Tim White

Documentary?

Aug 14, 2008 07:10 am

So, I never really imagined starting a nonprofit organization or even moving to New Orleans. In fact, I don't really know what I saw myself doing when I was a kid (mostly soccer, hiking, that type of thing not too career oriented). Yet, like the shockingly bothersome images that were the devastation of Katrina certain things just fall into your lap, or slap you in the face depending how you look at it, and that's it, your new path. That is what has seemed to happen so far in my life. College ---> slapped with the reality that corporate America and the live rich and fast lifestyle was not for me (and thus AmeriCorps was) to ---> the devastation of New Orleans tearing me from Ohio before my term of service was up and throwing me mentally, emotionally and physically into the rebuilding effort. To now, the realitization that the youth of New Orleans, and all cities globally, should not go to school in prison like environments and so using art as our weapon fighting to change that fact.

I reflect on this because as I always felt that these things were new, different and exciting, I never really thought they were unique or worthly of noting. Then I check my email yesterday. You may or may not know but Crescent City Art Project (the NGO I co-founded) is organizing a 1,900 volunteer project in October to paint 1,400 canvass murals and create 125 mosaic benches, all for the schools of New Orleans. This is typical for D. and I. We shoot as high as we can, always trying to raise the bar, and then we bury ourselves into a studio and rock out the prep work until the project. Nothing special, just working to change the city. So, back to the email. I recieved two emails yesterday that surprised and excited me. The Times Picayune, the local paper, want to take some footage of our past work and prep work for this project and then interview D. and I to give CCAP some mention prior to the project. This is huge for us. It is not often that we can step away from the paperwork, phone calls, the sketching, the sketching, the sketching, and the paint, to reach out to media (which is unfortunate as it is way too important, as is changents). Good news indeed. Then I read the next email. A international production company called Worldwide Underground contacted us and also wants to document the prep of the project and the project to create a documentary of our mission, the city and our work in action. A documentary, are you kidding me? The world works in mysterisous ways. Never did I EVER think my efforts in life would get that much attention. Honestly, it is nice to see that the word of our work is spreading, I don't care for the personal coverage. But if this will help us bring in more volunteers and future projects then, bring it. Moral of the story, expect the unexpected.

Peace,

Tim

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