Calvin Lyte‍ ‍// Creative Director

Racist Roots

The Challenge
The Center for Death Penalty Litigation (CDPL) is a North Carolina non-profit fighting to abolish the death penalty in their state. They came to us with an ambitious ask: turn a deep, difficult history into a film they could put in front of supporters, allied institutions, and elected officials — one that would move people, not just inform them.

Our Approach
We were given access to the writings archived at racistroots.org and first hand testimonials from individuals exonerated from North Carolina's death row. Our job was to stitch these voices and records into a single, compelling narrative. We chose original illustration as the film's ownable visual signature — a way to hold a hard history together with intention and care. The through-line became a metaphor: a seed of racism from which an evil tree has grown, its branches the death penalty still flourishing today.

The Result
Racist Roots is a documentary that gives a painful history a form people can sit with and share — a piece built to spark conversation among the communities and decision-makers who can change the system.

Creative Director: Calvin Lyte // Directed by: Akili Brown // Art Direction: Geronna Lewis-Lyte// Illustration: Markita Miler // Music & Sound: Taj Brown // Motion Graphics: Goodwiggle Studios// Production Studios: Paper plus Rocket & The Universal Fresh