On Tuesday, many of us were blindsided by a new American reality.

Now we must grapple with how and why we didn’t see this week’s major wave coming, and how little we actually know about America’s “flyover country.” There is plenty of blame to go around — for many, the mainstream media sits at the top of the list. We’ve witnessed a refusal to dig deeper, to wrestle with the numbers, to think outside the box, and to look at the barefaced facts. So where does the American public go for a dose of reality?

Our role as independent documentary filmmakers is to investigate beyond the headlines, unmask the core truths behind the 24-hour news cycle, and tell the stories of unheard voices. It was filmmaker Michael Moore, not the pundits or cable news, who predicted this election’s results — with particular emphasis on the cultural crisis happening in Midwestern and Rust Belt states — with unnerving accuracy. His insight was not a fluke. He has spent decades embedded in the post-industrial communities that have been crying out for decades, and finally swung the pendulum in this election.

Documentary filmmakers have a critical job to do now, but we’ve proven we’re up to the task. On many progressive issues, the “culture wars” have already been won — in large part thanks to the storytellers that have transformed hearts and minds with honesty and empathy. Playing this kind of long game is arduous and often frustrating, but if anyone knows how to work over many years, nurturing an idea with patience and fortitude — it’s a filmmaker.

Yesterday as planned, we gathered friends, filmmakers, and fellow change-makers together for our annual Showcase Night, to celebrate a year of incredible growth here at Kindling Group and vibrancy for do-gooding mediamakers across the board. In 2016, Kindling expanded our diverse, talented team; pioneered digital-first documentary projects for public media and beyond; pushed forward on three long form documentaries; and reinforced our reputation in impact filmmaking and innovation.

2016 also marked a time of unprecedented progress for media making our country. The role of filmmakers and storytellers in driving that change, from sounding the alarm on climate change to LGBT rights to race and police brutality in America, has been significant, measurable, and inspiring. We are proud to have been a part of that legacy.

Today, we redouble our commitment to telling stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Thanks for being a part of the Kindling family and making that work possible.

In solidarity,

The Kindling Group Team