As Black History Month comes to a close, I’m reaching out with an opportunity to not only reflect on history but to actively support its preservation. My family and I are working on a documentary film, Where I Got My Name: A Story of Struggle and Self-Discovery, chronicling our journey to Mississippi and Louisiana to uncover the history of our ancestors who were enslaved on the Lenoir and Darensbourg plantations.
We can’t finish our film, Where I got My Name, without your help and we would be deeply grateful if you could donate to support the completion of our film.
This is more than a personal story—it’s a vital piece of the larger history of Black struggle, resilience, and resistance in the United States. At a time when Black history is under attack in schools and public discourse, telling these stories is more urgent than ever.
We are excited to share that a 13-minute version of our film won an award at a Philadelphia-based short film festival! This recognition has energized us to complete the full-length documentary, but we need your help.
Why We Need Your Support
We are raising funds to make one final trip to Mississippi and Louisiana to:
- Conduct interviews with historians who can provide deeper context on our family’s story and the broader history of slavery, emancipation, and resistance.
- Film additional conversations with extended family members to preserve their voices and experiences.
- Cover essential filmmaking costs, including travel, editing, and production.
Past donations have already made an incredible impact on our journey to honor and preserve our family’s history. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to travel to Mississippi, where we met elders in their 90s who shared firsthand memories of our great-great-grandmother, Laura Lenoir—who was enslaved until the age of 13. With the funds raised, we also secured a long-overdue headstone for Laura and her husband, Thomas Lenoir, and held a powerful ceremony at their gravesite to finally give them the recognition they deserved. Your contributions allowed us to visit the Whitney Plantation, one of the most important museums dedicated to the history of slavery, where we interviewed historians about the deep legacy of slavery in the region. Additionally, donations helped us acquire vital filmmaking equipment, ensuring that we can tell this story with the care and quality it deserves. Every contribution has been a step toward bringing Where I Got My Name to life, and with your continued support, we can complete this important film.
How You Can Help
We are asking for donations—of any amount—to help us finish this film. Every dollar brings us closer to completing Where I Got My Name and ensuring that this history is not lost, but shared with the world.
Why This Matters Now
Black history is not just a set of stories from the past—it shapes our present and future. Our film will stand as both an act of remembrance and a contribution to the fight for truth and justice. In a moment when Black history is being erased from textbooks and classrooms, we are committed to telling our own story, on our own terms.
If you’ve been moved by my work—whether through my writing, music, or organizing—I ask you to stand with us in this effort. Your support makes it possible for us to complete this project and bring this history to life for generations to come.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
With gratitude,
Jesse Hagopian (AKA J.D. Lenoir)
Where I Got My Name | Magnum Opus Films| 🔗 Donate Now
I AM AN EDUCATOR 