Blog 6: Fades for Grades

Aren't they just lovely??? (Photo Creds to Spencer)

I don't really know where to start. I don't know how a semester can go by so fast, yet so slow at the same time. It truly seems just like yesterday when Briana, Nikki, Mel, Spencer and I went to Crenshaw to meet the boys at Fades for Grades for the first time. Overall, my experience with Fades for Grades was... AMAZING.

Although we had an awkward beginning (like most first face-to-face meetings), the boys accepted us so quickly and opened up to us faster than we imagined. The boys had a lot to say about life, education, brotherhood, etc. While working with them we discovered how although we have differences, we also have many similarities. We are all students wanting to be something, someone better.

Seeing the boys visit USC yesterday made me realize how happy I was to be given an opportunity where USC can be involved with the community. When they said that they didn't realize that they impacted us, the filmmakers, I was so shocked. I guess both parties didn't really think about influencing the other in some way. I will never forget the warm welcomes and the enthusiasm those boys had and I hope that they don't forget about us! It makes me sad to think that because the semester is coming to an end, that our relationship with the boys are coming to an end. I definitely hope not. For me, I'm excited to find out the future of these boys because I see so much potential in all of them!

Some tidbits for future classes:
1) Although the workload may be a lot, it was definitely worth it. Even though I was taking a load of classes this semester along with work and being in charge of other organizations, I would do it all over again. All that hard work truly paid off in the end (got a little emotional while watching all the documentaries last night... know what I mean?)

2) If you don't have video editing experience and have some space in your schedule for an IML class, do it! Although you may not be a professional video editor by the end of the semester, IML gives you the basic tools and techniques for you to develop on.

3) Don't be discouraged if the people at your site don't open up to you so quickly. They just met you! Establishing a sense of trust between you and your community partners is important. Once you establish that, putting together the documentary becomes an easier process as you are left with a lot of awesome footage.

4) Before going to your site... think of some activities! Thankfully, Briana had a lot of good activities up her sleeve :) Here are some activities we did:

- One was having all of the boys line up with their eyes closed. We would then say something like, "Step forward if you like pizza." After, the boys who stepped forward would open their eyes to see who was similar to them. The questions went from easy to hard. A more difficult question would be like, "Step forward if you have been called names at school because of your race, ethnicity or class"

- We also played the number game, where a whole group of us would get together and each person, someone different each time, would have to count off from numbers 1 - 20. No one person can go two times in a row and there can be no pattern. If two people say one number at the same time, they would have to start over. Example: Briana, "One"... Janice, "Two"... Spencer, "Three"... Mel and Nikki, "Four"... because Mel and Nikki said the same number together, we have to start over. This game encouraged everyone to develop different ways of communicating other than through talking.

- We brought in a couple of cameras, so that the boys can interview one another. This way, we were able to see what the boys really wanted to talk about and what issues were going on in their mind. By leaving it open-ended, they were able to help us think of ideas that they would be most interested in.

- Briana, Spencer and Nikki were able to play Taboo with the boys. Apparently all of them, including Rick, had a really fun time with it because it encouraged all the boys to think creatively.

- I feel like there were more activities... But, I can't think of anymore at the moment...


All righty.. this is getting pretty lengthy... I just hope everyone had the same unforgettable experience as I did. This is the first and only writing class I have ever enjoyed.
Thank you to my lovely group and Rick and the boysss!