No sooner did we publish an account about the uncertain future of the state’s largest humanities organizations, California Humanities, when it was announced that, due to the Trump administration’s DOGE department defunding the National Endowment for the Humanities, California Humanities—an independent partner of the NEH that relies on its grants to fund 90% of its programs—itself would suspend payments to recent grantees, totalling $400,000.
An April 4 letter sent out to grantees by California Humanities CEO Rick Noguchi, who had literally just stepped into the role hoping to restructure the organization around equity (a huge Trump target), read in part:
On April 2, late in the evening, we learned that our funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was unexpectedly terminated. We were told that the “NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda.” This happened after fifty years of California Humanities stewarding federal funds to fulfill our mission to connect Californians to ideas and one another in order to understand our shared heritage and diverse cultures, inspire civic participation, and shape our future.
What this means for you: As an active grantee, please know that your project remains deeply valued. However, we must share that we are currently unable to issue any outstanding grant payments. All grants to state humanities and jurisdictions, including California Humanities have been suspended. We understand how disruptive this is and the burden it places on you, and we do not take this lightly.
California Humanities joined 56 other state and jurisdictional councils to strategize how to work together to ensure no humanities council will shut its doors. Though we must put all of our programs on pause while we learn more about what all this means, we know the rule of law is being seriously challenged. We will do what we can to fight for our right to support you, your work, and your voice. We will be as transparent as possible to keep you informed as we learn more.
The news was a shock to grantees like Brandon Tauszik, who along with co-director Theo Schear and executive producer Matty Barnes, had been awarded a two-installment, $30,000 2024 California Documentary Project prize for Bay Area film—in this case for their 30-minute film Living Harriet Tubman, which “chronicles the remarkable story of Nancy Whittle, a Fresno woman who has spent 30 years portraying Harriet Tubman at contentious Civil War reenactments across California.”
They were waiting on the $15,000 remaining payment to get the doc over the finish line when they suddenly received notice it would not be forthcoming.
The filmmakers have now set up a GoFundMe to help alleviate the devastating loss to their project. At the top of their online fundraiser, the words “DOGE defunded our documentary. Help us finish it.” I spoke with Tauszik over email about the crushing blow.
48 HILLS How far along are you on the film?
BRANDON TAUSZIK Me and my co-director Theo Schear began production with Nancy Whittle in the Spring of 2022. We wrapped up on principal photography last year and now have a picture-locked edit. We are currently wrapping up the original music composition, then need to begin color correction, audio mix, and sound design. We also need to begin applying to film festivals.
48 HILLS How did you feel when you first heard you were awarded the California Documentary Project prize from California Humanities?
BRANDON TAUSZIK I was overjoyed when we found out that Living Harriet Tubman received the California Humanities funding, as their CDP grants are incredibly competitive. We did not, and still do not, have any studio funding, the whole project has been an out-of-pocket labor of love. So receiving $30,000 for our film was an absolute game-changer. We received the first $15,000 up-front and were in the process submitting a report to receive the remainder of the funds.
48 HILLS What is your situation now with regards to finishing the film?
BRANDON TAUSZIK Unfortunately we had to immediately pause post production. We’re going back to the drawing board on how to make up the missing $15,000 that was promised to us and have launched the Gofundme campaign in the interim.
According to the letter from Noguchi, here are some actions artists and supporters can take right now:
Speak up: Let your elected officials know why this work matters.
Share your stories: public support for the humanities is shaped by the powerful impact of [these] projects.
Take action here: In less than two minutes, you can send a message to your representatives and express why this work matters: https://p2a.co/DdtlGIT
Donate: We need your support to help keep the humanities alive in California, please make a gift, no dollar amount is too small, as the future is uncertain.
