A Laurel Filmmaker Set Out to Make a 15-Minute Doc — What He Made Instead Won Best in Fest 🎬

Three Laurel residents are making noise far beyond city limits this week — and all three stories say something real about who we are as a community. There's a filmmaker whose passion project just beat 1,500 others for a national top prize, a high school junior who became the first African American female to win the Prince George's County coed wrestling championship, and a grassroots push to put Laurel on the map in a national "Strongest Town" competition that kicked off voting yesterday.

We also have news about a high-tech film studio coming to Laurel's own backyard, an April health fair in the works, 4 events happening this week, and 5 more on the horizon. Here's what's in this week's edition:

On February 14th — Frederick Douglass's recognized birthday, during the 100th anniversary of Black History Month — a Laurel-based filmmaker's documentary sold out its premiere screening at the DC Independent Film Festival. When demand overflowed and organizers had to open a second, unplanned screening the following day, it was already clear something special was happening. On February 16th, Forever Free and The Illiteracy Playbook, directed, written, and produced by Dion Johnson of JayMedia Films in Prince George's County, was awarded the festival's top honor: Best in Fest — selected from roughly 1,500 global submissions.

The film argues that America's literacy crisis is not a failure of effort or attention — it's the product of a deliberate, generations-long strategy to keep reading out of reach. Dion traces this "illiteracy playbook" from slavery and Reconstruction through Jim Crow and into the present, weaving archival footage, testimony from mayors, educators, law enforcement, and formerly incarcerated individuals into a 96-minute call to action. The title comes from a Frederick Douglass quote: Once you learn to read, you'll be forever free. That tension — liberation through literacy on one side, deliberate suppression on the other — runs through every frame.

For Dion, this was never just a production job. He grew up reading past his bedtime. He helped his own children write and publish a book as toddlers. His mother — who grew up under segregation, earned a Doctor of Theology, and founded a Bible college — is featured in the film. She passed before it was completed. And what started as a 15-minute PG County-funded documentary eventually became a 96-minute movement, because Dion went back to the executive producers and said there was simply more here that needed to be told.

For Laurel residents, the most important detail may be this: Dion is already in conversation with Laurel council members about bringing a community screening here. A red carpet premiere is being planned in Greenbelt around the Juneteenth holiday (more info to come). The film has also been accepted to the Maryland International Film Festival (late March) and the Cleveland International Film Festival, which draws up to 100,000 attendees.

What we still don't know is the confirmed date and venue for a Laurel screening — but it's in motion. A film made in our backyard, about a crisis that touches every school, family, and zip code in this country, just won the top prize on the national stage. That's worth paying attention to. 🎬

Laurel High School junior Olivia Crosby just made history at Oxon Hill High School, becoming the first African American female — and the first girl ever — to win the Prince George's County coed wrestling championship. Competing at 106 pounds, Crosby defeated C.H. Flowers freshman Daemon Powell by 23-10 major decision in the title match, bringing her season record to 27-3. Five of her 18 pins this year have come against boys. Her career record now stands at 55-10.

What makes this accomplishment especially remarkable is the choice Crosby made to get here. Prince George's County held its inaugural girls' county tournament on the same day — meaning Crosby opted out of being part of that historic first class in order to compete against the boys and help Laurel chase a team championship. Laurel finished third in the tournament standings with 173.5 points. The gamble paid off in a way nobody expected: Crosby is now the first girl in PG County coed tournament history to stand on top of the podium.

Crosby began wrestling at age 8 in Colorado, stepped away for two years, and re-engaged as a sophomore. She carries a 3.7 GPA and has regions and states still ahead of her this season. Her coach put it plainly: "Olivia Crosby is now the first girl to win the Prince George's County Coed championship. She is a living legend."

The question Laurel residents should be asking is: does Laurel High School have the recognition, resources, and community support in place to help Crosby reach her full potential as she heads into what could be a historic postseason run? 🏆

A national competition called "Strongest Town" — run by the nonprofit Strong Towns — just opened voting, and Laurel is in it. Thanks to local resident Calvin Burns, Laurel already cleared Level 1 to get into the bracket. Now it's a five-round competition, and voting in Week 1 runs through March 13th. Eight towns will be eliminated in this first round, and eight will advance. The stakes only go up from there: Elite Eight voting runs March 16-20, the Final Four on March 23-27, and the Championship Match closes April 3rd.

The prize for winning isn't symbolic — it's a mini-documentary produced about the winning town, showcasing what makes it exceptional. Strong Towns is a serious organization with a national membership focused on helping communities become financially resilient, safe, and livable. Winning this competition would put Laurel in front of a national audience that cares specifically about strong, well-run local communities.

Laurel Councilman Adrian G. Simmons has been promoting the effort and will update his site with voting links as each round opens. This is low-effort, high-upside community action: it costs nothing, takes 60 seconds, and directly benefits Laurel's visibility and reputation.

What we still don't know is whether a coordinated, citywide push is in place to drive turnout beyond the usual engaged residents — the towns that win these competitions tend to have organized outreach. Is Laurel ready to bring that energy? 🗳️

A former FloorMax warehouse at 13380 Mid Atlantic Blvd., Laurel is being transformed into a nearly 38,000-square-foot professional production complex. Revolutionary VP Studios — co-founded by Daniel Strauch and Zach Guerra — is working through the permitting process to convert roughly 30,000 square feet of warehouse space and 8,000 square feet of office space into a state-of-the-art, rentable film and production facility.

The centerpiece is a curved, volumetric LED wall — the same next-generation filmmaking technology used on productions like The Mandalorian — with a projected price tag of $9 million. The system creates real-time digital environments that shift naturally with camera angles, eliminating the need for green screens and post-production backgrounds. The studio is designed to support film, TV, commercials, corporate productions, live-streamed events, and immersive experiences.

For Laurel residents, this is the kind of economic development that creates real jobs in skilled trades — production, editing, event tech — and positions Laurel as a regional creative hub between D.C. and Baltimore. What we don't yet know is a projected opening date, how many jobs the facility will bring, or whether local talent and businesses will have preferred access. Those details matter. 🎥

The City of Laurel is organizing a community Health Fair this April, and vendor applications are now open. The linked form on the city's site allows health-related organizations, nonprofits, and service providers to apply to participate — which means the event's scope and programming will depend in part on who shows up to fill it.

For residents, this is worth watching closely. A well-organized health fair can connect families to free screenings, insurance enrollment assistance, mental health resources, and local service providers they might not otherwise know exist. The event details — exact date, time, and location — have not yet been publicly announced beyond the vendor form, so check the city's calendar at cityoflaurel.org as April approaches.

If you run or work with a health-focused organization, the vendor form is your entry point. And if you're a resident who wants to see specific services represented, now is the time to reach out to the city directly. 🏥

💬 This Week's Reader Pulse

Dion Johnson's documentary argues that America's literacy crisis is rooted in deliberate suppression — and that it continues to harm communities today. But here's the local question we want to bring home: thinking about the kids in Laurel right now, do you believe our schools and community programs are doing enough to prioritize literacy, or do you see gaps?

Hit reply and tell us what you think — or share a story. We read every response, and the best ones may appear in next week's edition.

Our community photo spotlight continues! Each edition, we feature a photo from a Laurel resident that captures the beauty and spirit of our town.

Kathie caught her garden pansies at their most defiant — faces turned up toward the sky, drenched in color, with a surprise layer of snow at their feet. It's the kind of photo that captures something true about March in Laurel: spring thinks it's ready, but winter always has one more thing to say.

📸 Congratulations, Kathie! Thank you for showing us your Laurel — and for reminding us that beauty shows up even on the snow days.

Want to be featured? Email your photos to [email protected] with the subject line "Show Us Your Laurel" and you might appear in an upcoming edition!

⭐ Women's Month Meetup: Ladies Night Out 📅 Friday, March 6 · 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM 📍 The Mansion at Laurel, 13910 Laurel Lakes Ave, Laurel, MD | A dedicated evening for women in the community to connect, celebrate Women's History Month, and enjoy good company in one of Laurel's most distinctive venues. A great way to close out the week.

⭐ The Gold Rush @ North Laurel Community Center 📅 Saturday, March 7 · 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM 📍 North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd, Laurel, MD | A family-friendly event where kids can get hands-on with gold panning and discovery activities. If you've got young ones looking for something genuinely different on a Saturday morning, this is it.

⭐ Reading Between the Lines 📅 Saturday, March 7 · 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM 📍 Laurel Multiservice Center, 204 Fort Meade Rd, Laurel, MD | Given this week's top story about literacy as liberation, this one feels especially timely. A community literary event in the heart of Laurel — worth your Saturday afternoon.

Also this week:

Planning ahead? Here are 5 more events coming up through March 28th.

⭐ Women's History Month Celebration 📅 Saturday, March 14 · 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 📍 Partnership Activity Center, 811 5th Street, Laurel, MD | An official city-sponsored celebration of Women's History Month — a fitting follow-up to this week's Ladies Night Out and a chance to mark the month with purpose and community.

⭐ Teen Trip: "The Wizard of Oz" @ Atholton High School 📅 Friday, March 13 · 6:00 PM · Departs from Robert J. DiPietro Community Center, 301 8th St, Laurel, MD 20707 | A live theater outing organized specifically for teens — a great way to introduce young people to the performing arts in a low-pressure, social setting.

Everything else:

Thanks for reading Edition #20 of the I Love Laurel Newsletter.

This week felt like a genuine reminder of what Laurel is made of. A filmmaker who turned a 15-minute grant project into an award-winning documentary about one of America's most urgent crises. A high school junior who made history on the wrestling mat by simply choosing the harder path. And a community competition where all we have to do is show up and vote. These aren't coincidences — they're the kind of stories that happen when a city has real people in it who care about something beyond themselves.

Got an event, story tip, or business we should feature? Just hit reply — I read every response.

See you next week!

— Mike Mondy Founder, I❤️LAUREL

P.S. — Don't forget to move this email to your primary inbox so you never miss an edition! P.S.S. — Be sure to follow us on Instagram! @ilovelaurelmd 📱