YPSILANTI, MI (WXYZ) — The Ypsilanti Community High School choir says it's out $700 after paying a videographer to make a film out of their concerts. Choir director Crystal Harding says the man simply stopped answering their calls after they paid him up front.
"That performance meant a lot to me. It's very special you know, it sent a message out. A message everyone needs to hear," student Jada Hickonbottom said.
The performance Jada is talking about was one made in honor of Black History Month. The song lyrics were about the students attending a poor, underresourced school and feeling like the color of their skin and where they're from kept them from being successful.
"We don't even have a sound system in our auditorium. It is very difficult for us to perform in our auditorium and it's not fair just because these kids are stuck here," Harding said.
Crystal Harding, the school's choir director, hired a videographer to capture the memories of the performances and then turn them into a film for a grant. The students helped raise $700 to pay the videographer.
"He sent the preview video which was like 6 to 8 minutes long that just had snippets of the concert and I said, 'Well this is really good. Can't wait to see the rest of it.'"
But since late March, Harding claims she has not heard from the owner of the company and says he didn't honor the contract.
7 Action News reached out to the videographer via Instagram and he claims the video is completed and "he will handle it accordingly."
"We get lied to a lot so it's a thing where we do hope for things, but when they don't happen, we kind of just give up on it," student Alisha Cooper said.
Harding, who is proud of her students, says they deserve better.
"We just want the video. We aren't trying to destroy anybody. Just give us the video. I know you have the footage, just give us what we paid for," Harding said.
A donation page has been set up for the choir. If you'd like to contribute, visit their website.
