Ta’Kiya Young, Daryl Vance, Kyeiree Myers, Brandon Cole, Keenan Anderson, Dexter Wade. These names are a minute fraction of the over 290 African Americans killed by law enforcement in 2023.

An investigation by the Washington Post found that in 2021, only a third of the department’s fatal shootings appeared in the FBI database, as they are not required to report these crimes to the federal government. The Post had recorded a total of 2,253 Black Americans killed at the hands of police officers since 2015 when it began its own database.

Award-winning director donnie l. betts is paying attention to these atrocities, in the supposed name of the law, through his current project entitled Resisting: A Look at the Use of Force. This groundbreaking and thought-provoking documentary will meticulously examine the crisis of over-policing and the continuing escalating use of brutality in the United States. The film, produced by No Credits Productions, LLC, will explore policing practices and policies, city and court policies, and the communal and individual impact.

“I started the project about four-and-a-half years ago surrounding people impacted in my neighborhood in Aurora, Elijah McClain being one of them,” explained betts. “A 29-year-old homeless unarmed army veteran, Kyle Viinson, was pistol whipped and choked a block from my house in 2021, and 23-year-old Eliijah was killed about a mile from me in 2019,” he continued.

Vinson survived the violent attack after being repeatedly hit with a gun and strangled for 39 seconds when police had responded to a trespassing call. Officer John Haubert, who has since resigned from the force, was found not guilty of all charges of excessive and unreasonable force.

Through its three distinct acts – Present, Historical, and Future - Resisting will dive deep into various facets of the issue, shedding light on its origins, current manifestations, and potential for transformative change. The project will highlight particularly those cases that are not in the headlines. Over eighty percent of these individuals have no weapons of any kind.

“Letters, both actual and imagined, from mothers and other family members will be used as a form of storytelling,” betts described. The goal is to share different angles from these families and the long-range impact, whether emotional, financial or any other consequence.”

Most of the focus will be on the ruthless force police departments use nationwide. However, often, people don’t realize there can be similar barbarity in jails, mental institutions, hospitals, and other places not on our usual radar.

betts works extensively with police departments in the Metro area and other parts of Colorado. In addition, his compiled visceral stories have involved Atlanta, Dallas, and Minneapolis to show the impact locally and across the nation. Funds are needed to increase the project’s scope geographically and contextually.

Betts grew up in De Kalb, Texas, and was the son of a farmer. The youngest of 11 other siblings, betts’ mother passed away when he was very young, and the family struggled with financial and other life challenges.

“You don’t realize you lack anything until you get out into the world,” betts marveled. If you don’t have it, you don’t miss it.”

A combination of betts’ older brother and high-altitude athletic training brought him to Colorado for the summer before he started college. After graduating with a major in mass communications and a minor in African American studies, he returned to Denver to pursue his career in storytelling.

This passion for telling the stories of others, along with a long-standing love of history, became the foundation for his social justice work and plays, which transitioned into filmmaking. His first film project was on historic Dearfield, Colorado, in 1995. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Three days of fundraising events for No Credits Productions to benefit the Resisting project will be hosted by TeaLee’s Tea House and Bookstore beginning on Friday, May 17, with “Vinyl Happy” from 4:00 to 7:00 pm - music will be spun by special guest DJ Shanti Zaid with happy hour food and beverage. On Saturday, May 18, from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, there will be a Speakeasy, a performance with jazz and soul vocalist Rajdulari, and a meal prepared by Chef Cliff Lyons. The fundraising weekend will conclude on Sunday, May 19, with live gospel performed by Sisters of Grace during a high tea meal. There will be two seatings – at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm.

“I have known donnie for half my lifetime, both professionally and as a friend,” said Rise Jones, owner of TeaLee’s. “I know his dedication to what he’s doing. There’s so much timely relevance in Resisting. I wanted to be a part of that, and these events are something I could offer in the TeaLee’s space in order to raise awareness and needed funds.”

For additional information about the fundraising event or to make a reservation, visit www.tealeesdenverteahouse.com/donnie-betts-resisting-fundraiser.