City of Dreams: The documentary - Afrocentric Educ./ Black-Focused School- Trailer

In November 2007, public consciousness woke up to the fact that African-Canadian youth have disappeared from Toronto schools.

Approximately 40% of Black youth are currently out of school in one of the world's most tolerant, diverse, multicultural, wealthy cities.

In an effort to combat the dropout rate and help kids of African-heritage (aka Black youth), the Toronto School Board, on January 30th, approved a proposal to open an Black-focused school. It was a controversial proposal and a decision some called segregation and others considered liberation from centuries of Eurocentric education that led to the mis-education of kids of African heritage.

'City of Dreams' , a 90min. documentary brings us to the people impacted by this statistic and uncovers the whereabouts of the 1st Black-focused School.

Through the experiences of a mother whose son was expelled from school; the teacher of a boy shot in school property; Advocates of Afrocentric schools in 1970s; a retired school administrator; a school board trustee along with notable figures like Dr. George Elliott Clarke, Dr. Pablo Idahosa, Hawa Jabril and Faduma Ahmed Alim, 'City of Dreams' brings us to the heart of what has been the most racially tense, controversial subject in Toronto in recent years.

'City of Dreams' is a provocative, powerful and eye-opening look at race and education and ultimately challenges its viewers into re-thinking multiculturalism, segregation, integration, separation, assimilation, racism and education.

We thoroughly hope that you enjoy the trailer. By joining this group, you will receive updates regarding local screenings of the documentary.

You can also get in touch with Producer/Director Hana Abdul: fistfulloffirepictures@hotmail.com, or Production Assistant Tim Chan: tim_chan@live.com

Link to Trailer on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/ProductionOffice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdJyHSFF6Wg

Another act of violence at CW Jefferys...

Here's the latest incident to happen at CW Jefferys. Sometimes I wonder if our story is melodramatic, then I remember that this one particular high school has already had: a boy shot and killed in the school, a girl raped by 6 boys in the bathroom, and now a kid stabbed in the cafeteria at 12 noon.

[speechless]

Bobman


C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, a Toronto high school plagued by violence including a fatal 2007 shooting, was in lockdown again Tuesday after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed and rushed to hospital.

The victim was stabbed in the stomach at the school early Monday afternoon, the CBC's Muhammad Lila reported. Injured and bleeding, he took a cab to his home near Jane Street and Sheppard Ave. W. before a relative called 911 at about 12:47 p.m. ET. He was taken by ambulance to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where he underwent surgery for non-life threatening injuries.

"He was bleeding profusely from the stomach area," Const. Tony Vella told CBC News.
The student's identity and details including a motive haven't been disclosed.

The northwest Toronto school, located at 340 Sentinel Rd., was under lockdown for about three hours until 4 p.m. ET while police investigated.

"These are our kids," said parent Marilyn Valotta. "And what's happening to them? They're getting stabbed and they're getting shot. It's ridiculous. It shouldn't be happening."

She and other parents said they'd feel safer if police officers were patrolling the school hallways, a measure some other Toronto District School Board schools have implemented.

Principal Audley Salmon told reporters that the school has three hallway monitors and surveillance cameras, which police will use to find witnesses and suspects.

C.W. Jefferys has had its share of controversies in recent years. The high school was the site of a shooting that killed 15-year-old Jordan Manners in May 2007. It was also where an alleged sexual assault occurred in 2006 but only came to light much later after an advisory panel investigating school safety reported it.

Manners' death prompted officials to convene a major task force that examined the problem of violence in Toronto's public schools.

The panel concluded that many of the more than 250,000 students at Toronto public high schools face a "culture of fear."

The panel's 1,000-page report, released in January, uncovered an alarming number of unreported incidents of violence and sexual harassment at specific Toronto schools.
In January 2006, the panel recorded 177 violent incidents in schools across the district, including some involving guns, robbery and sexual assault.

Rejuvenated...

Hi all,

Thought I'd check in with a blog entry.

Just wanted to say how nice it is to come to rehearsal, and feel joy for my work again. For the last few years, most (if not all) projects I've acted in/wrote/directed have felt like work. Too many shoots are about the money, too many scripts are about selling tickets, too many projects are about attracting the next contract, etc.

For the first time in a LONG time, I am only focused on this project insofar as it materializes in the most artistically-brilliant way possible. I'm a lot happier working this way, and considerably less stressed. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with such a talented group of wonderful human beings. We're truly blessed, and I can't wait to see how it all turns out!

Bobman