Journeying through Black Freedom Dreams: A Youth Filmmaking Workshop Series is an ongoing 11-week arts and humanities-based program that engages youth in filmmaking through themes of freedom, identity, race, resilience, imagination, and self-discovery. Each 11-week series centers around a different film or television work featuring Black youth experiences across the African Diaspora and uses storytelling as a pathway for critical reflection, creative expression, and community building.
The inaugural pilot program focuses on the limited TV series Washington Black, based on the novel of the same name by Esi Edugyan, following a young boy’s journey from enslavement in Barbados to self-discovery across multiple continents. Through guided conversations, screenings, collaborative projects, and creative exercises, participants explore questions of belonging, liberation, kinship, identity, and personal transformation.
Each series begins with a 9-week film screening and discussion workshop followed by a 2-week overnight filmmaking camp where youth create original short films inspired by the themes explored throughout the program. Participants gain hands-on experience in scriptwriting, storyboarding, character development, acting, directing, filming, voiceover recording, and editing while building confidence, critical thinking, and creative voice in a supportive, age-appropriate environment. Journeying through Black Freedom Dreams is offered at no cost to participants, ensuring that all interested youth have free access to high-quality arts, humanities, and filmmaking experiences regardless of financial circumstances.
