Skylight Engagement is a left-of-center advocacy organization that releases documentaries and other media productions in support of left-of-center social issues and environmentalist causes. ¹

Background

Sklyight Engagement is a left-of-center advocacy organization that claims our “political and economic systems are failing us and polarizing us” and promotes “new narratives that will counter corporate and state narratives,” thereby enabling support for left-wing social and environmentalist causes. ²

Activities

Skylight Engagement’s executive director and producer, Paco de Onis, is responsible for creating 500 Years, Granito: How to Nail a Dictator, Rebel Citizen, Disruption, State of Fear, and The Reckoning. As of 2024, he was working on a documentary called Borderlands about “immigration justice” in the United States focused on stories of “righteous persons” motivated by “moral conviction and compassion” to show audiences how “courageous actions can lead to mobilization and the defense of human rights in the face of hate and discrimination.”  ¹

In addition to documentary films, Skylight Engagement produces digital platforms, mobile tools, articles, educational workshops, and networks. Skylight Engagement states that it does not intend to merely tell stories but to “engage people in activism” to push left-of-center environmentalist and social justice causes regarding the border, poverty, and dictatorships in South America. ^{3 4}

Solidarilabs

In 2016, Skylight Engagement helped create Solidarilabs, an advisory firm to connect volunteers, filmmakers, and human rights activists. Solidarilabs started with a 5-day workshop or “lab” to form relationships. It gave birth to Solidarilabs Guatemala in 2018, Solidarilabs Mexico in 2019, Solidarilabs AfroColombia in 2020, and Solidarilabs Peru in 2023. ²

Financials

In 2021, Skylight Engagement reported revenue of $559,936, expenses of $541,112, and net assets of $522,213. ⁵

Funding

Skylight Engagement has received funding from George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society ($175,000), the Ford Foundation ($275,000 in 2021 and $416,000 in 2022), and the Tides Foundation ($5,000). ^{6 7 8 9}

Leadership

As of 2024, Skylight Engagement was led by executive director and executive producer Paco de Onis. He is also the co-founder of SolidariLabs, a consulting and advisory firm to train other organizations to adopt Skylight’s model. Solidarilabs created an app called Virtual International Volunteers Xchange (VIVX) that connects volunteers to “human rights defenders” to highlight their work. ¹

1. “Paco de Onis.” Skylight. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://skylight.is/team/paco-de-onis/?team_cpt=IMT_PAGE_TEMPLATE.
2. “Solidarilabs.” Skylight. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://skylight.is/solidarilabs/.
3. “About.” Skylight. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://skylight.is/about/#history.
4. “Cinema.” Skylight. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://skylight.is/about/#history.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Skylight Engagement. 2021. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Foundation to Promote Open Society. 2020. Part XIV.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ford Foundation. 2021. Part XIV.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Ford Foundation. 2022. Part XIV.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Tides Foundation. 2020. Part XIV.