We are so excited to jump into 2010! It’s already been a very busy year for the OYBM collective! We started off the New Year by hosting a one-day workshop for High School students from Northpoint in Prescott, AZ. They were preparing to make horror films and needed some pointers. Needless to say OYBM mentors were up to the task, we shared skills with everything from script writing to green screening.

In January we also partnered with Navajo Waters for an after school workshop to address impacts of uranium in our communities and make it Public Service Announcement. In just 3 days for a total of about 12 hours the participants learned about the dangers of uranium, came up with their PSA idea, wrote, shot, and edited! You can view the completed PSA on our website: www.oybm.org.

We are happy to announce our fiscal sponsorship and partnership with Las Otras Hermanas, an awesome fair trade/human rights group based out of Phoenix, Arizona that seeks to empower women in Juarez impacted by violence. We are going to be helping LOH make a short film about their work and collaborating more in the near future!

You may already know that OYBM moved in October from our home of two years on the east side of Flagstaff to a much larger location downtown. Well, because of issues with building codes and the landlord not getting proper permits, we’ve had a blessing… we have found a new location that is 3 times the size of the downtown one and for the same price for rent!

It just so happens to be an old radio station with studio space already built in! Although it needs A LOT of work, we are extremely excited about our new home. Hmmm…maybe OYBM community radio is next?!

We have also received a grant from Honor the Earth Foundation for one of our new projects called, “Hear our Eco”. With this project we’ll be inviting 30 youth to participate in a 4 month long project to make films about environmental issues impacting their communities.

We have finished OYBM DVD Vol. 3! This DVD features 9 short films from our 2009 workshops. We are also honored to include the award winning short film, “In the Footsteps of Yellow Woman.” This 30 min short was written, directed, and edited by Camille Manybeads, OYBM’s youngest mentor!

We are still 100% volunteer operated and community based. We couldn’t have grown this much and come this far without your support. And since we are growing even more this year we need your support more than ever! Part of our practice is to be community supported and not solely dependent on foundations and grants, that’s where you come in. Please visit our website and learn how you can effectively support our work. It’s not just about money either! You can volunteer, donate equipment, help renovate our new space, and much more.

Since we started in 2004 we’ve reached thousands of young people, helped produce more than 60 short films, screened at film festivals nationally and internationally, empowered youth to become media mentors, and lectured at numerous high schools and colleges.

We have maintained a resourcefulness that demonstrates how media can be truly democratic and accessible to all.

Only with community support will we to continue to be effective towards our goals of youth empowerment and media justice.

Ahe’ hee’!

The Outta Your Backpack Media Collective:

Klee Benally

Shelby Ray

Ned Del Callejo

Camille Tso

Rachel Tso

Clayson Benally

www.oybm.org

oybm@oybm.org

Outta Your Backpack Media & Navajo Waters Uranium Project have teamed up to host a free after-school workshop on making a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about uranium mining and its impacts on our communities.

The workshop was held from January 11th-13th at Taala Hooghan Infoshop in Flagstaff, AZ.

Additional info on uranium:

http://www.wman-info.org/

http://www.grandcanyontrust.org

http://www.sric.org/uranium/index.html

http://www.uranium-network.org/

http://www.wise-uranium.org/

Outta Your Backpack Media & Navajo Waters Uranium Project have teamed up to host a free after-school workshop on making a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about uranium mining and it’s impacts on our communities.

The workshop will be held from January 11th-13th at Taala Hooghan Infoshop in Flagstaff, AZ.

This opportunity is open to Indigenous Youth of high-school age (exceptions made).

Workshop participants will learn:

- About how uranium impacts our communities

- How to write, shoot and edit a short PSA

- Media Justice!

The workshop is free and limited to 10 participants.

You can register at www.oybm.org or by calling (928) 380-2629 or (928) 526-8993.

Food will be provided. Transportation and accommodations will not.

 PLEASE REGISTER HERE:

How Does Uranium Impact U? Tell Your Story PSA Workshop!

January 11th – 13th, 2010

4PM-8:30PM

At Taala Hooghan Infoshop

11 S. Mikes Pike, Downtown Flagstaff, AZ

Contact: oybm@oybm.org

(928) 380-2629 or (928) 526-8993.

www.oybm.org - Indigenous Youth Empowerment! / Filmmaking Workshops / Resource Distribution

A sheep drinks water from a toxic factory and turns into a zombie. Made at Outta Your Backpack Media’s Fall ‘09 workshop by Indigenous Youth. More info: www.oybm.org.

School is a nightmare for a young Dine’ high school girl until she has a talk with her Grandma. Made at Outta Your Backpack Media’s Fall ‘09 workshop.

[View with PicLens]

A sheep drinks water from a toxic factory and turns into a zombie. Made at Outta Your Backpack Media’s Fall ‘09 workshop by Indigenous Youth.

[View with PicLens]

School is a nightmare for a young Dine’ high school girl until she has a talk with her Grandma.
Made at Outta Your Backpack Media’s Fall ‘09 workshop.

[View with PicLens]

On a calm day in 1492 something happened…

Produced at an Outta Your Backpack Media workshop fall ‘08.

The Sun Sets on Twilight is a Parody/Documentary of the movie Twilight. It is making fun of the fact that Twilight hired a Caucasian to play the role of a Native American, and Native teens talk about how they are affected. Produced at Outta Your Backpack Media’s spring 2009 workshop.

A young boy who has no friends dreams he is a pirate. Produced at Outta Your Backpack Media’s spring 2009 workshop.