Launching the Lagoon: A Decade of Vision Captured on Film

Some projects begin with a grant or a plan. Others begin with a question, a community goal, and the patience to see it through. Launching the Lagoon is the latter. For me, this film represents more than a decade of vision, advocacy, and collaboration in the Miller neighborhood of Gary, Indiana.

(ID: Film Poster showcasing yellow and teal accessible seat on a white background with 19 film festival laurels.)

What started as a simple goal, to create equitable, accessible access to the Grand Calumet Lagoon and River, grew into Indiana’s first universally designed kayak launch and sensory garden. Capturing this process on film was essential because this story isn’t just about a physical space, it’s about how community-led initiatives, public–private partnerships, and persistence can make meaningful, lasting change.

(ID: Jessica Renslow and Zully JF Alvarado give the thumbs up at the Kayak Launch's ribbon cutting in 2016.)

I was honored to be able to produce a short documentary that showcases both the planning process and the lived experiences of the people who made it happen. Funded through the Unearthed Fellowship, an Indiana Humanities initiative, the film highlights how collective action, long-term commitment, and thoughtful design can transform public spaces into places that truly belong to everyone.

(ID: Phot collage from Heartland's Indy Shorts Fest.)

Since its premiere at Heartland Film Festival’s Indy Shorts Fest in 2024, Launching the Lagoon has screened globally, won multiple awards, and continues to inspire other Hoosier communities to envision accessible, inclusive waterfront projects. The film also amplifies the findings of the Launching the Lagoon After Study, translating data into stories that show why equity, accessibility, and public engagement matter as much as concrete and design.

(ID: The LOG in spring with surprise lilies a bloom.)

We were incredibly honored when Launching the Lagoon won the Best Midwest Documentary Award at the 15th Annual Gary International Black Film Festival (GIBFF) last month. To have our work so well received in our hometown meant the world to our entire crew. Even better, the film will now get a second run as part of the online Award Winners Showcase over Thanksgiving Weekend, giving audiences everywhere a chance to see how this project came together. Support local film and celebrate community stories! Learn more about this online showcase here.

(ID: Jessica Renslow and Gretchen Sipp on the black carpet at the 15th Annual Gary Black International Film Fest.)

For me, directing this documentary was deeply personal. As a filmmaker and a citizen, I wanted to illuminate how projects like this survive political changes, shifting leadership, and evolving priorities. I wanted to show the human side of planning, the conversations, compromises, and collaboration that make progress possible. And I hope the film inspires others to see themselves as participants in creating meaningful, inclusive spaces in their own communities.

(ID: Phot collage from Unearthed Film Tour across Indiana.)

Launching the Lagoon isn’t just a story about a kayak launch and garden, it’s a tale about vision, persistence, and the power of community. Watching this decade of work come to life on screen has been an honor, and I hope audiences walk away seeing what’s possible when people work together toward equity and access.

(ID: Volunteers, Park Rangers and Disability advocates kayak together.)

You can watch Launching the Lagoon here. You can experience a space where nature, community, and inclusion meet at the Lagoon Outlook Garden and Universally Designed Kayak Launch in-person at Marquette Park in Gary, Indiana.

(ID: The LOG and kayak launch on a snowy winter's sunset.)