Asia is a formerly incarcerated writer, poet and filmmaker who has worked with several organizations in the criminal justice reform space, including The Bail Project, Shakespeare in Prison, Prison Creative Arts Project, Hamtramck Free School, and the Michigan Prison Doula Initiative. Asia is a 2019 Right of Return Fellow, 2021 Brennan Center for Justice Fellow, 2022 Art for Justice grantee, and a 2022 Highland Leader. Her Chapbook, An Exorcism, was released in 2018 and her directorial debut, “Out of Place,” was released in 2022. Asia is the Manager of Storytelling and Media Productions at Zealous, an organization that produces films, digital media and campaigns focused on justice reform and is an Adjunct Professor at University of San Francisco School of Law. She studied Criminal Justice and Film at the University of Michigan – Dearborn.

Michael is the founder of MediaTank Productions, a production company that creates films about pressing social issues. He is the director of Web (2013), which won the Audience Award at Doc NYC. Michael’s first film, The Last Survivor (2010) won the Audience Award and Best Documentary at the Oxford Film Festival where it premiered. His short films on the justice system have earned multiple Anthem Awards and Webby Award nominations and have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post and MSNBC among others.  Michael received a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School - where he was a fellow at the Center for Public Leadership - and a B.A. in Cinema Studies from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sasha is an Emmy nominated documentary film editor and producer who has won over 20 international awards. Her credits include, Emmy nominated feature documentary Grit (POV, 2019), I’m Your Venus (Participant Media), which premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, and Merpeople (Netflx, 2023). Sasha is a 2016 Sundance Documentary Edit and Story Lab Fellow. She holds a BA from UCLA and an MFA in Social Documentary Film from the School of Visual Arts.

Jesse is a director and cinematographer with over two decades of experience. His vast body of work spans everything from extreme sports to verité documentaries. Jesse has collaborated with both Asia Johnson and Michael Kleiman on dozens of short films over the past decade, many of them focused on the criminal legal system. He is the co-founder of Hudsy, a production house and online distribution platform that focuses on stories about the Hudson Valley where he resides.

John is an Emmy winning composer and music producer. John has a rich discography, including an acclaimed album and four mix tapes. He is the composer on a slate of documentaries and films set for release in 2025 as well as commercials for top brands, including the Baltimore Orioles, Under Armour and Visit Baltimore. He has been hailed as Baltimore’s “Game Changer” in Music and Curation by Baltimore Magazine. With family members who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, John has a deep, personal connection to this film which drives his work on the score.

Andrew is a production sound mixer based out of Sleepy Hollow, NY. Originally from Indiana, Andrew studied Journalism at Indiana University before relocating to Los Angeles to further his education in the field of audio engineering. After finishing his program at Musicians Institute, Andrew decided to move to New York City to try his hand in the film industry. 13 years later, Andrew has worked on a variety of projects from podcast to film, bringing technical knowledge and a passion for helping others tell their stories.

Sean is the President of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, which he helped found while incarcerated at Sing Sing. He is a founding member of the organization and an alumnus of the Class of 2001. Sean serves on the New York State Council on Community Re-Entry and Reintegration, is a founding member and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, was a founding member of the New York State Consortium for Higher Education in Prison, and serves on the Board of Directors for Sing Sing Prison Museum and Career Gear.

Palu is a Colombian-born filmmaker and visual artist and works a producer and editor at MediaTank Productions. In 2016 she directed her first film, “Monologues in the Artist’s Studio,” awarded best documentary on architecture and design. She is currently working on her second film, "Nowhere to Fall", a story developed between New York and Colombia about music, tradition, identity, and women’s empowerment. Her work ranges from documentary to stop motion animation, addressing topics such as social justice, identity, art and immigration. She also teaches video and editing workshops for immigrant communities. She has exhibited her work in festivals, schools and galleries in the USA and abroad.