YDA Takes Films to Capitol Hill

The Youth Documentary Academy is thrilled to share news of our upcoming visit to Washington D.C. next week where four of our Colorado Springs graduates – Antreise Lacey, Madison Legg, Bailey Francisco, and Stevie Earnest – will be presenting their films on Capitol Hill at a Congressional screening welcomed by Rep. Diane DeGette (D-CO).

At the screening, Congresswoman DeGette will be speaking about YDA to an audience of journalists, students, filmmakers, NGO leaders and other members of Congress and their staffs. Our students have private meetings scheduled with Senator Michael Bennet, Rep. Jared Polis, and Congressman Ken Buck who have been briefed about the films and our students. In addition, our students will be getting a White House tour, and visits to four leadership organizations, including America for the Arts, the Black Congressional Caucus, the Center for Transgender Equality and the National Military Families Association.

All of this in three days.

Finally, upon arrival, our students will get a legislative and media training by Kris Eisenla, a professional media specialist, on how to conduct interviews with media and engaging legislators. Students have been (or will be) interviewed by the Gazette Telegraph, the Denver Post, NPR, Fox News – Colorado Springs, NBC News – Washington DC, and several journals.

Accompanying our students will be Linda Broker, Executive Director of the Rocky Mt. Women’s Film Institute, Tara Thomas, Director of Education at the Fine Arts Center’s Bemis School of Art, Kathy Stults, Director of youth outreach for the Rocky Mt. Women’s Film Institute, YDA Deputy Director Karen Walldorf and Tom Shepard, YDA Director.

Click to see the program for the Congressional Screening:  DCProgram-R1