Peace Is Loud (PIL), a longstanding grantee of the Channel Foundation, first funded back in 2012, has made the difficult decision to sunset after 15 years of supporting filmmakers, activists, and movements for social change. Peace Is Loud harnesses the power of women, trans, and nonbinary changemakers to advance equity, justice, and care. Although the organization is concluding its formal operations, its resources, relationships, and impact will continue through its transition to new partners.
Over the years, Peace Is Loud has helped documentary filmmakers transform their films into powerful tools for advocacy and social action. Through campaigning, consulting, training, and freely accessible resources, the organization has supported filmmakers in building meaningful connections between their stories and the movements they seek to advance. Its legacy extends beyond the films themselves, demonstrating how intentional storytelling can amplify marginalized voices, strengthen grassroots movements, and inspire lasting change.
The Collective Lens Library
One of Peace Is Loud’s most significant contributions is its Collective Lens Library, a collection of resources, tools, and templates designed to help filmmakers and activists develop impactful campaigns while prioritizing equity and care.
The library offers practical guidance for translating storytelling into strategic action, including impact roadmap worksheets, film campaign partner surveys, and participant-care resources. By making these resources freely available, Peace Is Loud has helped lower barriers for filmmakers and grassroots organizations seeking to create meaningful social impact. The Collective Lens Library stands as a lasting example of Peace Is Loud’s commitment to making documentary filmmaking more accessible, accountable, and effective. As made clear below, the library will remain available online through the organization Working Films.
Working Films will incorporate Peace Is Loud’s filmmaker training through Collective Lens into its programming, while the Collective Lens Library of resources and films will remain accessible through the Working Films website. This transition will allow filmmakers and activists to continue benefiting from the tools, knowledge, and training developed over the organization’s 15 years of work.
The Working Films’ co-directors explained, “At a moment when our documentary ecosystem is looking for ways to overcome significant challenges, this transition is an example of what is possible when organizations and individuals with shared values come together to keep vital work, resources, and knowledge alive and accessible to our field.”
The Speakers Bureau
Another important initiative was Peace Is Loud’s Speakers Bureau, which helped connect documentary participants and activists with audiences and movements around the world. PIL sought to create meaningful engagement, helping individuals share their perspectives directly with the communities that could learn from them and support the development of sustainable relationships that could expand their reach and impact.
One of the Speakers Bureau’s featured advocates was Leymah Gbowee the winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her work as a peace activist in Liberia. She was the leader of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace which brought together Christian and Muslim women in a nonviolent movement that was instrumental in ending Liberia’s civil war in 2003. This event was recounted in the 2008 PIL featured documentary, Pray the Devil Back to Hell. and Gbowee’s 2011 memoir, Mighty Be Our Powers. Gbowee continues work through the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa.
In addition, Peace Is Loud’s participant-care resources will also continue through the Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG), a sponsored project of Working Films. These resources will remain free and accessible through the DAWG website.
Peace Is Loud is ensuring that its contributions will continue to benefit future generations of filmmakers, activists, and grassroots movements by preserving the infrastructure that supports ethical storytelling and effective advocacy
A Thank You
The Channel Foundation extends its heartfelt gratitude to Peace Is Loud for 15 years of extraordinary work supporting women, trans, and nonbinary changemakers and amplifying movements around the world. Through its commitment to storytelling, equity, and care, Peace Is Loud has helped bring countless important struggles and achievements into public view, creating opportunities for greater understanding, solidarity, and action. More on PIL’s Impact can be found on our web page featuring them.
We invite the peace, human rights and humanitarian communities to honor Peace Is Loud’s legacy by supporting its successors Working Films and DAWG, sharing its freely available resources, and continuing to champion the filmmakers and grassroots movements working toward a more just world. Although Peace Is Loud is concluding its formal operations, the stories it has helped amplify and the relationships it has helped build will continue to promote change.
