A new five-part web series, The Lowell Life, is officially live on YouTube, delivering a dynamic and refreshingly grounded take on ambition, friendship, and cultural identity. Created by Kenyan-American filmmaker David Wanderi and Liberian-American creative Alousious Wennah, the independently produced series takes viewers deep into the heart of Lowell, Massachusetts—a city known for its immigrant communities and rich cultural intersections.
The story centers on Lou Williams, a young aspiring photographer who lands the opportunity of a lifetime: shooting at New York Fashion Week. But when his camera breaks just before the gig, Lou’s dream is suddenly at risk. With limited options, he turns to his best friend Vic Seo, a sharp-tongued Cambodian-American drug dealer with her own hustle and rebellious streak. Vic agrees to help Lou raise the funds—on one condition: he must assist her with a break-in.
What follows is a chaotic yet heartfelt journey that explores the tension between chasing your dreams and staying grounded in reality. Blending comedy and drama, The Lowell Life presents a vivid slice of American life through the lens of characters often overlooked in mainstream storytelling. The series centers Black Americans, African immigrants, Latinos, Caribbeans, and Southeast Asians—working-class voices rarely seen on screen with such depth or nuance.
“We were inspired by Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl and wanted to follow that independent path — telling real, specific stories from the communities we know,” says Wanderi. “Lowell is this incredible melting pot where people from all over the world have learned to live, struggle, and grow together. It felt like the perfect backdrop for a story about friendship, hustle, and the limits of ambition.”
The main cast includes Alousious Wennah as Lou Williams, Anaiyah Veth as Vic, Emile Kamadeu as Uncle Flomo, and Tendo Ochola as Peter Njoroge. Wanderi directed and co-wrote the series alongside Seth Tamarkin, a published comic book author, and stand-up comedian Jon Sherfey.
Behind the scenes, the project was brought to life by producers Hunter Berube—who recently premiered The Mayor of Lowell, a documentary on the first Cambodian American mayor in the U.S.—and Bryan Acosta, director of the Dare 2 Imag9ne Film Festival. Despite the absence of studio or network support, the creative team received early feedback and guidance from industry veterans including Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Borat), Rick Cleveland (The West Wing), and Jeff Kahn (The Ben Stiller Show).
The Lowell Life is now available to stream for free on YouTube — to watch the full series, head to YouTube.