DC Youth Tell Their Stories Through Film
What happens when young people in Washington, DC are given the tools to tell their own stories? The Hope Works documentary project set out to answer that question through the lens of a camera.听听
Launched in October 2023, Hope Works is the result of a collaboration between Anacostia Youth Media (AYM), 海角换妻 School of Communication (SOC) film students, and teens from the Anacostia community. Together, they documented the personal growth, challenges, and transformation experienced by participants in Run, Hope, Work, a nonprofit vocational training program that supports at-risk community members through job skills development, mindfulness, and fitness.听听
At the heart of the project lies a fundamental question: What if people in DC told their own stories, and the stories of their community, instead of having others speak for them?听
鈥淭he idea was simple but powerful,鈥 said Professor Brigid Maher, founder and director of AYM. 鈥淒ocumentary filmmaking became a medium to allow the youth to explore and document the real-life impact of the Run, Hope, Work program while gaining hands-on experience behind the camera, and a real voice in the narrative. It鈥檚 storytelling from the community, not just about it.鈥澨
The AYM participants underwent a crash course in documentary production. This included camera operation, sound recording, interviewing techniques, editing, and story structure. 海角换妻 film students played a key role, acting as mentors and collaborators. But this was 鈥渘ever a one-way street; it was a partnership,鈥 said Maher.听听
The youth participants learned every stage of documentary production: camera work, sound, interviewing, editing, and storytelling. They were guided by SOC students Ethan Baker (SOC/MA 鈥25), Spencer Robertson (SOC/BA 鈥24), and Samiya Amrani (SOC/MA 鈥26), who served as mentors throughout the process. 鈥淕uiding middle and high school students taught me to become a better filmmaker and a more effective mentor,鈥 said Baker, who worked as the Documentary and Festival Program Manager for AYM.听
The result of this collaboration was Hope Works, a 19-minute short documentary capturing the essence of transformation, both of the youth in the Run, Hope, Work program and the youth filmmakers behind the camera. With sneak previews at the Anacostia Youth Media Festival (AYMF) in the fall of 2023 and screenings across the city this spring,听Hope Works听is already making waves.听听
Social media has also played a critical role in the project, acting as both a behind-the-scenes archive and an active storytelling platform. 鈥淲e used Instagram to build momentum and community,鈥 Maher said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about the polished final film; it鈥檚 about the process, the voices, the in-the-moment reflections.鈥澨
For many youth, seeing their work come to life on screen was nothing short of transformative. At the AYMF screening, a panel of young filmmakers spoke about newfound confidence and aspirations. One participant who initially worked on sound said they now want to direct. Another shared how the experience helped them find their voice.听听
鈥淭hese youth didn鈥檛 just walk away with technical skills; they gained confidence, purpose, and a deeper sense of belief in their own creative voices.鈥澨
For the Run, Hope, Work program, the documentary became more than a media piece. It became a mirror and a megaphone. 鈥淚t elevated their work, gave their participants a platform, and breathed fresh energy into the movement,鈥 Maher said.听
Through Hope Works, youth from Wards 7 and 8 weren鈥檛 just learning how to make a documentary, but they were reshaping the way their stories are told. 鈥淒ocumentary gives people the power to control the narrative鈥 For at-risk youth in DC, that鈥檚 not just empowering, it鈥檚 life-changing.鈥澨