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Kayla Rossi

Kayla Rossi was an Italian-Brazilian American producer who co-founded Resonance Films with Julian Reyes. She also worked as the company’s field coordinator and communications and marketing manager. Kayla produced ‘’I Am Still Me: A Minjae Lee Story’’ and served as the production team’s primary liaison with Minjae Lee and his family. She was also Julian’s longtime friend and romantic partner.

Early Life and Background

Kayla was twenty-seven during the documentary’s 2037 premiere period and was a few months younger than Julian. Her father was Italian, and her mother was Brazilian. She was born and raised in the United States. English was her primary language; she spoke conversational Portuguese through her mother and understood some Italian from family use. Her exact birth date, birthplace, parents’ names, and educational history were not established.

Kayla had known Julian since high school. Her older sister, Isabela “Izzy” Rossi, treated Julian as a younger brother and had predicted Kayla and Julian’s eventual relationship for years.

Career

Main article: Resonance Films

Kayla co-founded Resonance Films with Julian and served as its producer and field coordinator. She managed scheduling, finances, email, press inquiries, production logistics, social media, and marketing. She also served as the first point of contact for documentary subjects and their families.

During production of ‘’I Am Still Me’‘, Kayla coordinated fieldwork in Baltimore, communicated with the Lee family, and helped maintain Minjae’s ongoing participation and consent. She later helped shape the film’s public communications and responded directly to claims that the documentary exploited its subject.

Julian and Kayla co-founded Resonance Films. Julian directed and edited its films, while Kayla produced them and managed much of the company’s field, operational, communications, and marketing work.

Personality and Communication

Kayla was direct, organized, emotionally expressive, and protective of the people involved in her work. She handled practical production problems and medical interruptions without losing sight of the documentary subjects’ dignity or choices.

Her public communication was similarly direct. Under the handle @kaylatellsstories, she defended Minjae and challenged criticism that reduced him to either suffering or spectacle.

Cultural Identity

Kayla’s Italian and Brazilian heritage was established through her parents. She grew up in the United States with both sides of the family present in household life. Her cultural background did not, by itself, determine her personality or family behavior.

Family and Core Relationships

Julian Reyes

Main article: Julian Reyes and Kayla Rossi

Kayla and Julian had been friends since high school and began dating a few months before filming ‘’I Am Still Me’‘. They lived together in Los Angeles and worked as creative and operational partners at Resonance Films.

Isabela Rossi

Izzy was Kayla’s older sister and closest documented family connection. She supported Kayla and Julian’s relationship and helped them during the 2037 premiere period.

Minjae Lee

Main article: Kayla Rossi and Minjae Lee

Kayla was the Lee family’s first contact at Resonance Films and helped build the trust that made filming possible. Her relationship with Minjae continued beyond the formal producer-subject relationship.

Miss Shirley

Miss Shirley was an older Los Angeles neighbor who watched out for Kayla and Julian.

Memorable Quotes

“Julian started Resonance Films because no one was telling our stories the right way. Not disabled stories. Not chronic illness stories. Not stories that honored the person without flattening their pain.”

Kayla spoke to reporters after the premiere of ‘’I Am Still Me’‘.

“He’s not a spectacle. He’s a star.”

Kayla defended Minjae in a public response during production.

“This dream has teeth, Jules. Let it bite the world and make them listen.”

Kayla encouraged Julian during a period of self-doubt.

“Rest. Joy. And then? More truth. Always more truth.”

Kayla answered a question about Resonance Films’ future after the premiere.

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Filmmakers Producers Italian Characters Brazilian Characters Latinx Characters Mixed Heritage Characters