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• photo by Jason Rankin
Delusions and success DANBROWN UWindsor student __________________________ Having no film production experience, the idea of succeeding in a film competition involving Harvard, Nobel Peace Prize winners, CEO’s, and international entrants was delusional. But when you are young, delusions often work in your favour. That weekend in Cambridge/ Boston was the most connected I had ever felt. The possibility of collaboration, breaking new ground, and success is what drives networking. Far and wide, many people are interested in the same areas you are,
and meeting them in the same room is electric. In this case, those people were professionals from both non-profit and entertainment industries, Harvard professors and students, and young people who want to leave a mark (and have already done so). Thanks to a YouTube video competition, there we all were. The Girls Impact the World Film Fest presented itself to me last October. I had never produced a video before, but was comforted by the competition’s equal emphasis on social activism and the art of filmmaking. The worst case scenario would be getting media experience with a friend.
Youth in leadership DANAITASGEDOM acby project youth advisory chair __________________________ Promoting and Owning Empowerment and Resilience among African, Caribbean and Black Youth in Windsor (ACBY) is a three year community-based research study that seeks to establish an HIV risk/ vulnerability profile and prevention strategy for African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) youth aged 16 to 25 years old in Windsor, Ontario. A Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), comprised of 18 youth from within the target popula-
tion, work with the research team to insure that all phases of the research speak and are sensitive to the needs of ACB youth. The Youth Advisory Committee gives youth a safe place to explore their knowledge, learn, grow and be themselves.
ter found me.
The video that communication, media and film student, Veronica Jurkowski and I made is based on two new classes at UWindsor: Bringing in the Bystander. The school offers curriculum for upper year students to administer workshops to lower year students in the following semester. The concept shifts focus from the rape labels of victim/perpetrator to the impact that bystanders have on sexual assault prevention. When I learned that combining bystander intervention of sexual assault with curriculum was a completely new venture, The U’s “Thinking forward” slogan rang out. The film’s subject mat-
ing together with researchers to translate the results of research on culturally sensitive topics into programming and strategies is a powerful force.
In the process of working on this project, YAC members are informed and empowered to address issues related to HIV risk and learn research and advocacy skills through various workshops.
We all know that youth are the future of our communities. This project gives them the opportunity to develop as informed, skilled, strong leaders in building community unity in developing innovative, creative initiatives that will blossom in our Windsor and Essex County community.
This facilitates youth taking on leadership roles within their community to inform and empower their peers. African, Caribbean and Black youth work-
I am honoured to be the Youth Advisory Chair on this project and as a youth myself; I have grown and will continue to do so throughout this project.
By administering this course content, Drs. Senn and Forrest and Dusty Johnstone are pioneering a new social climate at UWindsor, in education, and through citizenship. We need to rethink how we view education and women’s issues. Why is college viewed as for lowbrow robots to learn skills for a job? Who said university breeds enlightenment for an employment desert? Where does the male voice come in on issues of women’s rights? These systems don’t require touching-up or modernizing. They need a paradigm shift and complete restructuring from the ground up. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that voicing these changes
to massive amounts of people is really hard, and those who are leading, need people like us to participate. The world is a competitive place (there’s a lot of us out there), but so many good programs are practically begging for supporters: volunteers, students, or film fest contestants. And eventually, as you continue to get involved, that dream job will be in closer reach than you ever would have thought. Mine sure is. Windsor is as good a place as any to get a head start. If you are a UWindsor student, enroll in these courses. If you are a high school/undergrad student, consider entering the Girls Impact the World Film Fest 2013. If you are young, stay delusional.
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