Thread by @LouisYorkMusic

STORY TIME!
As promised, here’s how Louis York’s @ClaudeKelly ended up being associated w/ #HairLove.

Back in 2017, I saw someone random retweet about @MatthewACherry and the Kickstarter he was launching to raise money for his dream project. I’ve never met MC (although it turns out we know many of the same folks in the music biz).
Anyway, u could just feel his passion via tweet

Everyone on here is asking for something so it’s hard to find true passion matched with a great idea, and a go-getter visionary behind it. @MatthewACherry is that dude.
Now, I have no kids yet and there’s no cute lil black girl’s hair for me to do every AM but...

I AM an only child from a single parent home so the story still resonated with me. The struggle to make it work w/ no help is real. My mom is “the mother who fathered me” so #HairLove was a no-brainer!!!

So with little research I followed my gut n bet on it. I thought about how helpful this short story would be for so many black dads & daughters and even black moms w/ little black boys who don’t have this kind of art to refer to.
I gave. I had to give. It felt good to give.

... @MatthewACherry genuine shock & gratitude matched the passion I felt from him on Twitter from jump. By way of my gift, I became an Associate Producer. The title doesn’t mean that much to me honestly; being a small part of what I sensed might be black history meant more!

I’ve watched quietly since then as this thing just BLEW UP. Fueled by passion, love & community. Twitter has rallied around this project in a beautiful way that highlights the best of what we can be on social media. It has inspired us to dream bigger, ask for help when needed...

...and last night..4 years later...BOOM!!
The little engine that could - #HairLove won the 2020 #Oscar for Best Animated Short Film! What a victory for @MatthewACherry and his whole team. Even more importantly, what a powerful message to send as we set this new decade off!

This was not an attempt to brag. It’s just proof that:
• hard work pays off
• invest in your peeps
• there’s enough room for US to tell our stories too in the mainstream,so fight for it
• social media can be used for good
• nothing is impossible. Not even @TheAcademy

In conclusion: Bet on your yourself. Bet on your friends. Bet on causes you believe in.
MOST OF ALL: go see #HairLove!
And all the congratulations to @MatthewACherry & Karen Rupert Toliver. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾