Woolman Blog

It's been an incredibly inspiring weekend in Nevada City with The Wild & Scenic Film Festival. This event is the largest of it's kind in the U.S. and is held annually, every January in Nevada City. Their website describes it as: "a gathering of award-winning films, filmmakers, speakers, celebrities, and activists who bring a human face to the environmental movement and the actions being taken in our communities."

My partner (Red, Woolman grounds and maintenance) and I had the opportunity to check out Friday night's session and saw "Bidder 70", a film that I highly recommend! It is a documentary about Timothy DeChristopher, a young man who through civil disobedience disrupted an illegal BLM land auction. 
I loved it and can't wait to show it to my students. He is just the kind of role model that we need right now. A regular guy with a clear sense of right and wrong. He jumped into his action without a plan, then grew into his role as an inspiring voice advocating for actions against climate change over short-term profit. Tim proves that yes, one person can make a difference, but that community makes that difference count!

But actually, what I want to write about now is the panel that I had the chance to speak on this morning with a group of exciting young filmmakers and mentors. The session was held in the Nevada City Hall, which during the festival is called "the activist center". The theme was: 

Youth and Mentorship for Effective Digital Storytelling:



Do you make media, or want to? Do you wish you knew more? Come participate in a discussion with young filmmakers and their mentors. Youth have often been a silent and ignored voice. With access to technology unlike any previous generation, media and film can become the great democratizer for youth. What is the role of adult mentors in this process? What do both adults and youth need to know to make effective media that can share a youth perspective in a world already saturated with information? Come find out.

I've got to admit that public speaking still gives me the heebie jeebies (it's different in the classroom!). So, when the panel moderator sent out potential questions that would be asked, I took the opportunity to write copious notes beforehand. I put so much time into it, I thought I might make the effort worthwhile by sharing what I had to say here, too, for those of you who couldn't make it today.

How does your organization use filmmaking with youth?

Each of our core classes: Peace Studies, Environmental Studies and Global Issues have an ongoing out of class project. In Peace Studies, it is a 10 minute peace advocacy film that explores a topic and then presents potential actions the audience can take to get involved.

Over the 4 months, in self-chosen groups of 3-4 students, the youth decide upon a topic, learn about the power and potential of advocacy films, conduct research, learn production techniques, find and execute interviews, edit, and premiere the films.

Why we use this form of storytelling:

This project fits perfectly within the Peace Studies class, as one of the major takeaways of the course is to understand the significance of the difference between positive peace and negative peace and direct and indirect violence.

When we look up the word peace in the dictionary, more often than not we find that it is the absence of violence. In Peace Education terms, that is what we call Negative Peace. When you look up violence in a dictionary, you find something along the lines of the use of physical force against a person or group of people. That is what is referred to as “direct violence”. However, we all know that significant harm comes in a lot more forms than a punch in the face—racism, sexism, classism---all of these are examples of what is called “indirect violence.”

So then, if something like poverty is indirect violence, war is direct violence, negative peace is the absence of direct violence…then what is Positive Peace and how do they all connect to Peace Advocacy Documentaries? Martin Luther King said, “true peace is more than the absence of violence, it is the presence of justice.” And I would like to add that we are talking about justice on all planes: social, economic, ecological and political justice. 

Positive Peace is synonymous with the Sanskrit word Ahimsa, meaning active nonviolence. It denotes the presence of connection and community; and is more about the journey than the end point. In the creation of Woolman Semester Peace Documentaries, students are actually engaging in an act of positive peace while the topics of the films often highlight issues of indirect violence that might not have be part of mainstream discourse. For example, we’ve had films about able-ism, homelessness, and the negative effects of gang injunctions on communities. The students chose topics that also highlight actions that folks are taking in order to bring about positive peace such as highlighting current immigrant rights movements, gangs who are a positive force in their communities, re-examining happiness and the American dream, actions against military recruitment in high schools, and more.  

Our Peace Documentary project serves the greater community when we premiere the films and post them online by bringing to light stories about people building community and creating exciting alternatives to unjust systems. But the films also benefit the filmmakers immensely, as they learn film production techniques, research skills, as well as the ever important group collaborations skills. The empowerment that is a result of learning to use film as a tool for advocacy can’t be underestimated.

On a deeper level, I have also seen the project have a healing effect on students, too. I am remembering the experience of a group of young women who created a film about sexuality in the media and the importance of creating a culture of consent in our society. The questions that the audience were asked to ponder in the film were just as meaningful as those that the group asked themselves behind the scenes.

Another example would be a group of students who couldn’t agree on a topic until they realized that one thing that the entire group had in common was that they were all on psychotropic medications. And so, these courageous young people created a film called "Pill Popper Generation", which was an extremely vulnerable look at how young people are so heavily medicated these days.

I also think of all of the fabulous role models that the kids are introduced to in the process. I remember a couple of years ago a group was creating a film advocating for LGBTQ rights and they went to the Castro district in San Francisco and met all of these incredible elders who were able to tell the stories of their struggles, but then also give this sagely advice that gave the youth in that group so much hope that their paths would get easier in the long run. Or the example I spoke about earlier of the group that explored how in the Bay Area there are gangs who are a acknowledging that there are actually some really powerful and positive aspects of gangs like mentorship and a sense of family connection that can be retained while turning away from the violence.

What is your relationship to the young filmmaker(s)? Why is it important to you to help youth have a voice? 

Students and staff at Woolman tend to have really strong, close relationships. This comes out of the fact that Woolman is such a small, residential program, where at any point in the week I might be pruning trees, scrubbing toilets, or baking homemade pizza with my students.

But another important part of how we run the school is related to its roots as a Quaker institution. The Quakers believe that every single human being has  a piece of the truth (or in more religious terms that of god within them)---everyone equally---on a macro scale this is seen through an unwavering commitment by Quakers to human rights and nonviolence as is seen through their legacy of activism. But, within the school, it is seen in the way that the youth’s voices are valued. Although Woolman is clearly a hierarchy of staff and students, we also frequently involve our students in the decisions that affect them. From our seminar style round table class discussions to our weekly community meetings, many say it is the first time that they really feel heard by adults.

This sense of agency is then carried out with the youth back to their hometowns. At Woolman, we firmly believe that we are educating students with relevant knowledge of what is really happening in the world right now. We also believe in introducing the youth to tools to actually do something about it not because they are “the leaders of tomorrow” and it is up to them to “save the world” but because they have immense power and potential to be leaders now! And we hope that  Woolmanites will actually act as more than leaders, but collaborators in groups of change-makers that don’t just include youth, since it is up to all of us to do our part to create a more just and sustainable world.

Closing statement:

Obviously, I don’t need to convince anyone here of the power of storytelling through film, about how many more people you can reach with your message or the relationship between stories and action. My experience as a mentor for young filmmakers has further solidified my understanding of how capable teens are and especially how technologically proficient they are. And so, with that, I just want to encourage both young people and educators to give it a try. There are an enormous amount of resources on the web—ranging from entire step-by-step guides, as well as short videos on everything from film shots to how to build rapport in an interview. 

The benefits of a documentary film project are vast. The benefits are cultural in the way in which we can influence social action and discourse to academic through the research and the type of learning that comes when students are able to follow a passion and advocate for something dear to them. Then there are the interpersonal group work skills, and potentially even spiritual benefits as I have seen the healing that has come through work on certain films. 

The Woolman Semester Peace Documentaries can be seen in the gallery section of our website, as well as our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/woolmansemester

Students from Fall 2011 chatting before the premiere of their Peace Docs at the Unitarian Church

Worm's Eye View of the Soccer Field

The Bridge Leading to West Side Cabins

Summer Sunflower

Garden

Rainbow Over the Dining Hall

Hoop House in the Fall

Jacob: Environmental Studies

Emily: Global Issues

Grace: Peace Studies

                  This semester Gaby, Tenzin, and I built a bridge on the West Side Trails for our Sustainability Project. We started planning the main structure of the bridge after we checked out and measured the site. The idea for the structure has changed over the course of the semester. We needed to design a bridge long enough to reach across the creek bed and strong enough to withstand weather and the rising water of the creek. If by chance the water ever got to high, the bridge would stay in place and not get swept away. It wouldn't get swept away because it is located between two trees.
                  The bridge prep took a lot of time simply because we needed to collect materials, move rocks, cut the wood, bring everything out to the site, and assemble it out on the site. The first step we had to take was preparing the site for the bridge. We moved rocks into two flat platforms on either side of the riverbank to create a stable base for the bridge to sit on. We used two steel beams for the base of the bridge. On top of the steel beams we screwed in 2 by 4's so nailing in the treads would be more efficient. Then with help, we carried the beams out to the site to lay them in place. We cut fifty forty inch boards that will lay across the length of the bridge. The last thing we had to do was nail the treads into the 2 by 4's and add a railing onto the tree for support.
                  The trail that our bridge is located on was made last semester. The new trail has a lot of potential and is located on a really beautiful part of campus. One issue with the trail was the gap in the river bank. Our bridge will allow people to comfortably walk through the woods without having to worry about climbing down a steep river bank.
                   Building this bridge has taught me how to work in a group. I have never worked on a group project that lasted four months. It is hard to get together to work on it at times and the work had to be spaced evenly so that we met the deadlines. Overall looking at our finished project I know this bridge will last a long time and will promote exploration on the Woolman Trails.

Alanna and I, along with our project mentor Rachel, have been working together this semester as Woolman’s beekeepers. Our sustainability project consisted of caring for the bees for the extent of the semester and making a yearlong care plan for future students. We hope that by making this plan, the transition of beekeepers every semester is smooth and the bees will always be properly cared for.

The most enriching part of this experience was probably interacting with the hive. The first time we went in, armed with our smoker and hive tools, I was pretty nervous. I wouldn’t say that I am generally afraid of bees- I had been stung before plenty of times, however, there is something a little worrying about reaching your hands into a box full of bees who are trying to work. Through my research for the care plan, I had come across a few tips to keep in mind while working with honeybees. Also, Rachel was able to assuage our fears before we entered the hive for the first time to do an inspection and a bit of cleaning. All went well, and we even got to taste a bit of their honey.

The second time in the hive was to treat for mites. Much more confident this time around, we went in armed with our smoker, hive tools, and a baby powder bottle full of powdered sugar. One of us removed and held the frame while the other coated each bee in powdered sugar. This makes the bees lick themselves and each other clean, thus removing any intruders.

For our care plan, we just did a lot of research on how to maintain a healthy hive with maximum production. The trickiest part of this was making sure it matched up to the local climate. The unique weather patterns here make it much different than a lot of places. Almost all of the care that needs to be done is dependent on the heat or cold. This is because the bees will be acting very differently in the cold then they will in the heat. In December, they will all be huddled together in the hive keeping warm, but by March, they will already have a good start on their production and there will be lots of activity in the hive.

Overall, taking care of and learning about Woolman’s bees has been awesome. It is such a unique experience that I’m so glad I was able to have here. Hopefully someday I will be able to use the skills that I learned from this project at a hive elsewhere. 

After a long few days of lectures and activities, we arrived at the American Friends Service Committee, where we met Dalit, an Israeli activist working for peace between Israel and Palestine. Throughout the presentation, we were shown videos and pictures that illustrated not just the violence that was occurring in this part of the world, but we also learned about the history of the conflict and the nonviolent ways that people were opposing. What was particularly interesting about this presentation was the fact that it was from the perspective of someone who has both been very involved in this issue, and was able to bring in the point of view of an Israeli wanting peace. I thought this was interesting both because most of the presentations I’ve seen about this issue have been by outsiders who have studied the issue or have gone to that part of the world and seen what is going on, whereas Dalit was from Israel and represented what is not commonly thought of as a popular opinion among Israelis. One thing that stood out to me and many of my classmates was when Dalit talked about the scale of Israel/Palestine, and that even though she grew up in Tel Aviv, which is only about twenty minutes away from Palestinian settlements, she had very little contact with any Palestinians at all.

 In addition to informing us about the conflict, Dalit also described a lot of what is being done to help rectify this situation (all though many are often done in vain). One example of this are the peaceful protest that Palestinians organize almost every day and in very creative ways (i.e. replanting olive trees). However, it is often true that many are Palestinians are shot by Israeli soldiers during these. I thought this was interesting because it is often the case that the Palestinians are portrayed as the violent ones, so it was nice to have a different perspective on that. In addition, Dalit also told us things that we could do every day to help in this cause. For example, boycott goods that are made in the settlements, such as a popular machine that makes soda, a method that was particularly effective in apartheid South Africa. Overall, Dalit was a great presenter, she offered a great first hand perspective and I know I speak for all the students when I say I am very glad we were able to hear her speak. 

One of the most striking things about Levana Saxon, an environmental and social justice activist who staged a workshop with us Thursday morning, was her pragmatic yet hopeful outlook. She began with a blunt description of our situation - rising temperatures, positive feedback loops, and a dozen other impending disasters. However, this did not affect her commitment to make the best of the situation and fight for change.

Not only that, she then went on to explain several ways we could fight for change as well. We began with a discussion of issues that interested us, and then brainstormed the many ways to affect that issue, on a personal, community and national level. Finally, we split into groups, one to work on a song protesting the misguided values of the public education system to the tune of “you don’t know you’re beautiful”, and the other to design and create thought - provoking t-shirts with a similar subject matter (one stencil depicted an SAT book with the caption “welcome to the machine”). Finally, we all came together to film a video of us singing, dancing and wearing the t-shirts - by now probably an internet sensation.

To learn more about Levana Saxon's work in popular education, please visit: http://www.practicingfreedom.org

On the second full day of our Great Turning trip, we visited an awesome organization called Movement Generation in Oakland. We walked through the side gate of a house into a backyard garden filled with edible plants and beautiful flowers. From there we passed a small room that is their office space and entered a room in which they fed us cookies and juice as Ellen, one of the staff, gave us a presentation. We saw images and heard statistics on environmental issues and environmental justice, especially within communities.

Next, we went outside into the garden space and participated in a few engaging activities that Ellen lead. In these, we used our bodies to act out different environment and justice related scenarios with different rules to limit our movement. This offered new perspectives on possible solutions to some issues that the world is facing right now due to the unique creative outlook that the exercises had.

Before saying our goodbyes, we drove about ten minutes to a fenced in grassy area. Ellen had explained to us during her presentation that this land was previously used for Occupy the Farm. Residents of Oakland guerilla gardened on it for about 3 weeks before being kicked out by the owners of the land and the police. Here, she answered our questions about this particular action, Occupy the Farm in general, and what it means for citizens to re-claim land. Lastly, we did a bit of a debrief in which we stated one thing that stood out to us and one further action that we plan on taking that is related to what we learned there. A lot of people, including myself expressed shock in some of the environmental statistics that we heard. The action that I decided to take was to research what re-claiming the land might mean for my community back home. Overall, I think that our visit at Movement Generation was very hope-instilling because of all of the cool stuff that is being done in the Bay area due to their work. Along with that, personally, I was very inspired to take action. I am not sure exactly what this will mean, but I know that I will be thinking about it a lot over the next few weeks and I hope to implement some of the things that I learned at Movement Generation when I am back in Pennsylvania. 

To learn more about Movement Generation, please visit: http://www.movementgeneration.org

On the second to last day of our global issue trip in San Francisco, after visiting anarchist "hackers" (not to be confused with people breaking into computers, but rather these folks were all about creating/making/hacking from objects that already exist!) we went to this discrete entrance to a building. It was one of those bared doors that you see in the city, those ones that you don’t think twice about, the ones that are almost invisible to someone walking by. Those doors that you know you will never be able to get into to see whats inside. Well, we got in, and what was behind the door was magic of the human heart.

What this place was Station 40, the host area of Food Not Bombs. Food Not Bombs is a volunteer organization that prepares food (that would have otherwise been wasted) for homeless people on certain days of the week. Due to the dumpster diving and serving that food to the public, prepared in a kitchen not certified by anything or anyone, the legality of the operation is sketchy. But their view is that it is even sketchier to throw away food and let people starve.

The people who operate Food Not Bombs are just ordinary people with jobs already, giving their time and energy to collect and make food for the homeless community. Although the fact of what they are doing is illegal, that doesn’t stop them. They are not waiting for the government or anyone else to take care of the problem, they are taking charge and helping in the most sustainable, cheapest and best way they can.