Urban Arts Partnership | Ghetto Talks

Ghetto Talks

13 Feb 2011, 3:32 PM by Elizabeth Rodd, Urban Arts MediaLab

Story by Producers Marlin Almonte and Stephanie Fleming

On December 9 we screened Ghetto Talks and Type Cast for two groups of audiences at the Harlem Stage Youth Speak: Breaking Stereotypes & Reshaping Identity series. After each screening we had a Q&A session with the audience members. They had a lot of questions, and we answered them all.

MARLIN ALMONTE: It was the first time I had ever led a Q&A, just the audience and me. “What new knowledge or content did you learn as you worked on Ghetto Talks and how has it changed your life?” one person asked. I was thrilled with this question because I actually learned so much working on the documentary; this new knowledge impacts me every day. Not only do I know the history behind the word ghetto but I also know other people's perspectives. I'm much more open-minded now. I became more aware of all the different nuances of the word.

Seeing the enthusiasm of the Harlem Stage audience gave me a feeling of accomplishment. I felt proud of all the hard work my team put into making Ghetto Talks.

STEPHANIE FLEMING: After screening Type Cast, I asked our audience if anyone was affected by diabetes, and I was surprised by how many people raised their hands. That right there showed me that anyone of any age, any race or any color can be affected by this epidemic.

The audience members had some really good questions, too. One person wanted to know if either of the two personal narratives in Type Cast had affected me in any way. My answer may have shocked many people. I told them that I was deeply affected by Tiffany's story about losing her father to Type II diabetes because my mom’s boyfriend has Type II.

I thought the Type Cast screening at Harlem Stage was cool because when I watched the film on the big screen I realized just how much my camera work has grown since joining MediaLab. I also liked the audience's questions because they helped me realize that people really do care about the film’s message.

Overall, the audience seemed engaged in both of our films. Many students came to us afterwards to ask about Urban Arts. They seemed really interested in the work that we do.

If you are a public school student interested in joining the MediaLab program, write to medialab@urbanarts.org to request an application. Admissions are rolling.

And stay tuned for the online release of Ghetto Talks!!!

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MediaLab Alum Daniel Familia Screens Ghetto Talks for His College Classmates

27 Dec 2010, 4:36 PM by Elizabeth Rodd, Urban Arts MediaLab

Story by Producer Daniel Familia

In the Fall of 2010, I screened Ghetto Talks in my English class at LaGuardia Community College. The idea of screening the film was born from a class discussion about what it means to be a Latino in America and what it means to be a Latino in New York City. Big urban cities such as New York are known to be the home of many people of color; these people can be seen as “ghetto."

My English class is part of a cluster of classes that revolve around the theme of Latino and Latin American studies. When discussing what it means to be a Latino in New York City many said being poor and living in the ghetto--communities in places like The Bronx, Brooklyn, and El Barrio (The Village), which used to be home to the majority of the city's Puerto Rican communities. Due to gentrification these communities were forced to move to more disenfranchised areas far away from the city, causing them to be seen as poor or "ghetto."

Many of my classmates initially reacted in a negative manner to the film, thinking it was saying that such stereotypes are true. In the end, however, they saw the change that the word has undergone throughout history and they managed to identify with the film's message.

In my opinion, Ghetto Talks is about showing the power of language and how the word “ghetto” has an impact on everyone regardless of race, class or gender. Ghetto Talks shows how much history there is within this word. It has been used to categorize people, to name places where people were forced to live, and to describe people who are disenfranchised and placed in certain areas in urban cities.

At one point, for example, Cora Daniels, author of Ghetto Nation, describes how Paris Hilton uses the word "ghetto" in her reality television show to describe a broken-down truck. Cora points out that she is not complimenting the truck; she is saying that the truck is worthless. Her interpretation pushed my peers to think about what the word meant to them, and they all agreed that on a certain level the word “ghetto” does not have a positive meaning.

Another point that got my peers interested was when cameraman Shamrod Lockwood said that he sees the word “ghetto” as a form of pride, one that points to a sense of survival. My classmates all nodded their heads. Looking at them, I realized that their interpretation must fall somewhere in between. They acknowledged that the word could be seen from different perspectives, but it did not affect their point of view overall.

As a filmmaker, I did not intend to change my classmates' point of view, but I wanted them to see other ways of thinking, how throughout history the word has impacted different groups of people in different places--from Jews in Europe, to African-Americans in the projects, to Latinos and minorities in underserved areas like The Bronx and Brooklyn.

I believe it is my personal responsibility to reclaim the word and share my opinion with others. Screening Ghetto Talks made me feel influential and empowered. I am showing people that words have meaning, but words can only mean what we agree upon as a society. If, to a vast majority, "ghetto" is a negative word, meaning "underserved" or "failure," then this is what the word "ghetto" will come to mean for all of us.

Ghetto Talks has completed it's run on the film festival circuit, so the MediaLab crew is pleased to release our film online. Check it out here>

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Meet the Filmmaker: Shamrod Lockwood

01 Jul 2010, 1:04 PM by Elizabeth Rodd, Urban Arts MediaLab

Story by Omar Cyrille, Cinematographer, Ghetto Talks II

Name: Shamrod Lockwood

Grade: Rising Senior

School: Heritage High School

Neighborhood: Harlem

Role: Cinematographer

Favorite color: Navy blue

Favorite activities: Skateboarding and playing video games

Besides New York City, where else would you like to live? California

What did you gain from the Media Lab program?: I gained experience with cameras and expanded my knowledge of the film industry.

What would you like to take up as a career?: I plan to be a video game designer specializing in character development.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Nicholas Mendez

24 Jun 2010, 1:01 PM by Elizabeth Rodd, Urban Arts MediaLab

Story by Robert Matos, Editor, Ghetto Talks II

Photograph by Daniel Familia

Name: Nicholas Mendez

Grade: Graduating Senior

School: The Facing History School

Role: Producer, Interviewee

What is your experience with the word ghetto?: It’s been said that I grew up in the ghetto for 17 years, and the African-American side of my family considers themselves to be “ghetto”.

Have you ever referred to anybody as “ghetto”?: I refer to many people as “ghetto”. I label you as I see you. If I see you in a negative light then I will refer to you as such.

How do you feel about the word?: I feel it’s a mindset, but you don’t have to give it a negative connotation. You can come from an underprivileged neighborhood, but it’s what you do with your experience that matters.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Marlin Almonte

21 Jun 2010, 3:55 PM by Elizabeth Rodd, Urban Arts MediaLab

Story by Robert Matos, Editor, Ghetto Talks II

Photograph by Cristina Guerra