Jennifer Sharp
The journey to making the movie Anecdotals
Last December Team Humanity co-sponsored the Minnesota and Wisconsin public premier of the movie Anecdotals.
We wrote an article about the premier and prefaced our reporting with one of our favorite poems.
“Tell your story.
Shout it.
Write it.
Whisper it if you have to.
But tell it.
Some won’t understand it.
Some will outright reject it.
But many will thank you for it.
And then the most magical thing will happen.
One by one, voices will start whispering, ‘Me, too’.
And your tribe will gather.
And you will never feel alone again.”
L.R. Knost
The two premiers made for a very emotional weekend for our Team Humanity community. So many of our injured have felt so alone, so lost in the shadows for the last 29 months. They felt that no one wanted to hear their story let alone gather together; and here we were with movie theaters full of people willing and wanting to hear our stories. The energy and love was palpable. We hugged, cried, laughed and simply just gathered. We listened to each other’s struggles and celebrated our triumphs.
It was also a magical weekend because our friends from outside of Minnesota chose to visit our winter wonderland and support Team Humanity. We had friends from Maryland to California to Texas to Michigan fly in to spend the weekend with us.
Like L.R. Knost points out in his poem; our tribe gathered; we shared stories, we connected with new and old friends, we congregated, we celebrated, and we grew exponentially. More of us came out of the shadows and whispered “me too”. Team Humanity showed the injured that there is always light even when it seems like darkness prevails. As Dr Tess Lawrie taught us we need to tend to our lights of humanity, shine them, connect them with others, and watch that light grow from something quite dim into a spectacular blaze of truth and compassion.
Suzanna Newell, our founding Team Humanity member, attended both movie screenings and participated in a round table discussion after each movie. Team Humanity was created in October of 2021 when Suzanna spoke on the Minnesota Capitol steps and told her vaccine injury story. While preparing for her speech it occurred to Suzanna that her vaccine injury wasn’t a political issue. It was a humanity issue. It doesn’t matter if you vote blue or red-it matters that you are a human. And, humans take care of each other. Suzanna realized that she, too, could be a leader and advocate to the countless injured here in Minnesota. Out of this act of courage Team Humanity was born.
Team Humanity would like to introduce you to honorary member, Jennifer Sharp. Jennifer lives in California; however, the long distance has not stopped us from creating a special bond with this incredible woman. She is the producer, writer, editor, and director of the movie Anecdotals. And, Jennifer, is also vaccine injured.
In the middle of the night on the day she received her vaccine Jennifer woke up with numbness and tingling on the entire left side of her body. She was terrified. The left side of her face felt like it was full of novocaine and she had a “pins and needles” feeling running up and down her body from her left shoulder to her left foot. Jennifer also had spiked a fever and was extremely fatigued. Her doctor diagnosed her with paresthesia. According to the NIH chronic paresthesia is, “a symptom of an underlying neurological disorder or traumatic nerve damage”.
Jennifer’s injury was confirmed as a vaccine injury and she was advised not to get the second required shot. In Los Angeles this became a problem. All public places from restaurants to malls were mandating a complete vaccine series and there were no exemptions granted. Along with being shut out of society, she lost a great job due to her vaccination status. At this point, Jennifer decided to turn her anger into action.
She started connecting with other vaccine injured victims on Facebook and discovered she wasn’t the only person this was happening to. She started to feel this overwhelming motivating feeling that she was destined to be injured; because she was the only person who was uniquely qualified to make a movie about the vaccine injured and she wasn’t scared to do it-to tell the truth.
Prior to her injury and creating Anecdotals Jennifer had worked in Hollywood as a director and editor. For the last 5 years she pursued her passion project of writing, directing and producing the movie Una Great Movie. This is how Jennifer describes her movie.
“Una Great Movie uses comedy to reflect on relevant contemporary issues. It is fun and humorous with a unique storytelling style that incorporates a professional cast mixed with local Mexican non-actors. The movie introduces refreshing new perspectives against common stereotypes, portraying a universal humanity rather than categories of difference.”
During the creation process of Una Great Movie Jennifer had explored how honest, authentic storytelling can shed light onto issues that are affecting all of humanity regardless of one's background, race, employment, or ethnicity.
In April of 2022 Jennifer attended the Defeat the Mandates rally in California and brought along her video camera. It was one of the first times she connected with 1000’s of people who had suffered from vaccine injuries. Jennifer witnessed countless devastating stories of loss, pain, anguish and loneliness. Her new passion project became producing and directing the movie Anecdotals. As she says, “Anecdotals is a personal journey that focuses on questions, not answers, and people, not politics.” “It provides a glimpse into the lives of the injured and how their day to day existence has drastically changed.”
Jennifer believes that, “Art has the power to change the world; and that artists have responsibility to facilitate that change through sharing their truths….and it was her responsibility to tell the stories no one was talking about.”
Team Humanity is incredibly thankful for Jennifer’s willingness, tenacity, fortitude, and compassion to telling the truth and creating Anecdotals. We have heard from many injured Minnesotans how the movie Anecdotals helped them realize they were not alone and that there is hope. Hope for finding a cure. Hope in finding and connecting with others out there who are struggling. Hope that more Americans will reach out to the injured and offer a sympathetic ear. Hope that our mayors, senators, governors and news reporters will be willing like Jennifer was to simply tell our stories.
If you would like to learn more about Jennifer please visit her website.
If you would like to watch the movie Anecdotals please visit its website.
Anecdotals has been screened in many other states. Typically after the screening Jennifer and other vaccine injured have a round table discussion about their injury and the censorship they have suffered. Jennifer has told Team Humanity that this is her favorite part-connecting with the audience, sharing ideas, asking questions and telling stories. One movie goer told her, “if you never do another thing in your life again please know you did an amazing thing for humanity with Anecdotals.”
If you would like to watch Jennifer’s movie Una Great Movie you can view it on Amazon.
All stories are edited and approved by the participants before the story is published.
Anecdotals was awesome 👏. Putting a human face on this vital issue. Thanks.
Jennifer, it was a privilege to meet you in December. You are an inspiration to us all. While you are Beloved in Minnesota, I wanted Team Humanity to know that you are an international hero. You are changing the world one small country at a time!
April 2023 - Bermuda
“For those who missed the first two screenings of Anecdotals, the owners of Speciality Cinema have generously offered to host a free public screening at 7pm on Monday, April 24th to ensure that anyone interested in watching the documentary has yet another opportunity to do so.”
https://bernews.com/2023/04/free-public-screening-of-anecdotals-film/
Why would they do this? Because this film is that important. If you haven't watched it yet, now is the time. Then, ask about a screening it at your local church, school, lawmakers offices or host a showing at your home. This film brings truth, hope and unity.
Several people near and dear to MN Team Humanity are featured in the film including Suzanna, our founder, Kim Witzcak and Brook Jackson (who both sued Pfizer). All three are powerful voices and amazing women that we are privileged to work with.
Thank you, Jennifer, for this work of art and thank you for continuing to share your journey with MN Team Humanity.
Lorri