Press Release: LA High School Students Premiere 'Reel Youth' Documentaries at CAA

For immediate release: June 1, 2010

Contacts:
Maegan Carberry | maegan at rockthevote dot com|202-615.6065
Mara Abrams | mara at remedee dot org | 323-599.1704

LA High School Students Premiere ‘Reel Youth’ Voting Documentaries at CAA

With an assist from R&B artist Mateo, youth encourage peers to go to the polls

WHO: Remedee & Rock the Vote’s Democracy Class, with DJ Skee, Mateo & Stat Quo
WHAT: Screening of Fernando Pullum Performing Arts High School’s Documentary Film Shorts
WHEN: June 4, 7pm
WHERE: Creative Artists Agency, 2000 Avenue of the Stars
TICKETS: REELYOUTH.EVENTBRITE.com

Community organizing was a hot strategy in 2008’s energizing presidential election, and now Los Angeles teens are building on it by using the digital tools that are unique to their generation to tell the stories of their communities, and inspire their peers to vote in the upcoming Nov. 2 midterm elections.

Sponsored by the Remedee Film Class at Pullum Performing Arts High School, a group of students interviewed R&B singer Mateo at a recent session of Rock the Vote’s high school civics initiative, Democracy Class. The resulting video will premiere alongside the students’ final projects, short documentary films about an issue or person that has affected them. Topics range from homelessness to graffiti to one student’s hometown hero - his grandmother.

The film shorts will premiere at CAA Friday at 7pm, with DJ Skee, Mateo and Stat Quo in attendance to cheer on the young filmmakers.

The teens from South Central Los Angeles were involved in the entirety of the filmmaking process, from storyboarding to shooting to editing, and get to apply the skills they've learned from professionals in the entertainment industry. In addition to teaching professional production skills, Remedee’s program also challenged and inspired them to participate in the political process.

“I actually learned how to use a camera and about media in general -- how media can edit how people look,” says Queen Wilson, a Pullum student. “I'm always going to have a voice in everything I do. Film made me show different outlooks to people.”

Mateo is one of several stars who have committed to educating high school students through Democracy Class, a program where Rock the Vote teaches a 45- or 90-minute lesson plan using pop culture to focus on the history of voting, the power of voting to affect change on the issues most important to students, and active citizenship.

"It’s funny how sometimes you walk into situations thinking that you will be the person to inspire others and to your surprise, YOU end up being inspired and learning the most,” Mateo says. “The students at the Fernando Pullum School were focused, energized, and reminded me that its so important to make sure that everyone, young and old, works to make their voice heard. They were full of fresh ideas which I think is important for the future of our country and politics.”

About Remedee:
www.Remedee.org
Remedee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching and encouraging young people to use media to tell their own stories, and to open and engage in dialogue that promotes activism and change. Based in Los Angeles and working locally and internationally, our programs allow participants from disadvantaged communities to become storytellers by giving them the equipment and intellectual tools necessary to create artistic pieces about themselves and issues that are important to them. We encourage work that reflects our students' unique individuality while also touching upon the "bigger picture" issues affecting youth around the world.

About Rock the Vote:
www.RockTheVote.com
www.DemocracyClass.com
Rock the Vote’s mission is to engage and build the political power of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country. Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture and new technologies to engage and incite young people to register and vote in every election. And we give young people the tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives, and leverage their power in the political process. Rock the Vote is creative, effective, and controlled by nobody’s agenda but our own – we tell it like it is and pride ourselves on being a trusted source for information on politics. We empower the 44 million young people in America who want to step up, claim their voice in the political process, and change the way politics is done.