
Young Producers Academy: GHANA

Founded under the umbrella of Urban Wall Street...
UWS Young Producers is a program that gives young people from underserved, disadvantaged communities, and schools a voice to make change. Whether working in a Title 1 School in NYC & NJ, or an NGO in Ghana, West Africa, the one parallel is clear...youth want to be heard; they want to tell their own stories, and create their own narratives, but are not given a chance; or feel they will be ignored or judged. However, when they are given a pen and paper and told to write their story, and then taught how to turn it into a media production that the masses will hear and see, you now have change agents, and that is what Young Producers does...create agents of change in communities that need it most.

The Founder and CEO Earl Christian III is a Howard University TV Production graduate, visionary, creator and Executive Producer of the award winning Urban Wall Street Project, as well as the impactful and dynamic UWS Young Producers program. Since 2008, Earl has produced 5 feature-length documentaries domestic and international, and over 700 UWS and YP student oriented short films/videos, garnering over 1.3 million views on UWS brand YouTube channels. Having worked with thousands of students in NY and NJ public schools, as well as private organizations, students learn the fundamentals of script writing, camera operation, directing, make-up, and other facets of video/filmmaking. In 2018, added to his Young Producers youth programs was Young Designers, a fashion design and entrepreneurial program.
The general goal of the Young Producers program is to empower students to chronicle and express their thoughts about the world as they see it in a documented video format. Participants are taught filmmaking, media literacy, graphic design and technology skills. Students serve as camera persons, producers, on-screen talent, and directors of content that will be/can be viewed by the global community online, on the Young Producers YouTube Channel.
VIRTUAL STORY REVIEW

Below is a video recording from Project Leader Obed Nii Armah Tagoe, and cast member, Joy Adevu, speaking to the impact of this summer experience in their lives:

In collaboration with Van Siclen Community School in Brooklyn NY, students will engage in video conferencing media production workshops, working interdependently in 10-week cycles, culminating in a series of student produced videos/films. As the Covid pandemic has brought new challenges to education globally, it has also created an environment in which technology can be used to bridge youth across the diaspora, from Africa to America. Produced films will be shown to their respective communities, and streamed globally.

VSC YP Marvin Worthen Jr. feels Young Producers to be "an honor"!
Students will serve as camera persons, producers, on-screen talent, and directors of content that will be viewed by the global community online, on the Young Producers YouTube Channel.
Mission: With the successful facilitation of the Young Producing program at B.A.S.I.C.S INTERNATIONAL summer 2020 via video conferencing, the goal is to travel to Accra, Ghana, staying for a period of three months, laying the foundation for YP Academy at B.A.S.I.C.S INTERNATIONAL, wherein youth participants will have the opportunity to build upon what they have learned. Additionally, we will develop a media space/production suite to encompass an editing deck, cameras, microphones, green screen, and production set(s). Facilitation of YP program for replication and training will be provided for future UWS Films employment opportunities as well. Once this has been established, upon return to the U.S, the coordinating of launching the first Distance Learning, interdependent, intercontinental youth media production program with Van Siclen Community School in Brooklyn NY will be set.
BEHIND THE SCENES: "ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD"
Young Producers Africa was created in 2020, during the Covid Pandemic. Urban Wall Street collaborated with two non-profits to provide a virtual workshop to students who were out of school due to Covid. As a result, three amazing short films were created which were used to empower over 10,000 youth and counting.
"Each day should be a learning experience." -Sir Earl -- A few participants share...
CHORKOR XTRA PRODUCTIONS FILMS PLAYLIST: View films via custom link.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6kv5UL_CTib3MfqaHlN7pSEg5vAk08Pe
B.A.S.I.C.S International is registered 501 C3, in the USA (11-3633709) and registered NGO (non government office) in Ghana, West Africa, and for the past 20 years, has provided social services and programs to children in New York and Ghana.
Today, Urban Wall Street and B.A.S.I.C.S International are working together to continue this program bridging two continents of youth, via distance learning, to empower young people around the world through films, written and produced independently by them, changing the narrative for young people.
We need your help to continue this empowering program:
More information about BASICS International, Inc.: A global community based intervention program, promoting literacy, economic empowerment, health, wellness and social inclusion. Providing BASIC tools for self sustainability. Impacting over 300,000 through community outreach, 2190 educational sponsorship, of which 1200 was provided to the girl child. Our social enterprise programs provides economic freedom to women. Since the year 2000, BASICS has provided social services and support to Ghana 365 days a year.
- D
- A