Over 250 people filled the auditorium of the Kehrein Center for the Arts on Aug. 21 for the premiere of “The Good News,” a documentary that brought Austin neighbors together in celebration and reflection.
Produced by Emmy Award-winning company PRIME 312, the film highlights the community leaders driving the Austin Forward Together quality-of-life plan. The premiere also served as this year’s community summit, where residents gathered to celebrate progress and share what’s still needed to move forward.
The screening was followed by a panel discussion with community leaders who reflected on Austin’s progress and the work still ahead.
Reesheda Nicole Berry, founding executive director of the Kehrein Center for the Arts, served as the moderator.
“(The Good News) represents decades of joy, pain, tears, relationships, communities, problems, challenges and solutions,” Berry said.
Panelists included Cindy Schneider, founder and organizer of the Austin Garden Collective; Dorian McIntyre, pastor of Mt. Olivet MB Church; Janeicia Williams, director of community ecosystems at Project Exploration; Fanya Burford-Berry, director at the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force; Jakaya Rogers with Territory; and Dr. LaShawn Miller, owner of the Finding Justice Garden.
The conversation highlighted how deeply personal experiences shape why people stay committed to community work in Austin. Each panelist traced their motivation back to something close to home: recovery, faith, family legacy, youth empowerment, or food justice.
What motivates Burford-Berry is seeing vulnerable community members heal and gain the support to turn their lives around.
“When our most vulnerable citizens are healed, they can contribute back to the community. That’s what keeps me doing this work,” Burford-Berry said.
McIntyre is driven by a lifelong commitment to help others, hoping that by the time his days end, he will have changed at least one life.
“This is my third time watching the film from where it started to where it is today and I cry every time. It’s not like we’re trying to prove anybody wrong or say we told you or we can. It’s the fact that our work is speaking. If you can watch this and not get emotional or be a part of this movement and tears don’t reach well up in your eyes, I would question the humanity of an individual,” McIntyre said.
Williams credits her civic engagement to her mother and the supportive “village” around her. Through the Chicago Park District, she played sports, did homework and danced, experiences that now inspire her to give back to her community.
“One of the biggest things for me is figuring out how to surround other young people with the same village I had — one that propelled me so far and enabled me to accomplish so much. That’s what keeps me doing this work: knowing that these villages can guide young people to opportunities across the world,” Williams said.
Rogers, a young adult and longtime Austin resident, serves as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Territory, a youth-led urban design studio. Introduced to the group as a teen during COVID, she helped develop the Youth Quality of Life Plan, focused on youth empowerment, public safety, and mental health. Her experiences in Austin and Guadalajara continue to drive her commitment to the community.
“I just enjoy being in a program where I feel like my voice is heard. Since then, I’ve continued to work on the Youth Quality of Life Plan and have created various initiatives, which keeps me motivated, especially seeing the youth continue the work I started,” Rogers said.
Miller, who owns Finding Justice, a flower and vegetable garden, also works as a policy organizer for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, shaping agricultural laws and policies for Illinois farmers.
When asked what moment in the film stood out, Miller responded that as someone focused on food justice, Liz’s discussion about the eagerly anticipated grocery store was especially pivotal.
“A lot of neighborhoods that look like ours don’t have grocery stores. To have this so close to reality, and to see all the work done by so many people in this room to make it happen, really spoke to me. I’m really excited to have a space where we can buy fresh produce. It’s incredibly important and it will help improve our health outcomes,” Miller said.
