Reel good.....

Since Fridays are my favorite day of the week, I thought I would mix it up and let this weekly entry feature interesting non-profit organizations, projects, and individuals working to tell stories throughout the world.

I have featured StoryCorps in the past (www.storycorps.net) which continues to be a large success in the US. Today's fantastic organization is Reel Youth, Inc., a Brooklyn based non-profit that teaches young people to tell stories through videomaking.

During college, I used to babysit for extra spending money. I had an experience with a very shy child (around five years old) who simply could not interact with me on any level. She was petrified of playing games, of reading, of even playing alone if I was in her presence. Completely exasperated after four weeks of silence and awkward discussions with her parents, I decided to bring crayons and paper to our next babysitting session. I handed her the supplies with very few expectations. Sitting down on the floor near her, I started flipping through some of her beautiful picture books. Two minutes later, I did my best to check out her progress through my peripheral vision.....incredibly, she was lying on her stomach, intensely focused on the blank piece of paper in front of her.

Half an hour later, she silently handed me her paper....filled with abstract shapes in either blue or black. No words or conversation but this was definitely progress in my eyes. As time passed, the shapes became more defined and she included more color in her drawings.

Slowly, she began answering my questions. Over two months, her creations became more sophisticated and expressive...sometimes revealing happiness or frustration while othertimes remaining distant, abstract, and ambivalent. I was fascinated and realized very quickly that one of the few ways this little girl felt comfortable communicating with non-family members was through her drawing.

Reel Youth, Inc. uses film in very much the same way. Obviously more sophisticated than crayons and white construction paper, Reel Youth teaches young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to organize, film, and produce short autobiographical pieces.

Their mission statement says it best:

Reel Youth's mission is to empower youth to tell their stories through video making. Reel Youth teaches young people how to produce short autobiographical films, providing them with unique educational and self-esteem-building opportunities. As they go through the process of developing their narratives, students develop skills such as self-examination, critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity. By helping students produce short films about themselves and their communities, Reel Youth also fosters the development of media that have substantial educational value to society at large. Ultimately, our aim is to help young people find their voices, tell their stories, and project that voice outward, as a tool to educate the wider community.

Take a look at their website; you won't be disappointed.

http://www.reelyouthinc.org/programs.htm