The Story Project of Measure 110

Part One: PEERS

(Documentary film TRT 30min) - Grant Financed - Portland, OR

The Story Project of Measure 110, Part One: PEERS was my first documentary project following the completion of my MA in Multimedia Journalism in 2022. I received a $15,000 grant to produce this short film, which focuses on Peer Support Services in Oregon’s evolving addiction recovery landscape. I served as the Producer, Director, and Writer of the film.

As of September 2025, PEERS has received several honors:

• Best Director of a Documentary Short, Seattle Film Festival 2024

• Best Redemption Story Arc, Klamath Independent Film Festival 2024

• Finalist, Best Series Episode, Oregon Documentary Film Festival 2024

• Best Social Commentary, City of Angels Women’s Film Festival 2024

• Honorable Mention, International Social Change Film Festival 2024

• Official Selection, Friday Harbor Documentary Film Festival 2024

To develop this project, I partnered with Morgan Godvin, a respected voice in drug policy reform. Through Morgan, I connected with Candi Balabon, a Peer Supervisor at Columbia Community Mental Health, who became a key source. These relationships gave me access to Peer Support Specialists across Oregon—individuals whose lived experience with addiction and incarceration makes them uniquely effective in helping others recover.

The people interviewed in PEERS were previously incarcerated for drug-related offenses. Most are still in recovery. Their stories—honest, complex, and courageous—offer a powerful counter-narrative to despair. They are the hope the drug crisis needs right now.