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EVC Youth Use Film for First-Time Voter Registration Drives

Local youth filmmakers from the Educational Video Center's Youth Organizers Television (YO-TV) just released their latest documentary on youth voter participation.

Journeys Through the Red, White, & Blue, a documentary produced by a team of New York City youth of color, is specifically designed to address the interests and concerns of their peers. Blending humor, plainspoken language, civics lessons, and interviews with friends, family members, local political leaders and community activists, this engaging documentary puts a face on "the youth vote." Following the stories of Brian, Shon, and Tidiane, the film offers three unique explorations into the voting process: on the balance between local and national politics, on the legacy of African American voting rights, and on the rights and possibilities for immigrant participation.

Each story honestly struggles to answer the question "What is the value of my vote?"

Because the stories are not adult-driven or preachy but are earnest inquires profiling these young men of color who were unsure of why they should get involved, this documentary is uniquely positioned to open up dialogue among youth audiences, who like the producers,have been confused and turned off to politics in the past, but may become informed, inspired, and galvanized to take action now.

The youth producers are eager to continue their activism by showing this film to as many youth as possible through voter registration screenings targeting first-time voters.

The Educational Video Center (EVC) is a non-profit youth media organization dedicated to teaching documentary video as a means to develop the artistic, critical literacy, and career skills of young people, while nurturing their idealism and commitment to social change. Founded in 1984, EVC has evolved from a single video workshop for teenagers from Manhattan’s Lower East Side to become an internationally acclaimed leader in youth media and education.

YO-TV is a ten-month pre-professional paid internship for six inner city youth who have graduated from EVC's Documentary Workshop. While critical, formative experiences in media arts are rarely paid, YO-TV jumpstarts the college and media careers of youth who otherwise couldn't afford to participate in unpaid internships.

To screen this documentary or for more information, please contact Sheila at:
212.465.9366 x15 or saminmadani@evc.org