About Us
Our Story
Docutribe was founded on the belief that storytelling has the power to do more than document the world—it can help transform it. Too often, communities are defined by their greatest challenges rather than their greatest strengths. Docutribe was created to help people tell their own stories with dignity, authenticity, and hope while equipping them with the skills, relationships, and confidence to become leaders and changemakers within their own communities. Together, we are building a global network where stories preserve culture, strengthen communities, and inspire collective action.
Docutribe is a non-profit New York-based organization founded in 2006 and relaunched in 2016 by Founder and Executive Director, Cecily Tyler, dedicated to activating social impact through the power of storytelling and filmmaking. Through teaching the tools and process of filmmaking and technology, we help filmmakers and their communities activate social change at the hyper local level and to tell their stories at the national or even international levels.
Our Mission
Docutribe uses the transformative power of storytelling to create social good for all.
“We envision a global resurgence of hope where every community has storytellers equipped to share local wisdom, amplify new voices, and build solutions to the challenges they face.”
Documentary filmmaking has the power to inspire inclusive, bottom-up policymaking and unite communities. However, prevailing trends in the film industry prevent vulnerable communities from documenting and sharing their stories. Docutribe seeks to rectify inequities in documentary filmmaking by providing rising filmmakers and marginalized groups with the knowledge and resources to use filmmaking as a problem-solving tool and a force that unifies their community.
We strive to ignite a global resurgence of hope. Docutribe established a 3-pillar approach to democratizing filmmaking: educational programming, one-on-one mentorship, and production guidance. Over the next year, Docutribe plans to enhance its Ukrainian programs, help current fellows complete their projects, and build the organizational infrastructure needed to support an ambitious 2027 grant strategy. In the next 1-3 years, we plan to expand educational programs to new Ukrainian institutions and communities, increase our fellowship to support six to eight fellows annually with dedicated funding, and establish partnerships that provide internship and festival opportunities for emerging storytellers. Our ultimate goal is to build a global network of independent storytelling hubs—in urban and village dwellings in Ukraine; secret rooms in Kabul, Afghanistan; farms in Africa, and the Arctic tundra of Alaska—where local leaders can train the next generation of filmmakers, document their communities' challenges and innovations, and drive meaningful social change.
Meet the team
Docutribe is powered by a diverse community of filmmakers, educators, journalists, artists, technologists, and community leaders united by a shared belief in the power of storytelling to create meaningful change. Together, we bring decades of experience in documentary filmmaking, education, social innovation, and community engagement to every partnership and every project.
Our Fellows
Docutribe Fellows are storytellers, educators, artists, journalists, and community leaders who use documentary filmmaking to strengthen communities, preserve culture, and inspire meaningful social change. Through individually tailored mentorship, collaboration opportunities, and hands-on experience, they develop the skills, relationships, and confidence to transform lived experiences into stories that create lasting impact.
Our Community
Docutribe is more than an organization—it's a growing global network of communities connected through storytelling. Students, fellows, educators, filmmakers, artists, volunteers, funders, and local leaders each contribute their unique perspectives, creating a collaborative ecosystem where stories become catalysts for learning, leadership, and lasting social impact.
Our Values
Passion and Enthusiasm
We share a deep passion and enthusiasm for our mission. We genuinely care about the work we do and approach it with excitement and energy.
Continuous Learning and Growth
We have a strong desire to learn, grow, and improve. We actively seek out knowledge, explore new ideas, and embrace opportunities for personal and professional development.
Empathy and Social Impact
Making a positive impact and caring for others are important to us. We demonstrate empathy, emotional intelligence, and a genuine concern for our communities and the broader world.
Integrity and Honesty
We value honesty, transparency, and integrity in our actions and interactions. We prioritize doing what is right and maintaining ethical standards in our work.
Collaboration and Listening Skills
We embrace strong collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively with others. We are good listeners, value diverse perspectives, and are willing to engage in meaningful conversations to drive positive change.
Creative and Curious
We are willing to lay aside processes and outlooks that no longer serve a community well and seek new ways to effectively engage. We are a community-based filmmaking model that strengthens resilience and civic participation.
What’s in a name?
The name “Docutribe”
Docutribe reflects two ideas at the heart of our work: the power of documentary storytelling and the belief that lasting change begins in community.
"Docu" represents documentary film—an enduring medium for preserving history, amplifying lived experience, and helping us better understand one another.
"Tribe" reflects our commitment to the relationships that make storytelling meaningful. It represents the communities of students, filmmakers, educators, artists, and local leaders who come together to listen, learn, create, and imagine new possibilities. Our work is rooted in collaboration, mutual respect, and the belief that the people closest to a story should help shape how it is told.
Together, Docutribe embodies our mission: using documentary filmmaking to strengthen communities, elevate voices, preserve culture, and transform individual stories into collective understanding and action.
And what is a “Fellow”?
An individual selected to participate in a program of advanced study, research, professional development, leadership, or public service, typically based on demonstrated merit, promise, or expertise, and often receiving mentorship, funding, or institutional affiliation.
Get Involved
Learn about how you can work with docutribe and support our work.