April 30, 2010

Seven fifth grade students from Walter Chrysler Elementary School have spent the school year creating an environmental justice-themed short film. The movie, entitled WhyDetroit?, follows a group of young detectives investigating a series of disappearances that have happened around the city. Going on a hunch that rumors surrounding the Detroit incinerator are true, the sleuths set out to find the missing people and stop whoever is holding them captive. The movie was entirely written, directed by, and stars the seven students in the film club, an after school program delivered by Y-Arts YMedia Works and organized at Chrysler by the Dad’s Club.

In the program, the students were introduced to the fundamentals of movie production while also exploring issues of environmental justice. With guidance from Lottie Spady of the East Michigan Environmental Action Council, the students created the script for their hilarious mystery and then went to work producing the twenty minute video presentation with help from two well known local video artists, Steve Coy and Mikey Brown.

The premiere screening of the movie will be at 6pm on Friday, April 30, in the Marlene Boll Theatre (Boll Family YMCA, 1401 Broadway, Detroit). All are invited to attend. Tickets are $5 with proceeds going to support the continuation of this and other after school programs at Chrysler. Free popcorn and drinks! Call 313-223-2751 for more information.

Very special thanks to the Erb Family Foundation for supporting this and other YMedia Works programs, including the upcoming YMedia Works Summer Institute 2010!

Nate Mullen

Y Arts has been very fortunate to have Nate Mullen, a Michigan AmeriCorps Partnerships member, working with our staff for the past couple of months. Nate is overseeing and teaching in our after school arts programming and curating exhibits in the Lobby gallery.  He does such a great job, in fact, that he was nominated as this month’s Michigan AmeriCorps Member of the Month.  Great job, Nate!  Here is the statement released by the State of Michigan announcing his recognition:

“A native of Detroit, Nathaniel Mullen attended Detroit Public Schools and then earned a BFA in Art & Design at the University of Michigan.  Nathaniel is now using his artistic talent to positively impact his community through the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership (MAP) program.  He is in his second year of full-time service and is placed at the Downtown Detroit Boll Family YMCA.

At the YMCA, Nathaniel is coordinating the Y Arts exhibitions in the Lobby Gallery, teaching digital photography classes for teenagers, and participating in community partnerships.  In 2008, he initiated both the project and member applications to secure a MAP AmeriCorps position in the Visual Arts Department of the Neutral Zone (a.k.a, the Ann Arbor Teen Center).  He spent the year redeveloping the digital arts program, expanding the exhibitions program, and broadening community outreach.  Two of his largest projects included a week-long service-learning project in Detroit and an exhibition titled “Frame of Mind,” in collaboration with the Depression Center at the University of Michigan to bring light to issues surrounding youth mental health.

For his second year serving in AmeriCorps, Nathaniel looks forward to the challenges of his new position.  He contends, “After a five year absence, I’m hoping to be able to contribute to Y Arts and the city.”

According to MAP program director, Addell Austin Anderson, “Nathan has the drive, talent and enthusiasm to inspire youth to see beyond their, sometimes, isolated world to make a difference in their own lives and community.”

For more information on the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership program, please contact Program Director, Addell Austin Anderson at (313) 593-0937 or Addell@umich.edu .  For more information on AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov .”