MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A satirical fundraising video led to an Emmy nomination for a non-profit right here in Memphis. 

But while the video might be funny, the work at the Memphis Music Initiative leading generational change is serious.

This fundraising video earned Memphis Music Initiative a Midsouth Regional Emmy Award nomination  

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” April Freeman said. “And it just kind of came out of nowhere. We applied the project. And, you know, I guess it made an impact. So we’re really excited. The news was huge and we’re really, really ready to celebrate.”

Freeman spent four months shooting and editing.

“We created that project to kind of give in our own spin, a comical but impactful view on the struggles that nonprofits have with receiving funds from funders,” she said.

While the video has earned more than 29,000 views, and many laughs, Freeman will tell you, the work at MMI is serious, removing the barriers for Memphis kids to excel in the arts.

“So in a city like Memphis, we have a lot of young people and they need something to do. It’s not a lot of things for them to do around the city that can keep them out of trouble,” she said.

While an Emmy win in February would be nice, it’s the impact that makes all the difference for the next generation.

“I think it is some really important work that needs to be done not just by us but by many other people, because it definitely takes a village.”