Free The People

THE DEFINITIVE DOCUTRILOGY OF DC’S 2020 BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

Free The People is the only three part documentary series detailing the front lines of the 2020 DC BLM Movement. Spanning from Juneteenth to Thanksgiving, this raw look into the growth of the DC protests shows how everyday civilians came together to care for and defend their communities against poverty, police violence, far-right extremists, food insecurity and more.

“FTP” was shot and directed by uncle iso & Jazzy and produced completely independently through RXNIN LIFE. Watch it for free on Youtube.

Free The People – Part I: Free Food For Freedom Fighters

On the steps of St. John’s Church at the corner of 16th and H St. NW, DC, across from The White House, a young group of Black Washingtonians with the help of a few neighbors from the city started a grassroots org called “Earl’s First Amendment Grill” to fuel the BLM protests 24/7.

But after weeks of camping in the streets and taking over Black Lives Matter Plaza, they became the scapegoats for police violence with several of their members getting arrested and serving time. All they wanted to do though, was serve free food.

Free The People – Part II: Pot, Kettle? Still Black.

As the summer of 2020 heats up, so do the streets, especially after the police illegally kettle and arrest of 41 protestors on August 13, 2020, including one of the directors.

Violent clashes breakout during the 57th Anniversary of the March on Washington mixing with Former President Donald Trump accepting the Republican nomination for a 2nd Term. Before the city can catch its breath though, MPD shoots and kills 18 year old Deon Kay in Southeast DC.

Free The People – Part III: Welcome to DC

With the election looming, people from all over the nation descend on DC. Trump supporters, DC Police, and BLM activists duke it out in the streets creating a hellish landscape leading up to the January 6th Insurrection.

But before the votes were counted, 20 year old Karon Hylton was killed by MPD in Northwest DC after an illegal auto chase. Fire rains and tears fall, while activists try to pick up the pieces and prepare for Thanksgiving.

About the Directors

Jazzy (Left), uncle iso (right)
Photo – Raba Abro

Kintsugi Kelley-Chung – uncle iso

Is an activist by heart and artist by trade. Born and raised in Columbia, MD, and given the name “Kian,” he grew to get his B.A. in English with a minor in Creative Writing and a certificate in African American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Pairing together his passion for visual storytelling and commitment to social justice, Kin began documenting the movement for Black lives in Washington, DC in the beginning of June 2020. He went on to be published in the Washington Post for his coverage of the movement, was arrested at a protest while filming, and appeared on WAMU/DCist and ABC9 news several times to discuss the maltreatment Black people and protestors face at the hands of the police. In late 2022, Kian changed his name to Kintsugi in an effort of self determination while honoring his Japanese ancestry, and goes by Kin for short.

Andrew Jasiura – Jazzy

Earned a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park. Andrew’s interests lied in discovering the nuances of policing in various societies. Contrary to most of his classmates and professors who worked in favor of law enforcement, Andrew pivoted his education and practice to expose the harms of criminal justice systems. For his senior thesis, Andrew documented the revolution in Hong Kong – a police state much like DC, where Free the People takes place. Immediately after graduating in May, Andrew took his experience to join his co-director in the streets of DC to document the revolution at home. He is now finishing his MBA at the University of Buffalo as one of the top students in his program.

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