[URBANTH-L]ANN: Video Production Workshop on Immigrant Rights (NYC)

[Angela Jancius]

**MY RIGHTS IN MY WORDS**

A nine-week spoken word and video production workshop on immigrant rights

Presented by Governess Films, Urban Word NYC and the International
Center for Tolerance Education

Tuesdays from 4-6 pm
beginning January 23th


Location: International Center for Tolerance Education, 25 Washington
Street, 4th Floor, Dumbo Brooklyn
(http://www.seedsoftolerance.org/initiative_tmf_center.html)

Cost: FREE and open to immigrant youth, youth with immigrant parents
and their adult allies.

RSVP: lisa at governessfilms.com

***

About MY RIGHTS IN MY WORDS

"The victim who is able to articulate his/her situation is no longer a
victim; he or she is now a threat." -James A. Baldwin

Baldwin understood the power of the written and spoken
word. One crucial aspect of this workshop is to stress the importance
of this lesson. Those who participate in this workshop will be in a
nurturing environment that will enable them to search for the words to
write their stories. This workshop will be centered on immigrant
experiences in order to encourage the participants to share and voice
their histories. As teachers, mentors, and students we have noticed
there is a gross neglect for immigration issues in the New York City
school system. We wish to shed some light on these issues through the
unique venues of film and poetry. It is our intent to engage the
participants through exciting mediums so that they can add their
distinct voices in the immigration debate. Those from immigrant
families can not be silent on this issue, their voices are too
important to be lost because they were not encouraged to speak. It is
with this motivation that we seek to facilitate this workshop.

In order to capture and share the experiences of the participants in
this workshop, we will also be producing a 10-minute video capturing
the stories and voices of the immigration experience in New York City.
Participants will work with DV-cameras and shoot the workshops, each
other's interviews and additional footage which will be professionally
edited into a final film. Copies of the video will be provided to the
participants to share with parents, educators and friends.

TEACHING ARTISTS CONTACT:

Lisa Russell, lisa at governessfilms.com, 917-554-4126
Enmanuel Candelario, enmanuel1185 at hotmail.com
Frank Lopez, franklopez at nyu.edu