A Story in Motion: Morelys features Morelys, a Dominican young woman, shares her recent immigration experience to DC., the transformation of her poetry and her engagement for a better world. film by Ludy Grandas, presented at the Humanities Truck Film Festival on April 28, 2023 at American University.
Longtime Petworth resident, Arvella Farmer recalls growing up in Petworth and still living in the same home she was raised in. She remembers how members in the community looked out for one another, opportunities to sing at the Catholic Church, and how music was a uniting thread between herself, her brother, and the broader community. She met Andrew Hesbacher, who lived in Petworth for a brief period in 2018, when she heard him practicing his trumpet on his front porch and walked over to introduce herself. When asked what makes Petworth unique, Farmer answers: “The people who live in it…and love each other.”
Angelyn “Angie” Whitehurst grew up in Petworth from the age of eleven and recalls the tight-knit community that existed between area schools, small, black-owned businesses, and the library. She discusses the long history of the neighborhood, originating before the Civil War as a plantation and the regentrification that she has seen occur in recent years, bringing a diversity of people and businesses. She wants to see the neighborhood be “happy, balanced, [and] incorporating of others” in future years.
The interview with Austin Arminio discusses his participation in the American University (AU) Staff Union Strike in August 2022. In the interview he discusses his understanding of labor movements coming from a labor sympathetic family before participating in one. He also discusses his education and career in history as a processing archivist at American. Finally, he mentions his role during the strike, as well as an overwhelming feeling of community support during the movement. Austin also references the larger collection of AU Staff Union Strike ephemera in the American University Archives and Special Collections and materials he intends to submit to be included.
Catherine Hargrove relocated to Petworth in the mid-1980s from Boston where she attended law school. She recalls it being incredibly family-oriented at the time she moved, but that the city did not maintain the urban landscape well. When asked about the change in the neighborhood overtime, Hargrove mentions that while still community-oriented, the neighborhood is largely gentrified. While this has resulted in greater municipal upkeep of the neighborhood, she notes several individuals that have been forced out of the community due to rising costs. She expresses that more conversations need to be held around the topic of gentrification and believes that individuals moving into new neighborhoods should make a point to learn the history and norms of the community that already exists.
The interview with David Kaib discusses his participation in the American University (AU) Staff Union since 2019 and their Strike in August 2022. In the interview he discusses his understanding of labor movements, his political beliefs and background as a Ph.D. in political science, and his involvement. He also discusses his role on campus conducting institutional research and the dynamics between various groups at American University. Finally, he mentions his role during the strike. David’s thoughtful perspective is incredibly informative.
Denise Berry, Tonya Cauley, and Sabrina Spurlock grew up together in the Petworth neighborhood. They all lived on the same block, attended school together, and spent free time together, as their mothers were close friends. The Petworth of their youth felt like “one big family,” and they traveled by foot to local shops, school, and the park, without fear of safety. Tonya Cauley closed the interview with a powerful call for the members of the community to love and take care of one another.
Donna Rattley Washington, a proud third-generation Washingtonian, grew up in Brightwood, and reflects on the change she’s seen occur in the community over her lifetime. The most stark difference, she notes, is the presence of white people in the neighborhood, a result of redevelopment. Washington sees the changes that have occurred as largely positive, bringing an influx of new people and businesses to revitalize the neighborhood. She does, however, note the importance of acknowledging the displacement that often accompanies gentrification.
East of the River begins with the tragic death of a young boy named Kelvin Mock, who died in a trash burn in the landfill that preceded Kenilworth Park in North East Washington, DC. The film tells the story of the Kenilworth area from a landfill to a park and provides a space for the residents to share their memories that had a connection to Kenilworth Landfill. The film was created by Amin Elsiwi, Phil Bouknight, and Jeffrey Madison. This film got into three film festivals: DC Independent Film Festival, Bethesda film festival, Community stories film festival that is organized by Docs in Progress. It was also presented at the Humanities Truck Film Festival on April 28, 2023 at American University.
American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Slide slow created by returned Peace Corps Volunteer Ron Dizon, who served in Afghanistan from 1971 to 1973. This slide show displays personal photographs of Peace Corps volunteers taken after their service concluded in 1973, including photographs of post-service reunions at Yosemite National Park and in Las Vegas, Nevada, among others. It was presented during the volunteers' 2012 Moment in Time Reunion in Portland, Oregon.
Eliza is a short documentary that tells the powerful story of a Salvadoran woman who migrated to the United States more than a decade ago and is now a volunteer and truck driver in DC. Her new life has been interesting, but great joy came along when she could drive a big truck once more. film is by Ludy Grandas and was presented at the Humanities Truck Film Festival at American University on April 28, 2023.