'I smile in the face of hate.'
– Sam Fuentes, school shooting survivor
Human Kind Institute recently co-hosted a screening of the 2025 Oscar Nominated Film Death by Numbers, a powerful short documentary that follows the inspiring story of how a school shooting survivor confronts her assailant in a poetic journey to empowerment.
Held on 11th April in the Park Avenue Screening Room, New York, the screening was followed by a panel discussion that brought together key figures from the film world as well as motivated personalities. Moving beyond the devastating effects of gun violence, the conversation centred on our own innate incredible healing power that can carry us beyond hatred and bring us to sustained mental health. We were honoured to have writer and survivor Sam Fuentes with us, a source of inspiration to all those present.
‘I don’t have to be hardened by constant pain.’
– Sam Fuentes, school shooting survivor
About the film: Death by Numbers turns an intimate lens on school shooting survivor Sam Fuentes’s journey to reclaim her power as she uses journalling to move through trauma, unpicking complex questions of collective hatred and restorative justice.
Director/Producer: Kim A. Snyder
Writer: Sam Fuentes
Co-producers: Janique L Robillard & Maria Cuomo Cole
About the panel:
Amir Dossal, President of the Global Partnership Forum
Poonacha Machaiah, CEO of the Chopra Foundation
Samantha Fuentes, Parkland School Shooting Survivor
Jude Elie, Next President of Haiti
Yogmata, First Female Himalayan Siddha Master to reach Ultimate Enlightenment
Evie Evangelou, Founder of Fashion for Development and HKI partner
Jasmina Bojic, Founder and Executive Director of the International Documentary Film Festival UNAFF
Watch a snapshot of the event here:
https://app.frame.io/presentations/fa215557-d11a-4bdc-92e2-d2a42463f332
Amir Dossal, Jasmina Bojic, Sam Fuentes, Jude Elie, Yogmata, Evie Evangelou, Poonacha Mahaiah