VIRTUAL SCREENING - Through Their Eyes: Youth Activism Shorts
Submitted on May 11,2020
Thursday, May 28, 2020 at 7 PM – 10:30 PM
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is proud to partner with Scribe Video Center for this special online short film program centered on youth activism in the city of Philadelphia.
These films, directed by young Philadelphia filmmakers, provide a window into the future impact Gen-Z will have on the world—centering youth perspectives on issues ranging from climate change, the school-to-prison pipeline crisis, and LGBTQ acceptance. This screening is presented in collaboration with Scribe Video Center and POPPYN.
This screening is presented in conjunction with AAMP’s special photography exhibition, Through His Eyes, which encourages viewers to reframe their understandings of the Civil Rights Era. This exhibition pulls from the Jack T. Franklin photographic collection at AAMP to explore Philadelphia’s often overlooked civil rights activists – Black youth. As today’s youth struggle through mass school closures, police brutality, and racial discrimination, these images remind us that anyone at any age can make a change. This exhibition was curated by graduate intern, Rachel Nelson.
A conversation with select filmmakers and the exhibition curator will follow the screening. After registering, viewing information for this online program will be emailed to attendees prior to the event. Please contact jclaiborne@aampmuseum.org with questions.
Call Out For Change: Breaking the School to Prison Pipeline (USA, 2019, 17 min)
Produced by POPPYN (Presenting our Perspective on Philly Youth News)
What do you do when your school feels like a prison? In this documentary, Philly youth, educators and organizers weigh in on the school to prison pipeline crisis, explore its impact and and share ideas around solutions toward healing and justice.
Take Us Seriously: The September 20th Climate Strike (USA, 2019, 12 minutes) by Noah Eggerts & Jennifer Wilson
Produced by Documentary History Project For Youth, 2019
Take Us Seriously focuses on youth involved with the Youth Climate Strike in Philadelphia, a movement attached to the Global Climate Strike which took place in September 2019. Featuring footage of the strike and interviews from youth organizers, this film presents why, more than ever, we all need to take care of the environment for future generations.
Philadelphia’s Youth in Action: Agents of Change (USA, 1995, 28 min)
Produced by Documentary History Project For Youth, 1995
Forget the stereotype of apathetic youth; it wasn't true then and it certainly isn't now. This history of youth activism in Philadelphia since the 1960s was produced by six high school students -- Rasheda Belton, Yuk-Lin Chan, Miguel Ortiz, Suzann Petroski, Sultan Shakir, and Lateefa Williams. Their collaboration neatly captures the rich stories of local activists, past and present, who discuss the roles young people have played and continue to play in the arena of social change.
The Documentary History Project for Youth (DHPY) is an annual after-school, weekend and summertime digital media production workshop for middle and high school students. Each year, youth participants create short documentary films at Scribe Video Center, exploring some aspect of the social, political and cultural history of Philadelphia. More information on DHPY can be found on Scribe Video Center’s website, https://www.scribe.org/documentary-history-project-youth.
POPPYN is an award-winning social justice media program for high school students in Philadelphia. Since 2011, POPPYN has aimed to alter the landscape of local media by highlighting the missing perspectives, contributions and concerns of young people. Through their after-school and summer programs, youth produce short films, journalistic segments and episodes where they’ve explored a range of issues– from youth homelessness and environmental justice to the foster care system. More information on POPPYN’s initiatives and how you can support can be found on their website, https://uccollab.org/program/poppyn/.