Nominations open for HUDSY’s 250 Acts of Positive Change

KINGSTON—HUDSY, a nonprofit film production company dedicated to educating and connecting communities through independent filmmaking, is proud to announce the launch of 250 Acts of Positive Change, a year-long community-led movement and documentary film project inspired by the 250th anniversary of the United States.

As national institutions prepare traditional commemorations of the country’s founding, HUDSY is choosing a different path. Rather than focusing on the historical milestones of the 250th anniversary, 250 Acts of Positive Change spotlights what is happening right now: the everyday people strengthening their communities through service, creativity, healing, justice, and connection.

Throughout the year, HUDSY will document and showcase 250 tangible acts of positive change taking place across the region. Each act, whether large or small, will be captured in a short 1-3 minute film and shared publicly through HUDSY’s website, YouTube channel, and social platforms, creating a living archive of local impact. The films will be produced by HUDSY’s professional production team alongside the eight participants in its paid seven-month Filmmaker Apprenticeship Program, providing hands-on workforce training while documenting stories that strengthen the region.

“In a time when division often dominates headlines, we want to turn the camera toward the helpers, the artists, the organizers, the healers, the people quietly doing uplifting and impactful work,” said Laura Kandel, executive director of operations at HUDSY. “This project is our way of asking: What if celebrating our country meant celebrating the people actively making it better?”

More than a film series, 250 Acts of Positive Change is designed as a participatory movement. Community members are encouraged not just to watch, but to recommend, share, and engage.

HUDSY is inviting Hudson Valley residents to help shape the movement by:

- Recommending themselves and sharing their own act of positive change

- Recommending individuals, groups, or organizations making a difference

- Joining HUDSY at regional filming locations to share short interview stories

Selected acts will be filmed as part of the official series, with additional on-the-spot interviews recorded throughout the region at locations that will be periodically announced through HUDSY’s newsletter and social media channels.

“Positive change doesn’t have to be large-scale to be meaningful,” said Angel Gates Fonseca, executive director of production at HUDSY. “Sometimes it’s a neighbor organizing meals, a teacher starting a creative program, or a volunteer showing up week after week. These stories matter. They deserve to be documented and shared.”

To recommend an act of positive change or learn more, visit hudsy.org/250acts.