretta has produced feature films such as The Final Say, My Valentine Crush, My Valentine Wedding and the mental health awareness film, For What It's Worth.
Ronald "Wink" Woodall
Executive Producer
Ronald "Wink" Woodall is a former child actor who has transitioned into the education arena with an MS Ed. in School Counseling. Since 2015 he has operated as a Talent Manager and CEO of The Talent Connect, a talent management company for actors and other creatives in the entertainment business. He has been developing and producing films since 2023. In 2025 he founded The Production Wellness House, a company established to normalize mental wellness in the entertainment business.
Nicole Baskin
Executive Producer
Beginning her journey as an intern at So So Def Records in Atlanta, Nicole has made her mark in the realm of publicity and content creation. Over the years, she has adeptly represented a brand spectrum of clients - from entertainers and media professionals to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, health and wellness advocates, and aficionados of lavish consumer goods. In 2023 she founded Briarwood Public Relations, positioning clients for success through media relations, speaking engagements, and brand partnerships.
Candace Washington
Executive Producer
Our inspiration behind the film, Candace is the Founder and CEO of Restorative Minds Therapeutic and Wellness Services. She is a mother, author, minister, licensed certified social worker-clinical, psychotherapist, suicide survivor, production therapist, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. Candace is an in-demand licensed mental health professional and speaker who discusses faith and healing. She co-founded The Production Wellness House, which supports wellness in TV and film productions. As a production therapist, she has worked on projects for networks like BET+ and PBS, creating wellness strategies for cast and crew. Candace leads mental health discussions at Howard and Yale Universities. She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Mental Health Professionals by the Boris L. Henson Foundation, founded by Taraji P. Henson. Candace has spoken at The Essence Film Festival about the necessity for mental health support within the entertainment industry.