In the Glow of the Big Screen and the People I Love
- Alisha (Kara’s Sis)
- Aug 8
- 7 min read
My little broken heart mended with a few stitches last night watching Kara take in my latest work on the big screen! Leading up to the premiere we had some really challenging days (I’ll try to share a medical update soon) but through the grace of God Kara continues to rally for the most meaningful moments and the word grateful doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel.
I’ve had so many kind comments about how I look in this film. Truth be told, I shot my interview scene on the most challenging day of my career. I found out on Friday that Kara had breast cancer and the film shoot was scheduled on Monday. I wavered back and forth wondering if I should cancel. Just call in sick my emotional mind said. Then my rational brain knew deep down that the coming weeks would only bring more appointments, more information, more energy. It was time to dig deep and get it done.
That morning I sat in Tricia Collins’ chair to get my hair done. I barely recall the conversation. I remember keeping personal life talk short and focusing on work topics. In the back of my mind I wondered if she noticed I was off and wanted to tell her what was going on, but it was many days before I could utter the words Kara has cancer. That day I kept quiet.
Then I went to Haus of Heir to get my makeup done by literally a human Barbie doll, Renee Rumler. I’d always wanted an excuse to get glam done by her. The woman has talent that is off the charts. Follow her on IG and your jaw will drop. A bad ass queen and absolute sweetheart. I sat in her chair so incredibly somber, wanting to crawl out of my skin. The holiday tunes and upbeat energy would have been perfect if I wasn’t in the middle of a crisis. As the clock ticked so did my emotions. Too many hours to think about all the chapters this cancer journey was about to bring. Just breathe Alisha I told myself over and over.
I headed to the Capitol Theatre for my shoot. I sent Jason Gilliland a text that morning reminding him I’d be in the theatre. I told him we got some difficult news on Kara’s test results and that I’d love to share it with him later but for today I needed to disassociate so I could get through being on camera. I asked him not to bring it up when we saw each other and said I’d fill him in after I got through the day. Jason is a good friend and gave me space.
The actual interview was a blur. I ruminated for months wondering if I gave enough to round out the story we were trying to tell. With Kara’s cancer occupying most of my brain since last December, I often feel stress over what I’m forgetting or dropping the ball on. Some things feel like I’m just doing the status quo and God, do I hate the status quo. In my role I feel pressure to constantly be evolving and elevating our culture and community. That takes passion and energy. I have the passion. The energy is harder to come by these days.
But last night was one of those moments where we could all step back from the daily grind and look at the incredible work we’ve accomplished in the Quad Cities, especially over the last two decades. I needed that and more than anything I needed my sister right there beside me at the premiere.
I’m always eager to connect the dots with people, especially leaders and community investors, by sharing my own story. I’ve told it before but here’s the quick version for new readers. As a 20-something I stood on the corner of 2nd and Main and saw a banner for River Music Experience. It was a light bulb moment. Suddenly I saw this community in a whole new way, one that believed, cared and invested in the arts scene. That’s what I was looking for when deciding where I wanted to live and build a career. As I learned about the history and work of DavenportOne and the Downtown Davenport Partnership it all clicked into place about why this work matters and how it ties to my own lived experience. I've desperately been wanting to find an outlet to tell this story. As leadership is evolving, politics are changing and there are so many issues facing us as a society that we need to rise together to tackle... arts and culture cannot be forgotten, we still need investment.
When I saw the first clips of the Paula Sands documentary I said wow, that’s the quality that I want for this project and KWQC is already a wonderful supporter of Alternating Currents (and many other downtown initiatives). I approached KWQC with the idea thinking maybe we could get a short story, 10 to 15 minutes. I wanted to use Alternating Currents as a lens for how River Renaissance and the people behind it laid the foundation for our arts community to thrive. This festival could not exist without the investments made in the early 2000s. And now a year and a half later, we have this 63-minute love letter to a QC community that shows our drive, spirit and the potential we have.
Kara has a lot of favorite things, but KWQC and the Quad Cities continue to rank high on that list. How did she react when she saw me on the big screen last night? Well… she said nothing about it. A little anti-climactic when it came to my screen time. But she didn’t miss one spotting of Morgan Ottier. Every time Morgan was on screen she would say there’s Morgan! And... Kyle, Jack, Jason, the office, the River Bandits, CJ… okay Miss Kara, whatever brings you joy. I didn’t need her to get excited about me specifically. I just loved seeing her beam throughout the whole film.
Another milestone and memory captured. Truly such a beautiful night to share with her.
So when can you catch the film? For those local to the Quad Cities, KWQC will air a special commercial-free broadcast (thank you RiverCenter and Adler Theatre) at 9 pm on Thursday Aug. 14. On Sunday Aug. 17 we will do a screening at the Alternating Currents Film Fest at 3 pm with a panel discussion to follow.
After AC Fest I’ll work on a rollout strategy because this piece should be seen by every high school and college student in the QC. We’ll submit to film festivals and awards. We’ll pitch it to PBS. We’ll try to get this film placed far and wide because it’s such a beautiful story to tell.
I could write pages of thank-yous but here are a few in particular:
Andrey Arkhipov - you are unbelievably brilliant and talented. Your patience and care for getting this story right is something I will never be able to thank you enough for. We had nearly 50 interviews. You have 16 hours of interview coverage alone plus 20 hours of festival b-roll and archival footage. Your transcribed interviews amounted to 68,000 words, nearly the length of a Harry Potter book. You are a saint. I am in total awe of what you put together.
Sue Ramsett-Kretz - SO happy to get to know you better through this project and so inspired by your love and commitment for this community. You are the reason this project happened at all. Thank your for believing in us and wanting to share this story!
The Kell family - Ellis continues to live in my heart and he is at the core of this story. The legacy he built at River Music Experience (now Common Chord) and in this community will always be felt. This story does not happen without him. He was a strong advocate for the arts here and convinced me something special was happening. I never dreamed I would be part of it in this way but I know he’s watching over us and giving us nudges in the right direction. His presence is felt every time I’m on that corner at 2nd and Main. Thank you for coming last night and sharing that moment with us. I love you guys so much.
Betsy Brandsgard - I can’t imagine what it was like advocating for the bond referendum to bring River Renaissance to life. I hope you know how deeply appreciative we are of you and the leaders of that time for your vision and tireless work. You left big shoes to fill and I am always grateful for your guidance and support.
Kyle Carter - for always allowing so much creative freedom and the flexibility to take detours. Time is finite and you are always so supportive in helping me find ways to get it all done.
And a big blanket thank-you to all the artists and people who took time to contribute to this film. Your voices brought this to life in a way I never could alone. And to the Chamber comms team for their constant support in the background helping get this over the finish line.
Heart is full. My next job will be sorting through the “Kara cam” footage from last night to see what content we can post. And I know I still owe readers a Fever Game update too. I’ll catch up on all things Kara after Alternating Currents Festival next week. Open invite to any reader because it’s a beautiful community event that everyone should come and enjoy.
If You're New Here
Hi, I’m Alisha, Kara’s sister and biggest advocate. Kara was diagnosed with Stage 4 Triple-Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (TNBC) in December 2024. Her cancer has spread to her bones, liver, and other areas, making this an incredibly difficult and uncertain journey.
Despite it all, Kara’s light still shines so brightly—she’s full of love, giggles, and endless positivity. This blog is where I share updates on her fight, the highs and lows, and the incredible community rallying around her.
Thank you for being here, for your love, support, and prayers. We need them more than ever. 💛 And of course, Go Hawks!
Team Kara Support Fund
Your gift helps cover travel, caregiving, and comfort-related expenses for Kara’s support team. While Kara cannot receive funds directly, your generosity provides the relief and resources we need to keep showing up with love.
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