By Sonya Hollins, editor
editor@comvoicesonline.com
KALAMAZOO (Mich.)-To many junior high and high school students, the issues of the Civil Rights Era are things they only discuss in class during Black History Month. The real issues of race and how it has influenced the lives of those within their own community however, is rarely shared. In addition, the stories of race often are shown through the eyes of adults…until now.
The Media Arts Academy, a production of Worldwide Family Media Productions, will debut the student-developed documentary, “Racism: Through the Eyes of Youth, during a special screening at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Little Theatre, Western Michigan University.
“Hearing the questions the students ask others about race is refreshing,” said Deborah Warfield, executive director of Worldwide Family Media Productions. “The honesty and compassion people shared with the students as they asked how race influenced their lives is something you could not capture with adult filmmakers.”
The idea for the film derived in 2009 with the Race Initiative Media Arts Academy as one of the many events designed to engage youth in this community-wide preparation for the RACE Exhibit Initiative of Southwest Michigan: Race, Are We So Different, (on display at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum beginning Oct. 2 -January 2).
The Race Initiative Media Arts Academy was born with the sole purpose of exploring racism through the lens of media production. A total of 14 students (ages 11-18) from 10 area schools (Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Portage, Schoolcraft, and Gull Lake) came together as the film crew. Together their six-week training in film making led to the creation of “Racism: Through the Eyes of Youth,” which captures voices of the students and members of their community as they explore the roots of racism and how it affects people of all backgrounds today.
Students were involved in the process from concept to completion through research and data collection, interviewing, storyboarding, shooting, editing, marketing and distribution.
This free initiative was made possible by Western Michigan University Department of Anthropology, Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, Kalamazoo Junior Girls and Douglass Community Association, the Fetzer Institute and the YWCA of Kalamazoo.
The Media Arts Academy provides an opportunity for youth to build social and emotional learning competencies and a positive self-identity, job readiness for the media industry and skill building towards self -sufficiency.
“The Media Arts Academy connects the classroom in our minds with the communities in which we live.” Warfield said.
Warfield, founder of Worldwide Family Media Productions and the Media Arts Academy, earned a degree in Communications and Media Arts from Antioch College. Her Worldwide Family Media Productions has partnered with Y.O.U. (Youth Opportunities Unlimited) students to produce the films, “Teen Violence,” “School Retention,” Teen Pregnancy,” and “Migrant Story” documentaries.
The Kalamazoo Community Foundation also awarded first-time funding for the Media Arts Academy in the form of a Responsive Grant in 2010.
For more information regarding the documentary viewing or Media Arts Academy, call Deborah Warfield at 269-830-1783 or visit: www.
