Positive Core Value: Empowerment and public voice
Media arts practitioners are committed to empowering others and cultivating public voice. Participants offered examples in which others were enabled to share their stories and their histories through media education, production, exhibition and preservation activities.
In
her work teaching iMovie to a group of girls, Cara Lisa Powers made use
of images of women in hip hop culture to engage the girls in reflecting
on issues of female identity, empowering them to think critically and
take media tools into their own hands. And at Reel Grrls in Seattle,
Wilson Diehl spoke of “creating an environment where the girls can do
everything” that culminates with a screening of final video productions
during an inspiring public graduation celebration.
Other stories that exemplified empowerment and voice were rooted in histories that had not previously been shared widely. Karan Sheldon offered a story about Northeast Historic Film’s preserving and screening series of a 1920s film about a Maine rural town. The project engaged local organizations, businesses, schools and volunteers; people of all ages created the program and made up the audience. In response to a suggestion to make a film addressing negative press portrayals of Muslims, Barbara Weiner (TVbyGirls) put out a call for a production crew: Three Muslim girls and three Jewish girls responded. The girls began working together on a production project, including going to a local mall to see if they would be treated differently when they attempted to buy a hijab (Muslim head scarf). The project has continued as a vehicle for creating more accurate media portrayals of Muslims.
Fiona
Otway drew inspiration from teaching hands-on video production to the
participants of Breaking the Silence, who became the first-ever youth
in Caribbean country of St. Lucia to create a video that was ultimately
broadcast on several national television stations. Fiona witnessed the
rapid and powerful transformation of these girls as “they came to
realize they have a voice.” In Dan Bergin’s project
about the Duluth lynching, the production process, which involved many
members of the African American community, brought people together and
helped them tell their own story. According to Dan, although a book was
written about the event, “the media production turned out to be the
most impactful and vivid telling of the story because of the emotion it
captured.” Says Dan, “We are agents of history and subjects of
history,” noting the importance of “not having your history done to
you.”
Explore more POSITIVE CORE values:
- Community building and collaboration
- Empowerment and public voice
- Learning and mentoring
- Catalyzing civic engagement and a more just world
- Supporting artists and diverse voices
- Cultural bridging
- Innovating and inspiring audiences across disciplines
- Partnering for greater impact
| Find more POSITIVE CORE stories on the Media Arts Movement Timeline |
 |
Following a mentor’s advice to “follow your dream”, Huey (pseudonym of James Coleman) became the founder of the Maine Student Film and Video Festival in 1977. He combined the two major passions in his life: working with children and making films. Thirty years later in 2007, MSFVF alumni, now film and video professionals, were brought together for a panel discussion to reaffirm to the young moviemakers of today that one can "follow your dream." find this story on the timeline |
