In this episode of Adventures of a Wallflower, J.D. Morgan and filmmaker Sasha Gay‑Lewis explore how everyday Jamaican stories — especially the School’s Challenge quiz culture — shaped her voice, healed her inner child, and revealed the complicated mix of belonging, pressure, and hope that fuels young competitors.

They discuss representation, community, mentorship, and Sasha’s mission to bring these stories to a global audience, including her fundraiser and ways to support her work. The conversation celebrates resilience, creativity, and the power of storytelling to transform lives.

Host J.D. Morgan sits with filmmaker Sasha-Gay Lewis as she explores the projects that called to her: The Incursion in Tivoli Gardens, the Schools Challenge Quiz, and the documentary Surviving Suicide.

They discuss why context matters, how fear and power shape lives and policy, and the creative process that turns personal urgency into films that give voice to the voiceless and open difficult conversations about trauma, justice, and mental health.

Every filmmaker has an origin story, and Sasha's began not with a camera, but with bush, books and her grandmother's contradictions. Today, we'll walk with her through those beginnings, the fire of her purpose, and the stories she tells to make sense of the world.

Sasha Gay Lewis is a Jamaican filmmaker, director, and producer living in the U.S., whose work explores memory, trauma, and the power of storytelling to heal. In this episode, she reflects on the bush, radio, dance, family, and faith as the threads that shaped her art and mission.