Support Winston Salem's South-Side

THIS FUNDRAISER IS FOR THE SUPPORT OF WINSTON-SALEM RESIDENTS, NOT FOR THE SUPPORT OF PRODUCTION EXPENSES.

Winston-Salem's Waughtown poverty rate climbed from 11 percent in 1980 to 51 percent in 2018. ONE-THIRD OF WINSTON SALEM CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY, which is more substantial than in larger cities including Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Dallas.

My name is William Harvest. I am a 19-year-old filmmaker currently in the process of creating a documentary titled, Heart of the City– a University of North Carolina School of the Arts production.

Heart of the City manifested itself when I moved to Winston-Salem from downtown Louisville, Kentucky–which is similar to Waughtown and the surrounding areas near campus, in the way that they are impoverished.

I began college feeling isolated from the art school community. I was overcoming addiction, facing the repercussions of the criminal justice system, and the recent loss of a friend.

So due to my yearning for connection, I reached out to the community that surrounded me… and the southside opened their arms. I was able to connect with people who were different than me on the surface. I made friends with the homeless, recovering addicts, sex workers, and ex-convicts. On the inside, we shared the same desires, fears, and the belief that love was the meaning of life.

The moment I opened my ears to someone else's story and shared mine in return, a powerful connection emerged. Heart of the City’s purpose is to use the universal language of love to connect people, inspiring the audience to interact with the Southside. There is an obvious divide between the art school community and the neighborhood that surrounds it —my crew and I hope to bridge this gap, delving into topics of mental health, family, and poverty.

The creation of this film has helped me see the hard truth of reality. Johnnie Tough, a houseless south-side legend, who is in the process of writing an autobiography and an important figure in Heart of the City, told me...

" If we make this movie together it WILL help the world see another perspective and inspire connection, but I will still be on these streets."

I want to make it worthwhile for the people in this film who have so graciously shared their experiences, vulnerabilities, and wisdom with us for free. I would love to pay them for their time and worth because both are not for our exploitation.

Heart of the City is a student-made film that will generate no profit for its creators or its characters-- we need your help to make lasting change in the lives of the people featured in this documentary. While the ideas presented in Heart of the City may shape the school and the surrounding community, resources are still needed to help people like Johnnie stay on the right path.

Please consider donating what you can. All of the funds raised will be evenly distributed to the people in the film to help with housing, transportation, food, and clothing.

Thank you.

(Featured Below)

1.) Julius and Onadaeia for Heart of the City

2.) Johnnie Tough for Heart of The City