Monday, May 10, 2010

Trachtenberg Office Salutes Gandhi Brigade


The Trachtenberg Office was represented at the Gandhi Brigade’s 2010 Youth Media Festival kick off event held this weekend at City Place Mall in Silver Spring.


The Gandhi Brigade is a youth-directed community media project that has worked out of the Long Branch community in Silver Spring, Maryland since 2005. Since that time, it has worked with over a hundred teens helping them find their voice through community media. Notable film projects include "Finding our Turf," a documentary about youth public space in downtown Silver Spring and "PROPAGANDA!" a mixed media production about immigration. This year, eighty young adults—94% of them minority, immigrant, or disabled youth—worked with a dozen media professionals to produce video and graphic design that explored issues of justice, community, and positive youth development. In the process of creating media, the teens gained a deeper understanding of our community and the importance of their voice in shaping its future.


Gandhi Brigade prepares young people to become powerful leaders. In collaboration with adult allies, young people create multimedia that engages and transforms our community. It prepares youth for this leadership role through the integration of spirituality, entrepreneurship, and community relationships. Media professionals train and certify young people in various new media, including video and graphic design. Once certified teens give back to their community by teaching media skills to others and by creating media that challenges and inspires in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi.


Gandhi Brigade peer instructors, called Circuit Riders, team up with partners to deliver instruction and support to create media through after-school programs. The youth serving partners include Passion for Learning, Einstein EMAL, African Immigrants and Refugee Foundation, Blair Sports Academy, Pyramid Atlantic, Community Bridges, School Girls United, and Long Branch Library. Other important projects include an annual youth media festival called Express Yourself in which young people from the Washington area show film, photography, and graphic design.


For more information, visit http://www.gandhibrigade.org/.

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