Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Common Ground Objective
PHASE I: COMMON GROUND FILM
The relevance of film is being widely explored among Native communities and especially by American Indian youth who have the interest and technological ingenuity to produce films. “Common Ground” is a multilayered project in which American Indian Students of film document the confrontation of problems they face in everyday life and presents their resolution to these problems. The two main aspects of this film include the actual production process of the film and the conflict resolution theme addressed by the youth filmmakers.
“Common Ground” would include 4 youth filmmakers from Arizona, Minnesota, New York and Mexico who would each address a problem they’ve faced through out their daily routine. These 3 minute segments would be directed and produced by experienced youth filmmakers who have been selected by Youth Media Projects across the country. This project would include members of In Progress of St. Paul, Minnesota, Outta Youth Backpack Media of Flagstaff, Arizona as well a youth filmmakers from Akwesasne, New York and San Felipe Del Progreso, Mexico.
To assist these filmmakers would be Youth Media Coordinators of their respected media organizations as well as dedicated American Indian filmmakers and Media specialist such as Dax Thomas (Laguna/Acoma Peublo), who has had films screened at Sundance and the Native American Film + Video Festivals. Ben Calabaza (Santa Domingo Pueblo) who is the Director of IROOTS MEDIA, who specializes in marketing and advertising for Native American Artists. Zakary Naranjo-Morse (Santa Clara Pueblo) who has conducted interviews in Spanish for a Pearlene Productions film and who has also worked with the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of the American Indian’s Film + Video Center on their 2006 Film Festival. Finally, for Nora Naranjo-Morse who has directed 7 films on issues facing Native American peoples.
“Common Ground” will allow Native youth to show how they resolve conflict through their daily routine. These problems could range with issues as simple as missing the bus and finding a way to school, dealing with a serious family issue, to organizing a rally for a community issue. This 10-15 minute film would allow for Native youth to teach other youth how they face and overcome challenges. As filmmakers, they will be addressing these issues through the production process of using film to tell a story as well as through their literal stories. This project is unique in that it is bringing Native youth filmmakers together from across the country and across age groups to convey the message that obstacles they face in their communities can be overcome.
The final product would be a valuable resource for library and educational institutions across the country. Lessons will be based on the film and conducted in the classroom or after school programs through a Common Ground website and onsite community visits. Information could also be given how Native youth communities could start their own Youth Media Organizations. Exposure through the entry of the film into festival will not only allow for a wider audience to see these students works, but also as a way of showing that Native American youth are addressing similar challenges within their communities and that they all possess the ability to overcome these obstacles.
PHASE II: COMMON GROUND TOUR:
The completion of the Common Ground Film in December of 2008 will initiate the second phase of the Common Ground Project. The second phase includes the Common Ground Project Tour, which will outreach to Tribal communities in the Southwest states of Arizona and New Mexico. The aim of the Common Ground tour is to create discussion of problem solving skills among Indigenous people, young and old. This dialogue will start a network among our participants and encourage future intertribal relationships.
Thanks to the generosity of the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center Grant of the Washington Evergreen State College, Common Ground Film will have our 25 minute film completed and will be screened at the Heard's Annual Indian Market during the first week in March of 2009. With an estimated 40,000 attendees every year, the annual Heard Indian Market will allow for Common Ground to outreach, fundraise and network from a large and diverse body of constituents. Common Ground will require the generosity of funds provided by such organizations as the First Peoples Funds. Such funding will aid in the expenses of travel for our outreach team as well as to obtain tools to put into motion our ability to outreach on and off of the reservation.
The booth which has been donated by the Heard Museum will consist of a screening of the film, outreach coordinators informing visitors on issues raised by Common Ground, as well as hands on, grassroots fundraising techniques for future touring. In addition to the Cultural Capital grant, Common Ground will supplement works donated by accomplished and upcoming artists that will be used to fundraise by means of the Common Ground Cake Walk, in which visitors will be entered by means of a donation. Music played by contributing musicians will be played, while contestants walk around a ring of chairs and when the music stops, the contestants are awarded the prize indicated by their seat. Contributions from local community members and organizations will also be given as a way of bringing attention to the communities we plan to work with. Other games will be played at the booth to educate Common Ground's cause and to give away promotional materials such as recyclable Z-cards, handmade T-Shirts and items with Common Ground information.
The Z-cards will be designed and created with recycled materials by Common Ground's Web Designer and Outreach Coordinator Ben Calabaza. The Z-card is a 3"X4" fold out with information regarding tour dates and locations, as well as with information about our project, team and other youth media organizations. Hand designed Common Ground T-Shirts will be made and given away at the Premiere, as well as mugs and pens. An e-mail contact list will also be made available to create a mailing list for future updates on our project and to outreach for internet funding, a powerful fundraising tool.
The Heard screening will be a starting point for the Tour after which we will continue onto reservations across Arizona and New Mexico to promote an intergenerational and an intertribal dialogue regarding ways in which Native peoples overcome challenges and solve problems. In Arizona, Common Ground will outreach to schools and senior centers within the following communities: Flagstaff, Tuba City, Second Mesa, Polacca, and Chinle. In New Mexico the film will be shown in: Farmington, Albuquerque, Laguna Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo, Zia Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Cochiti Pueblo, Santa Fe Indian School, Santa Clara Pueblo and the City of Santa Fe. The Common Ground Tour will invite students from 6th through 12th grade, their parents, and grandparents to exchange and share ideas and begin a constructive dialogue on problem solving.
The relevant and pressing issues brought to attention by our youths insights is invaluable and needs to be shared with our Communities. In Tina (age 17), "Life of a Traditional Person." As a determined young woman, Tina addresses the decline in traditional values among youth in her community of Akwesasne, New York. Tina finds other young voices in her community to emphasize the importance of these traditions in dealing with discrimination, drugs and alcohol on their reserve. In comparison, "Our Life" by Shelby (Age 17) of Outta Your Backpack Media in Flagstaff, Arizona peeks into the lives of Flagstaff Skateboarders who choose their hobby over drugs and who also learn through their hobbies how to approach problems in life. Shelby, an accomplished award winning filmmaker and community activist has another story to tell of her growth as a contemporary American Indian storyteller.
In comparison, David (Age 16) "This is me." depicts an urban American Indian youth making a transition through adolescents as well as a transition back to his reservation where he encounters negativity from his peers due to a tragedy which took place in Red Lake, Minnesota in 2005. David finds his solution of identity and comfort with his self through the support of his family, friends, playing music and making films. The search for groups of support is a major theme through out Common Ground and can also be seen in Julian (Age 27) story about his journey from San Felipe del Progreso in Mexico to living in the United States, learning English and earning money to support his family back home. Julian's story is about the challenges he faces everyday being away from his family and living in a community that isn't always so accepting. Julian's story also questions the idea of imaginary borders that are constructed by governments and how Natives relate to peoples from opposing sides of these boundaries.
To aid in these efforts, we have involved an experienced team of outreach coordinators, including Ben Calabaza and Shayla Rogers who have worked with Futures for Children which mentor youth on reservations across the Southwest dand encourage academic success, as well as Diane Reyna of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) who runs the Higher Education Program. Ms. Reyna oversees the academic and personal counseling as well as recruitment of students at the IAIA. Common Ground will be in discussion with Ms. Reyna at the end of October regarding the implementation of our project with the objective of her department.
The message of Common Ground is infused with creative energy and new perspectives presented by the younger generations of our communities. Common Ground works towards enhancing creativity and sustaining efforts to share knowledge by listening to the youth, encouraging them to articulate their concerns and to involve communities in discussions and group activities. These collective actions which will seed in Phoenix, Arizona and spread onto reservations across Arizona and into New Mexico.
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