Spencer Pride
Documentary-in-progress (coming in 2026)
"I never expected to see this in a small Indiana town!"
Welcome to Spencer...
Smallest town in the U.S. with a dedicated LGBTQ+ Community CenterSurprised? You're not alone. In this tiny rural town (population: 2,450), volunteers and allies have come together to build a thriving Pride community center serving everyone — and along the way, are helping to revitalize the town.
This didn't happen overnight. Was there pushback? Of course. So how did Spencer Pride manage to win over so many hearts and minds in this conservative community? That's to be revealed in the final film! Hint: it's replicable, and that's the point — other communities can do this too.
At a time when the country seems more divided than ever, this is a hopeful story from the heartland that shows how ordinary Americans from different backgrounds can come together to make their town better.
This didn't happen overnight. Was there pushback? Of course. So how did Spencer Pride manage to win over so many hearts and minds in this conservative community? That's to be revealed in the final film! Hint: it's replicable, and that's the point — other communities can do this too.
At a time when the country seems more divided than ever, this is a hopeful story from the heartland that shows how ordinary Americans from different backgrounds can come together to make their town better.
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"With the current political environment, we need celebratory stories like this to sustain and recharge more than ever."
- Jim Fielding, Coach & Author, All Pride, No Ego "People often underestimate small and rural communities, and they underestimate their own ability to make profound change. If small-town Spencer can do it, so can you.”
- Jonathan Abrash, President, Spencer Pride "This is such a timely and important story, given the polarized world we live in. It will debunk a lot of stereotypes about rural communties."
- Jeffrey Wolin, photographer / educator, Chicago, IL |
"This is a very important project. It shows we’re not all divided — that there’s a way forward to work together. Spencer Pride is showing us how. It’s rare to see stories like this."
- Abi Doukhan, philosophy professor, Queens College "This makes me feel hopeful that there are actually good people out there in the world, in towns big or small, doing good for their communities."
- Meg Wenning, digital strategist "At a time when culture wars dominate the news, Spencer Pride is fostering unity in one of the nation’s most conservative states."
- Dropbox Customer Stories, Chicago, IL |
Distribution & Impact
Completing the film is just the beginning. We plan a year-long screening/impact campaign to bring this film to audiences nationwide with hosted discussions and local partnerships. Thousands of people are already following this project. In the wake of the recent election, interest has surged. We aim to bring this story to:
- Independent theaters
- Film festivals
- Universities and high schools
- Community screenings at Pride Centers, churches, and other community spaces
- Broadcast on Public Television
- Streaming platforms
Filmmaking Team
Mitch Teplitsky (Director-Producer) is a documentary director/producer, Fulbright Specialist, and marketing pro who tells stories that bridge cultures from the Andes to Indiana. His films have screened on PBS and at film festivals, universities and community venues worldwide, Mitch also consults with other filmmakers on how to market their work and make an impact. He was the first marketing director for Morgenstern’s Books in Bloomington and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. He lived in New York City most of his life before making films in Peru, where he met his wife Doris, a Quechua language and culture educator. They moved to Bloomington in 2017.
- Executive Producers: Samantha Eads, Michael Schaefer, Peter Gould
- Camera: Gabriel Lantz • Lex Barrett • Henry Malone
- Editor: Laura Paglin
- Consulting Editor: Brittany Alsot
- Assistant Editor: Lucas Paredes
- Co-producers: Lessie Jo Frazier, LynnAnn Klotz
- Fiscal Sponsor: Center for Independent Documentary
Partnerships
- Center for Independent Documentary
- Hoodox.tv (Netflix for indiana documentaries)
- Indiana Public Media
- IU Center for Rural Engagement
- IU Dept of Gender Studies
- IU School of Public Health
- IU College of Arts and Sciences
- Kinsey Institute at Indiana University
- Morgenstern Books
- Owen County Chamber of Commerce
- Owen County Historical Society
- Spencer Pride CommUnity Center
Supporters
Indiana University
Indiana University
- College of Arts & Sciences, Office of Diversity & Inclusion
- Department of Gender Studies, Peg Brand Chair
- OVPDEI Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Walter Center for Career Achievement'
- Michael Schaefer & Jeff Brinkmann
- Sam Eads
- Peter Gould
- Irene Cohn
- Scott Reef & Girish Vitalpur
- Jeff Richardson & Jim Mahady
- Mindy Cunningham
- Nancy D. Thompson
- Judith Epp
- James Parrish
- Mitch Karig
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