COVER STORY 32 | FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE Alan Lacy captures the tactile reality of conservation.

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 33 one that shapes how we move, work, grow food and protect the people and places we care about. It’s also the driving force behind “Rising Together: Belonging Beyond Borders,” a new documentary made by Phoenix-based nonprofit Reel Earth Films. Led by conservation filmmaker and storyteller Alan Lacy, the project explores how communities across Arizona are adapting to a hotter future. It marks a shift for Reel Earth, expanding its lens from wildlife and conservation to include the people doing the work on the ground, in real time, with urgency and heart. In Arizona, extreme heat isn’t just a season; it’s a way of life — BY MICHELLE JACOBY Photo by Scott Foust Rising Above THE HEAT Filmmaker Alan Lacy is documenting Arizona’s race against extreme heat — and proving that storytelling is our coolest weapon. FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE | 33