Most news media represent Mac Arthur Park and the people who live in the surrounding community as perpetuators or victims of violence. Debbie and I choose to make this short documentary about the RAC (Revolutionary Autonomous Communities ) food program because it interrupts that representation by showing the exact opposite; communities supporting each-other through a mutual aid that promotes health, and nourishment on many different levels. Through the process of giving out food to each other and those who need it, the program also promotes an alternative economic model of a moneyless economy.
In spite of the growing non profit industry and the social justice movements in Los Angeles which are tied to institutions that limit the possibilities of radical change, RAC has maintained a stance against financial intervention on the part of organizations. RAC is made up of volunteers who get together every week to build this grassroots system of mutual aid, resource sharing, and a community that can sustain and feed itself.
I came to know RAC through my sister who has been working with them for a number of years. When approached about the possibility of producing this short for class, they were very excited to participate as long as we honored the power dynamics of the organization by producing the film along the same lines of horizontality and respect.
This process, although difficult at times due to our different positions of power and privilege in relation to who holds the camera, who is represented and who is doing the representing, comes through in the video. We approached each person in interviewed by sharing what the project was about and by asking them the questions beforehand so they could decide wether they were interested in responding or not. Our next step is screen the video with RAC members to get their feedback as well as give them copies of the short for their own use.
My hope of filming "socialism" in-action guided the editing style of the piece. If socialism is not just an abstract theoretical concept, then is RAC's Free Food Program an example of what socialism in practice actually looks like? We wanted a diverse group of participants to speak about their volunteer work/experiences as members of an urban community that has been stigmatized socially, economically, and politically. I attempted to capture on video the type of power relations existing between the migrant populations, including the homeless, and the organizers of RAC, the volunteers and the general public. Some questions I stylistically pursued and the answers I concluded after: 1) Is there a pyramid hierarchy of power that clearly separates the food recipients from the organizers? No. Plenty of the organizers receive food for their own families from the program, were previous constituents in past years, and community sharing is afforded greater value than personal surplus. 2) Who funds the program and why? (Are there any strings attached to the free food?) The program is funded by volunteer work mostly, and occasionally by the participants themselves through donations. No corporate sponsors, no religious conversion necessary! It is by the community, for the community, with the community. 3) Can this experiment be replicated elsewhere? Through grassroots mobilization, any community can learn from the example of the people of MacArthur Park and RAC.
I really liked this video because it shows the voices of the people involved in this project. I liked the way you guys embedded the theory into the documentary and particularly the music. The interviews were done in a very organic non-hierarchical manner, which really enhanced your message.
Most news media represent Mac Arthur Park and the people who live in the surrounding community as perpetuators or victims of violence. Debbie and I choose to make this short documentary about the RAC (Revolutionary Autonomous Communities ) food program because it interrupts that representation by showing the exact opposite; communities supporting each-other through a mutual aid that promotes health, and nourishment on many different levels. Through the process of giving out food to each other and those who need it, the program also promotes an alternative economic model of a moneyless economy.
ReplyDeleteIn spite of the growing non profit industry and the social justice movements in Los Angeles which are tied to institutions that limit the possibilities of radical change, RAC has maintained a stance against financial intervention on the part of organizations. RAC is made up of volunteers who get together every week to build this grassroots system of mutual aid, resource sharing, and a community that can sustain and feed itself.
I came to know RAC through my sister who has been working with them for a number of years. When approached about the possibility of producing this short for class, they were very excited to participate as long as we honored the power dynamics of the organization by producing the film along the same lines of horizontality and respect.
This process, although difficult at times due to our different positions of power and privilege in relation to who holds the camera, who is represented and who is doing the representing, comes through in the video. We approached each person in interviewed by sharing what the project was about and by asking them the questions beforehand so they could decide wether they were interested in responding or not. Our next step is screen the video with RAC members to get their feedback as well as give them copies of the short for their own use.
My hope of filming "socialism" in-action guided the editing style of the piece. If socialism is not just an abstract theoretical concept, then is RAC's Free Food Program an example of what socialism in practice actually looks like? We wanted a diverse group of participants to speak about their volunteer work/experiences as members of an urban community that has been stigmatized socially, economically, and politically. I attempted to capture on video the type of power relations existing between the migrant populations, including the homeless, and the organizers of RAC, the volunteers and the general public. Some questions I stylistically pursued and the answers I concluded after:
ReplyDelete1) Is there a pyramid hierarchy of power that clearly separates the food recipients from the organizers? No. Plenty of the organizers receive food for their own families from the program, were previous constituents in past years, and community sharing is afforded greater value than personal surplus.
2) Who funds the program and why? (Are there any strings attached to the free food?) The program is funded by volunteer work mostly, and occasionally by the participants themselves through donations. No corporate sponsors, no religious conversion necessary! It is by the community, for the community, with the community.
3) Can this experiment be replicated elsewhere? Through grassroots mobilization, any community can learn from the example of the people of MacArthur Park and RAC.
I really liked this video because it shows the voices of the people involved in this project. I liked the way you guys embedded the theory into the documentary and particularly the music.
ReplyDeleteThe interviews were done in a very organic non-hierarchical manner, which really enhanced your message.