Freedom School

Freedom school is the nexus of all of Gandhi Brigade's media programs. At Freedom School, students from our in-school programs, media trainings, and promotores programs along with adult volunteers come together to learn the critical skills needed to create informed social media that is authentic and relevant to our communities and how to mediate and exhibit media in ways that impact people's lives and prompt positive change. Freedom School operates on the fundamental notion that when used ethically and consciously, media can be used as a tool for freedom and liberation.

Freedom School programming is based on 4 programming that promote positive youth development and conscience media production; each programming strand is governed by a committee of youth and adult volunteers who are responsible for implementing their strand based on the social theme for the month (i.e. gender, violence, diversity etc.)

Youth Cinema (Media Literacy): This month we watched Raising Victor Vargas, a short movie is a 2002 film directed by Peter Sollett, written by Sollett and Eva Vives. The film follows Victor, a Lower East Side teenager, as he deals with his eccentric family, including his strict grandmother, his bratty sister, and a younger brother who completely idolizes him. Along the way he tries to win the affections of Judy, who is very careful and calculating when it comes to how she deals with men. If you are a filmmaker or film enthusiast interested in helping to host a film screening at Youth Cinema, please write: Hawa Toure at hawa@gandhibrigade.org

Leaders in Action (Training & Action Projects): This month's topic is Gender and the project is scheduled this Saturday, February 21, 2009 at City Place GB Media Center between 10-12 pm.

If you are a trainer or activist and would like to lend your services to the Leaders in Action, please write to: Ashley Simmons at aps1986@live.com

Media Mentors (Trips to Professional Media Outfits): The Media Mentors Committee is responsible for planning monthly trips to professional media outfits, studios or other youth media organizations. Visits provide opportunities for GB youth producers to gain field experience, media-related job skills and an opportunity to dialogue with media professionals about their own experiences, inspirations and goals.
If you are a media professional and would like to host youth producers in your creative space, please write to: Ashley Simmons at ashley@gandhibrigade.org

Storytellers (Intergenerational Sharing): The Storytellers Committee reaches out to adults and community elders to be guest speakers at Freedom School. Storytellers provides a space for young people to learn by listening to the stories of elders via dynamic discussions and sharing. Storytellers have included worker union presidents and former civil rights activists.
If you are a community member or elder or know of one that would be willing to share their story with us, please write to: Kusum Purohit at kusum@gandhibrigade.org