Nuevas Novelas: Media Literacy to Prevent Violence

The Colectivo Justicia para mi hermana continues their weekly trainings in Guatemala City with support of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala to bring various Modules to the participants. 

They have covered the following topics: 

• MODULE 4: HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

• MODULE 5: NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION AND THEATER 

• MODULE 6: REWRITING POP CULTURE

• MODULE 7: VIDEO PRODUCTION AND BREAKING THE SILENCE

• MODULE 8: HEALING STRATEGIES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS 

• MODULE 9: PUBLIC SPEAKING AND ADVOCACY

• MODULE 10: WORKING WITH AUTHORITIES AND IMPLEMENTING LAWS

Participants have been in technical workshops since April. They've received trainings in feminist analysis of pop culture (Ana Silvia Monzón), script-writing (Camila Urrutia), project development (yours truly, Kimberly Bautista) and soon will have a directing workshop with Vanessa Ramos. 

Just yesterday, the students presented pitches of their projects via Skype to a panel of judges. The judges included Ana Saldaña (Los Angeles-based producer, sound recordist, musician), Inés Nofuentes (Spanish producer) and Izrael Moreno (Mexican director and educator). The jury has selected their favorite pitches which will be produced in June and July, and presented in August! Stay tuned for updates on our social media! 

In Los Angeles, we've found a home at Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory! We will be launching our Nuevas Novelas program in Boyle Heights in June 2016. Let us know if you have any friends or relatives who would like to partake! 

In December - November 2015, Project Leader Kimberly Bautista set out to Guatemala with support of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala to prepare curriculum and train with the local coordinators in Guatemala. Our team in Guatemala consists of four Project Coordinators, Paulina Maldonado, Anny Matzir, Oscar "Tommy" Tobar, and Frida Rodriguez, and various guest lecturers, including hip hop artist Rebeca Lane. The team has identified 20 enthusiastic participants who are committed to learning about gender equality, storytelling, and video production. They are now in their fourth session, and have thus covered topics such as: 

• PATRIARCHY AND PRIVILEGE AS SOURCES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
• REDEFINING MASCULINITY
• COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ORGANIZING TECHNIQUES

Our team in Los Angeles consists of Hilda Franco and Kimberly Bautista, and they have received funding from National Association of Latino Arts and Culture to partner with Watts Labor Community Action Committee to launch a parrallel program with 20 participants in Watts. 

Links:

• JFMS YouTube Channel