Elevate Studios‘ groundbreaking docuseries “Nevertheless” is returning for a second season. Following the impact of its debut season, “Nevertheless: The Women Changing the World,” which garnered over 2.4 million views, the series is set to release a bold new chapter titled “Nevertheless: Democracy Defenders.”
Premiering in late summer or early fall of 2026 on YouTube, the new season will spotlight four extraordinary individuals on the front lines of the fight for freedom, civil liberties and democracy. This season of “Nevertheless” features deeply personal and globally resonant stories of changemakers who are challenging systems, shaping policy and mobilizing movements to protect democratic values across continents.
Told through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and intimate moments of resilience and resistance, “Democracy Defenders” will examine what it means to lead with courage in a time of growing polarization, threats to civil liberties and democratic backsliding around the world. It is directed by Ramy and Sharra Romany of Romany Films and executive produced by Bloomfield.
Each episode will center on a recipient of the Elevate Prize, an annual award that provides social entrepreneurs and changemakers with the funding, visibility and resources needed to scale their impact. The four individuals highlighted are Koketso Moeti of amandla.mobi in Johannesburg, South Africa, empowering communities to hold power to account through mobile activism; Imran Ahmed, founder of the Center for Countering Digital Hate in Washington, DC, working globally to combat online disinformation and extremism; Yordanos Eyoel of Keseb, based in Boston, MA, fostering inclusive democracies across the U.S., South Africa and Brazil; and Hannah Fried of All Voting is Local in Washington, DC, advancing voting rights and equitable access to the ballot across the United States.
“The overwhelming response to our first season confirmed what we suspected: people are hungry for stories that don’t just inspire – they ignite change,” said Carolina García Jayaram, CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation. “We are living in a time in which upholding democratic values is essential and a responsibility we all share. At Elevate, we are doubling down on storytelling that doesn’t flinch – stories told by those risking everything to make the world better for all of us.”
With vivid storytelling and a lens on both local and global impact, the second season of “Nevertheless” aims to celebrate those who are not just imagining a freer, fairer world for everyone – but building it.
“Season 2 of ‘Nevertheless’ comes at a moment when hard-won freedoms are being rolled back in real time – from the silencing of journalists to the erosion of civil liberties,” said Eva Bloomfield, chief marketing officer of the Elevate Prize Foundation. “This series doesn’t just bear witness to those cracks in democracy; it gives a platform to the extraordinary individuals filling the gaps with resistance, resilience and vision. These are the kinds of stories that don’t just inform – they mobilize. They capture the heart, urgency, and moral clarity of Elevate Prize winners who are defending human rights, civil society and the truth itself.”
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