Youth Beat to Host Creating in Place: Take 2, a Virtual Screening Party and Fundraiser on Tuesday to Celebrate and Support OUSD’s Aspiring Filmmakers
Oakland, CA — On Tuesday, May 18, Youth Beat will host Creating In Place, a virtual screening party and fundraiser to showcase and support OUSD’s aspiring media makers. The event will showcase the year’s best “Quarantine Creations,” which are short films, animations and photography all created by Oakland students during the 2020-21 school year.
“This has been a school year none of us will ever forget,” said Jake Schoneker, Youth Beat’s Executive Director. “Through this whole pandemic, these incredible, resilient Oakland youth have continued to show up to class, continued to connect with each other, and continued to create — all via Zoom. And their films are so impressive and inspiring — we can’t wait to screen them!”
The feature presentation will be Of Oakland — Youth Beat’s student-made documentary that explores how empathy exists in different spaces and communities of Oakland. Students took on director, editor, and producer roles to piece together students’ stories for this film.
“Of Oakland is something that every Oaklander should see,” said Schoneker. “In a world that is so divided right now, these Oakland students show us how diversity can create more connection and community between different cultures. It’s also a high quality group production that shows just how hardworking and talented our students are.”
In addition to sharing student work, Youth Beat hopes the May 18 screening party will raise funds to help support its summer classes and internship programs. “The COVID crisis has hit Oakland kids extremely hard,” said Schoneker. “As soon as the quarantine started our talented team of Teaching Artists quickly learned to engage and support students in a virtual space. The students have been creating award-winning work all from home. But we need to raise funds now to ensure that we can continue with classes, providing our students internships, mentors and professional gear in the year to come.”
Youth Beat student Sofia Verani said, “During this quarantine, Youth Beat has taught me how to direct films virtually, which has deepened my interest in documentary filmmaking. I’m going to continue exploring that creative side of myself this Fall at Emerson College!” Sofia will be majoring in film and has a bright future ahead of her making movies — and you’ll get to see her directorial debut at Creating in Place!
The program will also feature students from Youth Beat’s animation program, like Jamilah Ali, a newcomer student who attends Oakland International High School. “Youth Beat makes me feel special and like I belong, even virtually,” Ali said. “I’ve always wanted to learn animation, how to use Adobe Photoshop and Animate, and Youth Beat’s Animation class has given me those skills. In the future I want to create an animated series, and Youth Beat makes me feel confident that I can!”
Tickets for #CreatingInPlace are FREE but reservations are required and seats are limited. Learn more at www.youthbeat.org/events. People who can’t join the live stream event are encouraged to reserve a spot anyway. Everyone with a reservation will receive a link to watch a recording of the event and films.
Youth Beat is based at KDOL-TV, OUSD’s education access television station and provides in-depth multimedia training to hundreds of OUSD students every year.
WHAT: Youth Beat Creating In Place Virtual Screening Party & Fundraiser
WHEN: 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 18
WHERE: RSVP here: https://youthbeat.org/events, you will receive a link in return.
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About the Oakland Unified School District
In California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 81 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success.
To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews.
Post based on press release from OUSD to Zennie62Media, Inc.