KC filmmaker’s docu-series tackles mental health stigmas with assist from former Chiefs
The brand of freedom sold to viewers of one of the nation’s most-watched cable news networks doesn’t reflect the kind Abraham Sisay has come to know, he declared, looking back on his journey from rising Gambian soccer star to Kansas City filmmaker and how it revealed the true definition of the word.
“Fox News was talking about ‘freedom’ a lot … [but it] sounded like a toxic version of what freedom really was,” Sisay said, recalling his decision to launch “The Freedom Project” — a documentary series that chronicles the struggles of mental health experiences in America and the freedom found in reframing perceptions about them.
Expected to debut online in fall 2022, the premiere episode of “The Freedom Project” is set to tackle mental health and wellness in the field of sports, Sisay teased, noting Dustin Colquitt, former Kansas City Chiefs punter, is featured in the series first down alongside Jon McGraw, the team’s former free safety.
“It’s a very beautiful flow of storytelling,” he said of the series, noting McGraw provided a percentage of financing for the project.
A global premiere event is anticipated to coincide with the release of the series, Sisay envisioned.
“We will bring keynote speakers [in] and businesses that prioritize mental health,” he detailed.
“I’m also hiring 50-plus influencers who will be distributing content during the event in different states. I want mental health [awareness to see] a huge global push that day.”
