Gandhi Brigade Youth Media prepares young people, particularly those from underserved and immigrant neighborhoods, to become leaders through a community engagement process that uses digital media. We teach middle and high school students videography, digital editing, digital music creation, and graphic design and work with youth as they produce documentaries, public service announcements and graphic design campaigns.
For over ten years, GB Youth Media has operated in churches, libraries, theaters and storefronts. In the summer 2019 we will move into our new home in Silver Spring Library; this will allow us to expand our services and support a greater number of participants. Our new 3,000 square feet space will contain a digital media classroom and editing room, sound booths doubling as workspaces, and a film studio.
Over the last four years our youth have produced award-winning documentaries: We Are Now (2018) examined the youth movement in today's political climate; The Fabric of America (2017) looked at immigration reform; To Serve and. Protect? (2016) explored police accountability); and, Juvenile Justice: The Road to Reform (2015) examined the riots in Baltimore that year.
Our youth have produced hundreds of media pieces on topics including: gun violence, school shootings, youth activism, teen suicide, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, cybercivility and cyberbullying, drunk driving, college preparedness, school improvements, youth employment, juvenile justice, police accountability and LGBT homelessness. Every year we also organize a youth media festival and receive over 500 entries from Montgomery county youth with the winning films being shown on the big screen at the AFI in downtown Silver Spring.
We are seeking funding to strengthen and expand our innovative programs to train Montgomery county youth and others about digital media arts and community engagement
