11 Days of Love Stories Press Release

Love Now Media to host 11 Days of Love Stories focusing on love at the center of social justice and wellness movements

Love Now Media, a media and news organization that uplifts the voices of those advocating for justice, wellness, and equity will host its annual storytelling series 11 Days of Love Stories this year from June 14th to June 24th. The series returns for its fourth year or programs with daily TV and social media broadcasts, 7 new short documentaries and 3 live events, after skipping a year due to the pandemic. All 3 of Love Now Media’s 11 Days of Love Stories live events will be held at Sol Garden Studios located 1000 Buttonwood Street, in the Callowhill section of Philadelphia, PA. 

Love Now Media prioritizes the experiences of BIPOC individuals through storytelling and hopes to shift the culture of media and news by helping people to remember their humanity and highlighting experiences, cultural norms, and cultural values that are often erased from mainstream storytelling. The goal is to collectively dismantle narratives rooted in white supremacy, and racism, while working to replace them with a new vision, for how things should be – beginning with love stories.

During 11 Days of Love Stories, the television broadcasts, presented in partnership with PhillyCAM, will broadcast at 11:00am daily on local cable (Xfinity 66/ HD 966, Fios 29/30) and will feature a collection of Love Now Media’s love themed content to include conversations with therapists, activists, artists, social justice advocates, LGBTQ advocates, faith leaders, and romantic partners that have built or impacted communities. “Love Now Media has been a PhillyCAM member for several years and it’s a relationship that we appreciate as it demonstrates the value of community media and mission alignment. This is the kind of content and production process that builds and heals community” says Nasha Taylor, PhillyCAM’s Community Engagement Director.

At the height of the pandemic, Love Now Media posed a question to a community of lovers, artists, healers, and activists – “What does love look like in the context of justice?” The answers resulted in the 7-episode short documentary series, Just Love Stories. The directors include Iresha Picot, Tezarah Wilkins, Lendl Tellington, Rashid Zakat, Marie Hinson, and Jos Duncan, Love Now Media’s Chief Storyteller. Some of the filmmakers are seasoned and others had never directed or worked on a film before. The filmmakers met virtually to explore the relevance of love during the pandemic and one of the most politically and racially polarized climates in recent times. The Love Now Media team offered production support, guidance and resources to produce the individual documentary episodes, supported by a grant from the Independence Public Media Fund. The episodes will be released online during the 11 days and will premiere during a live screening held on Saturday, June 19th, from 8pm to 10pm, outdoors. 

On Sunday, June 20th, at 12pm, Love Now Media will launch its youth produced podcast Heart to Heart. The podcast, hosted and produced by 14 year old Journey Moses, a rising 10th grader at String Theory Performing Arts School, features intergenerational conversations about pressing topics in pop culture, social justice advocacy, and entertainment. Through exchanging knowledge about and between generations, the teen hopes to keep often divided generations informed and connected. The Tea Party and Talk style event, which falls on Father’s Day, will highlight excerpts of the podcast and open the microphone to youth for a 1-minute love storytelling competition. 

On Thursday, June 24th, at 7pm the finale event, Love & Music is curated by long-time producer Hezekiah and will feature wellness-focused ABM (All-Black Music) that bridges gaps between genres and generations with a focus on healing. The music line up includes Hezekiah, Cvgebird, Neem LeAmour, and Sudan Green. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Partners for the series include PhillyCAM, Sol Garden, and Spirits Up. Sponsors for the series include Independence Public Media Foundation, Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the Leeway Foundation, POWER, WURD, Royal Image Unisex Salon, Kaffa Crossing, and The Office of City Councilwoman Cherelle Parker.

About Love Now Media

Love Now Media (lovenowmedia.com) is an empathy-centered media company that uses storytelling to advocate for justice, wellness and equity. We produce and distribute content and lead impact-focused conversations and activities that produce outcomes. Our programs serve universities, museums, and communities that are on the brink of change. 

Our news publishing uplifts the voices of those advocating for social justice, wellness and equity. Our outlet publishes the work of engaged journalists, storytellers, lovers, artists, healers, and activists, who know the power of storytelling and reclaim agency in publishing our narratives.

11 Days of Love Stories History

Love Now Media produced 11 Days of Love Stories, (2017, 2018, 2019) a series of love-themed workshops and events in different locations throughout Philadelphia. We held a different event each day that promoted love through storytelling, art-making, musical performances, panel discussions, and conversations. We were supported by the City of Philadelphia, city council members Cherelle Parker and Blondell Reynolds Brown, and Mayor Jim Kenney joined us at our press conference at City Hall to kick off the program.