OUR VOICES

What we do:

This one week program consisted of an intensive new media arts class for students on the Nez-Perce Reservation in Oregon in May 2009. The sessions focused on teaching students shooting and editing digital video skills. Using small digital video cameras, the students planned and shot short video projects and then learned to do basic editing, adding sound effects and music.

Our Voices 1st Workshop (http://vimeo NULL.com/4903029) from Our Voices Project (http://vimeo NULL.com/user1758861) on Vimeo (http://vimeo NULL.com).

What is the need:

Beyond the technical skills developed while learning how to make short videos, the students were encouraged to create works that reflected the issues facing them in their lives, giving them a new channel for personal expression.

There are many artists and educators interested in volunteering as instructors for this particular program. We are looking for an exchange of learning and have informally discussed the chance to learn the Nez Perce language and arts. Ideas like this are central to the goal of this program. We call it “Our Voices” to illustrate that it is about the open, honest sharing of ideas.

In the future we would like to see the program extend into a multidisciplinary art camp for children in the Nez Perce community.

How you can help:

The program needs donated MAC computers, video cameras, printers and other equipment. We also need sponsors to cover the costs of the program and talented volunteers who have teaching skills and two or three weeks of their time to donate. Please contact: Jason Rosenstock at jasonrosenstock4@gmail.com (jasonrosenstock4 null@null gmail NULL.com).