When the #oscarssowhite hashtag took over social media a few years back, most thought this would create a dialog and paradigm shift to the film industries lack of diversity on and off the screen. Unfortunately we were wrong. While it did start a dialog within the mainstream(As this is a regular topic among Black and Latino filmmakers) not much was done on a grand scale to push the change except for a trending hashtag.
In Comes Edward James Olmos who founded the Youth Cinema Project back in 2013(two years before #oscarssowhite took over Twitter). He knew there was a problem and he chose to do something about it. The program aims to empower kids of color in grades 4-12, and teach them the skills needed to become a filmmaker.
Why Film? Well there is a serious lack of diversity in the film industry and this program hopes to oaky a role in lessening that gap. Having mentoring more than 3,000 students the project is flourishing with talent. The cool thing about this program is that it doesn’t stop at just teaching filmmaking, these kids a learning some serious life skills.
The Programs Executive Director, Rafael Agustin’s says about the participants “we started doubling reading and writing proficiency. Tripling school engagement”. Augustin say they are “Creating social and emotional empowerment in the classroom by students writing and telling their own personal stories”.
To learn more about the program and how the students felt premiering their creations at this years Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, click the link below
This weekend, Youth Cinema Project students screened their films for the public. The program aims to create a pipeline to get kids of color in underachieving schools into the filmmaking industry.
— Read on www.npr.org/2018/06/24/622528953/to-answer-hollywoods-diversity-problem-california-program-hands-kids-the-camera
WiseMind Films 
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