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A recent series of reports reveal how our nation’s schools are yet again failing low income, lower tracked, students of color. This time it isn’t about math, science, or literacy. It is about our democracy. But before we get to those depressing reports, here is some good news from the youth of EVC:
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A few weeks ago, three EVC students gave speeches about youth engagement in voting at a youth arts and activism event in the South Bronx. They didn’t just talk off the top of their heads on this subject. They spoke from their experience being immersed in the subject for the past 10 months producing a documentary on youth and voting. In April, two EVC graduates spoke at a salon of the world renowned philosopher Dr. Maxine Greene. They presented their award-winning documentary on Katrina survivors to a room full of educators and participated in a discussion on how to teach about injustice while still promoting a sense of hope and possibility. A few weeks before that, four EVC graduates presented their documentary on violence against women to a packed college auditorium at SUNY Old Westbury in Long Island launching the campus women’s center’s sexual assault awareness month. The discussion that followed was both informative and moving.
This is all part of EVC’s Community Engagement program where students screen their work for public audiences in schools, libraries, community centers, conferences, colleges, and other community institutions and facilitate community dialogue, debate, and action on the social issues they explored... Read More |
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Tidiane Balde is one of six YO-TV students producing “Journey Through the Red White and Blue,” a documentary about the upcoming election. Originally from Guinea, Tidiane came to the U.S. eight years ago, at age 17. He is currently applying to become a citizen. |
You just finished making a documentary about American politics. What did you know when you started?
A little bit. Back in Africa we had CNN and I was always watching that because I wanted to get ready to come here. I knew there’s a President, a Senate, and a House of Representatives. I knew the President has a term limit, and when his time is up, he has to go. Not like my country. We’ve had the same president for 24 years.
You learned a lot in the past year. Anything surprising?
I learned that not a lot of people are interested in US politics. I live in East New York, and people in neighborhoods like mine, they don’t think the president is looking out for them. |
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I also learned that some people volunteer for presidential campaigns, and they don’t even get paid. We helped with a voter registration drive in Philadelphia, and those volunteers were doing hard work in an isolated area. They were putting their lives on the line, just for free. I thought, what if the president gets elected, and he forgets about you guys?
What was the neighborhood like?
Crazy. I know the whole area is voting for Obama. He needs to look out for them. It’s not a place I would want to be.
So it’s not like East New York?
Not even like Africa. |
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| It's Not About Sex takes a fresh look at the prevalence of sexual assault in our society. Shocked by the statistic that more than half of all rapes happen to people under 18, student producers search for the roots of the violence. They examine why many survivors of sexual crimes are afraid to report them. The producers challenge their own assumptions, while calling for society to take prevention seriously at an earlier age. Watch an excerpt |
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Join us for the premiere screening of this year's YO-TV documentary Journey Through the Red White and Blue, an exploration of this historic election from the perspective of three young people who ask "What is the value of my vote?"
Journey Through the Red White and Blue
Premiere Screening
Wednesday June 11, 2008
6:30 - 8:30 pm
HBO Screening Room
1100 Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue at 42nd Street)
Seating is limited!
Please RSVP to Casey Cordon at
ccordon@evc.org or call 212.465.9366 ext 12
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