My name is Kathleen Dreier, a Tucson-based photographer. I’ve created this fundraiser for my friend, John Kurc, a concert photographer-turned-activist, who for the last 5 years has been documenting the lives of people and animals along the length of the United States/Mexico border as well as the ecocide effects of the Trump administration’s border wall, the massive barrier system of 30-foot steel bollards equipped with high-tech surveillance.

John was the primary subject of and cinematographer for the 2022 New Yorker short film documentary entitled “American Scar : The Environmental Tragedy of the Border Wall,” which won best short at the Durango and Sedona film festivals. The documentary also won honorable mention with DocNYC and HotDocs. Linked here, the viewer will get a sense of John’s dedication to our borderlands.

American Scar Short Documentary

During the evening of 05/26/26, John was driving near Marathon, Texas, when a deer ran into his car causing significant damage to the length of the driver’s side and shattering the windshield. Until he is able to get his Toyota 4Runner fixed, John is unable to continue his fieldwork. The purpose of this email is to raise the estimated $15,000 it will take to repair his vehicle so he can continue his efforts.

Most people are unaware that when a photographer or filmmaker documents a long-term project such as John’s, invariably it is self-funded. John has been supporting his documentary work using solely his own modest Social Security income. John has been living out of his vehicle when working along the southern border, and he resides in a small efficiency when he is in between location shoots. Also supporting his elderly mother who is in assisted living, John simply does not have the financial means to repair his SUV without our help.

Photos of the damage to John’s vehicle are below.

In the coming days, you will hear directly from John about his work and the experiences he has had. The sacrifices, risks, and lack of comfort John has made to educate the public and document history are worthy of our attention and support. Please share this campaign on your platforms.