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The Truth From the Youth
In April of 2015, a young, unarmed African American Baltimorean named Freddie Gray—who committed no crime—was killed by members of the Baltimore City Police Department. The incident gave rise to what has since been called the "Baltimore Uprising," an unprecedented series of protests and renewed advocacy to transform the ongoing, historic disenfranchisement of Baltimore city's low-income African American population. This short documentary (directed, filmed, and produced by Gabriel Pickus) demystifies the distortions fostered within the mainstream media about the protests. It includes original interviews with participants. |
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Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By
From 2015 to 2016, Gabriel Pickus received a Jeremiah fellowship from Jews United for Justice, and at the culmination of the fellowship, he produced this documentary about police accountability. This video features a forum at Chizuk Amuno Synagogue, during which members of 30 different Jewish communities and institutions came together to pressure legislators to make essential changes to the ways police are held accountable for "protecting and serving" Baltimore communities. |
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Changing Perceptions of Baltimore
In 2014, Tracey Halvorsen published an essay called “Baltimore City, You’re Breaking My Heart. This is why people leave” online. The essay sparked a conversation about what makes Baltimore special for the many people who call the city their own. The Baltimore Wisdom Project created a documentary that gave young people a chance to tell their own balanced story about Baltimore in an effort to, in their words: "change the world's perception of Baltimore." |
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YO! Academy
YO! Academy was just 3 blocks from Gilmor Homes, where Freddie Gray resided before his tragic death that sparked the Baltimore Uprising. YO! housed a high school where students who got in to trouble in their traditional high schools were offered a second chance to earn a diploma. YO! Academy was shut down by the CEO of BCPS at the end of the 2015-16 school year, along with the few remaining "alternative" high schools in Baltimore City. This video features inspiring discussions at YO! Youth Opportunity Academy featuring Shaka Pitts and, YO! youth leaders about social change in Baltimore. Sadly, since the making of this video documentary, all of Baltimore's alternative high schools were shut down, robbing the city of key educational environments where students were given second chances to succeed. |