<div><strong>Month 1 of a 6-Month Fundraiser: Over $5,000 raised</strong>
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<div>By supporting this inspiring, untold Olympic story, <strong>you will receive </strong>an <strong>insider’s view</strong> and film updates from the crew, promo <strong>“swag,” branding and sponsorships</strong>, exclusive <strong>pre-release footage</strong>, access to unseen historical family photos, wallpaper art; eligible for <strong>VIP access</strong> to premiere, your <strong>name in film credits</strong>, <strong>copy of the film</strong> and the soundtrack, etc. <strong>CLICK "READ MORE" FOR STORY DETAILS &amp; MORE BENEFITS TO YOU. (My contact info at frankshines.com.)</strong>
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</div><iframe media_type="0" media_id="KBQbW9UYFTA" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KBQbW9UYFTA/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe>
<div><em>Promo video with documentary interview excerpts of Dolphus' daughter, Juanita Stroud Martin</em>
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<div>I'm <strong>Frank (Stroud) Shines the executive producer </strong>of the forthcoming 2024 documentary film, "Running to Harvard." <strong>My heritage </strong>is of African- and Native- American origins, with a 21% blend of British-Irish DNA, providing me with a unique perspective on identity, resilience, and our collective history.
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<div>It wasn't until my sophomore summer at the US Air Force Academy that<strong> I began to discover the historic accomplishments </strong>of my maternal grandfather, Tandy, and his ten siblings (scholars, writers, scientists, activists, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists).
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<div>Among them was Dolphus, the protagonist of "Running to Harvard." The father of Dolphus and Tandy <strong>grew up on a Texas slave plantation</strong>, remaining there until he was 19 even after Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) -- the "Texas Emancipation Proclamation." Despite such humble beginnings KD and his wife Lulu would go on to raise "11 remarkable kids."
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<div>Eight years <strong>before Jesse Owens' </strong>renowned triumphs, Kelley Dolphus Stroud, poised to become a <strong>Phi Beta Kappa Scholar-Athlete </strong>and accepted to <strong>Harvard</strong>,<strong> triumphed</strong> in the Olympic tryouts within the <strong>Rocky Mountain</strong> region, thus securing his place in the <strong>1928 Olympic Trials</strong> for the 5K race at Harvard Stadium. However, racial prejudice impeded the promised funding and train travel to Boston.
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<div>Undeterred, he set out <strong>by foot </strong>on an extraordinary<strong> 2,000-mile journey from Colorado to Cambridge</strong>. His odyssey, supported by individuals of diverse genders, geographical origins, and ethnic backgrounds, concluded with his arrival a mere <strong>six hours before</strong> the scheduled time for <strong>his race.</strong>
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<div><em>1929 Stroud family photo for WE DuBois Crisis Magazine Dolphus standing in middle back wearing a white suit</em>
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<div>His tenacity not only yielded <strong>personal achievement </strong>but also <strong>forged unity in a Colorado community</strong> of diverse genders, classes, and races nearly a century ago. The <strong>Denver Post </strong>lauded him as <strong><em>"The Great Black Hope of the Rockies."</em></strong>
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<div><em>Tandy and Dolphus outpace the field, 1930</em>
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<div>As executive producer, throughout my global travels in the military and on business and technology projects, I have met and <strong>worked with people from around the world</strong>, fascinated with the diversity of thought, culture, and histories.
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<div>In the year of the 2024 summer <strong>Olympics</strong> and a <strong>polarizing US Presidential election</strong>, we think "Running to Harvard" can <strong>inspire people</strong> around the world -- and just my <strong>help to heal a nation</strong>.
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</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/77479031_1709037083989349_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><em>K. Dolphus Stroud, 1925 high school valedictorian, Palmer High School (formerly Colorado Springs High School)</em>
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<div>We now <strong>solicit your support</strong> in producing and disseminating this uplifting narrative through the 2024 documentary "Running to Harvard."
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<div>Our <strong>funding requirements</strong> encompass:
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<div>- Historical research, archive access, and specialist consultations for historical veracity.
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<div>- Budgeting for on-location filming, crew remunerations, travel, and accommodations.
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<div>- Acquisition or creation of authentic period attire and props.
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<div>- Editing, sound mixing, color grading, and visual effects costs.
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<div>- Outreach and educational initiatives to provide complimentary access to at-risk communities, schools, and educational institutions through the RTL Foundation’s Nonprofit Development Center.
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<div>- Marketing and distribution expenditures to maximize audience reach.
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<div>- Allocation for unforeseen production expenses.
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<div>Each year the Stroud family hosts a July 4th Independence Day Celebration for the Colorado Springs community, now led by my cousins Nicole and Ashleigh.
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<div><em>Dolphus' daughter Juanita Stroud Martin (donning black and white, front &amp; center) with rest of Stroud family during Colorado community July 4th, Independence Day event (2023)</em>
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<div><strong>Supporters and Partners include:</strong>
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<li><a href="https://rtl-foundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>RTL Foundation</strong> - BIPOC Nonprofit Development Center</a>.
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<li><a href="https://gazette.com/thetribune/corrected-stroud-belongs-in-colorado-springs-sports-hall-of-fame-from-the-sidelines/article_dd72fd0e-4abc-11eb-b602-5f3a4b6f75c9.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Marshall Griffith</strong> for historical research and advo</a>cacy for Dolphus' inclusion in the Colorado College Hall of Fame.
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<li><a href="https://www.cspm.org/cos-150-story/kelley-dolphus-stroud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum</strong></a> for historical chives and artifacts.
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<li>Colorado College for the <strong>Stroud Scholars</strong> program (<a href="https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/stroudscholars/)." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/stroudscholars/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/stroudscholars/</a>).</a>
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<li><a href="https://www.usafa.af.mil/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>US Air Force Academ</strong></a><strong>y </strong>for its historical records library.
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<li><a href="https://www.sachsfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Sachs Foundation</strong></a> for its scholarship program.
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<div><strong>In the News</strong>
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<div>We have been <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-black-land-podcast-146890324/episode/episode-3-black-history-151065323/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">covered by the<strong> iHeartRadio</strong> BIN News</a> <strong>Emmy Award </strong>Winning reporter, Vanessa Tyler, the Denver Gazette, Westword.com, <strong>KOAA TV</strong>, The <strong>Pulitzer-Award</strong> Winning <strong>Gazette </strong>of Colorado Springs.
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<div>Your contributions are pivotal in realizing the research, filming, and post-production phases of "Running to Harvard."
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<div>We offer you an <strong>insider's view, </strong>exclusive <strong>pre-release footage access, </strong>unseen<strong> historical family photographs, </strong>and <strong>insights into the ancestral research and filmmaking </strong>process, retouched and <strong>AI-reimagined historical photos and AI art</strong> (see example below).
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</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/77479031_1708414488590117_r.png" width="100%" />
<div><em>Lulu Magee Stroud of Creek Nation - Mother of Dolphus. Using her 1900 photo Frank Shines restored the photo and reimagined using Artificial Intelligence</em>
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<div>This project transcends a mere film; it's a symbol of <strong>hope and unity</strong> in a crucial era. We appreciate your support in advance.
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<div>Godspeed,
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<div><strong>Frank (Stroud) Shines, MBA, Captain, USAF (Hon. Discharge)</strong>
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<div><strong>References:</strong>
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<li><a href="https://www.westword.com/arts/uncovering-colorado-track-star-kelley-dolphus-strouds-run-at-the-olympics-18838404" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Westword Feb 2024 article on Running to Harvard</a>
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<li>Zubeck, P. (n.d.). Side Streets: <a href="https://gazette.com/sports/side-streets-a-life-that-epitomized-meaning-of-olympics/article_1c70af7d-2cce-5832-b4fb-847cc0b6ff38.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A life that epitomized the meaning of Olympics</a> The Gazette, Colorado Springs.
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<li><a href="https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/untoldstories/stories/dolphus_stroud.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado College</a> (n.d.). <a href="https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/untoldstories/stories/dolphus_stroud.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Untold Stories - Dolphus Stroud</a>.
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<li><a href="https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/1928.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Track &amp; Field News (1928)</a>. [PDF Document]
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<li><a href="https://www.cspm.org/cos-150-story/kelley-dolphus-stroud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum - Kelley D Stroud</a>.
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<li>Kellogg, B. (Marshall Griffith) <a href="https://gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/corrected-stroud-belongs-in-colorado-springs-sports-hall-of-fame-from-the-sidelines/article_22f6f0a6-4a31-11eb-ace8-93ad47a9d9d8.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stroud belongs in Colorado Springs Sports Hall of </a>Fame. Pikes Peak Courier.
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<li><a href="https://www.sachsfoundation.org/history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sachs Foundation Scholarships</a>. (n.d.). History.
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<li><a href="https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/stroudscholars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado College - Stroud Scholars</a>
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Anonymous

Mahalia Arnold

True Olympic Story Film to Help Heal Our Nation

Still $114,949 to go. Help us build momentum.