our story

the future future of storytelling is intersectional

OTV | Open Television is a non-profit streaming platform and media incubator for intersectional storytelling, with artists and their creative visions at the center. Since launching in 2015 as a research project housed at Northwestern University, OTV has transformed the way the film and television industry supports independent artists and communities marginalized by their race, gender, sexuality, class, disability or nationality. Through intentional artist development and holistic community development, the award-winning organization provides a network of care to identify, activate and mobilize the next generation of storytellers.

OTV’s mission is anchored in transforming the film and tv industry through intentional artist development and holistic community development:

ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: We prioritize helping storytellers develop intersectional media from development to release. Our primary function is support. We offer project consultation, development programs and digital distribution opportunities to support the amplification of intersectional storytelling. In addition to providing a wealth of industry-related resources we also help artists establish a plan and trajectory for their careers and works. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: We provide a space for different communities to come together to experience culture, have critical conversations about identity, and meet people across social networks. We build collective power through coalitions, public activations and screenings & exhibitions that are united by intersectionality. In addition to cultivating a hub for nuanced experiences to be shared, we are developing audiences that celebrate a diverse range of artistic vitality. 

OTV was founded by Dr. Aymar Jean Christian (right) and Elijah McKinnon (left) in 2015. What began as a research project of Christian’s, housed at Northwestern University, has blossomed into a 501(c)3 non-profit and platform led by McKinnon dedicated to supporting intersectional artists in Chicago and beyond. Today, OTV is a thriving streaming platform and media incubator for intersectional storytelling, with artists and their creative visions at the center.

We work to amplify voices that have been marginalized for centuries in the United States and globally to build empathy and equity in our society. OTV prioritizes artists marginalized by their race, gender, sexuality, class, religion, disability or nationality to develop their projects from production to release. In addition to being an alternative ecosystem and infrastructure for diverse artists and communities, OTV is an independent media platform run by a team of Black, Queer and TGNC artists and leaders.

The OTV Leadership Team is reimagining distribution, artist development and community engagement by dismantling systems that do not serve intersectional storytellers through radical transparency, restorative justice and anti-oppressive practices.

In addition to overseeing artist development, production, exhibition and marketing, Chris Walker (left), Sarah Minnie (middle) and Elijah McKinnon (right) also manage all of OTV’s marquee programs including but not limited to: OTV Fellows, OTV Study Hall, Brave Futures, and the OTV App + Membership!

The role of the Evolutionary Governing Body (FKA Board of Directors) is to voluntarily support the sustainability, growth and commitment of OTV’s mission and vision.

They work directly with the OTV Leadership Team to reimagine governance of a non-profit organization as the current design does not serve intersectional communities and minority-led institutions.

The Evolutionary Governing Body meets the“minimally viable board” responsibilities that fulfill the absolute legal requirements while also encouraging us to think of governance in a holistic sense, something shared in an ecosystem that includes the OTV Leadership Team, staff, community and other key-stakeholders.

In addition to supporting the more traditional roles of a board they are also responsible for helping build an expansive media ecosystem that reflects our values. This is achieved through general consultation and strategic oversight in four core areas: Admin & Operations, Coalition & Partnerships, Learning & Education and the Film/TV Industry. Unlike traditional board structures that prioritize committee structures, governing body members are encouraged to think holistically about the media landscape.

To learn more about OTV’s values, mission and strategic priorities please review OTV’s FY23-FY25 Strategic Vision and our annual report series, Inside OTV (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023).

As OTV builds new ecosystems and pipelines we want to hold space for evolutionary governance to play a role in shaping our future. The establishment of an Integrity Board is to imagine how our organization can work in tandem with board, staff, community and key-stakeholders to create uninhibited possibilities that reflect OTV’s vision and mission.

Members of the Integrity Board support the organization in taking strong courageous public stances against white supremacy, injustice and other harmful systems of oppressions while remaining fully and autonomously engaged in advocacy and systemic change. The integrity Board Members have term-based commitments to ensure that we are creating accessibility for different types of people to become engaged with the organization at different levels.