FILM RESUME

Co-Director / Co-Writer

Who is Jim Taylor & What is the Community Film Workshop
40-minute video Dino Malcolm, Producer (1990)

Co-Director / Writer

Voodoo and The Church In Haiti
40-minute, 16 mm film documentary about Voodoo as a traditional African religion in the new world (1988)

Producer / Co-Writer / Director:

The Musicians Building 
40-minute video documentary about a building that housed musicians in Chicago (1987)

Professional Experience

FOUNDER: St. John Film Society, a free monthly film screening series presented on St. John, in the US Virgin Islands. 2008 – present

FOUNDER / CO-DIRECTOR: REELTIME, a free monthly series of public programs at the Evanston Public Library. The series presents independent media and brings the public at large and film/videomakers together to promote discussion about issues of concern to the community. 1998- 2005

PROJECT DIRECTOR: “The Garifuna Journey” a collaborative archiving project with the Garifuna people documenting aspects of their culture. Completed work resulted in several video documentaries and a multi-media traveling exhibition and archives for the Garifuna Nation. Copies of materials placed in Center for Black Music Research archives.

CO-OP MEMBER: New Day Films, Inc. since 1992, a group of independent filmmakers who work cooperatively to self-distribute social-issue documentaries. www.newday.com  

PROJECT DIRECTOR: “The Long Road Home,” a collaborative project with Mayan refugees living in Chicago which resulted in a multi-media traveling exhibition and a 30 minute documentary. Exhibit included: Drawings, photographs, and pottery

Teaching & Related Experience

Panel Participant: Sacred Journeys conference, Oxford, England. July 2014

Panel Participant: Diaspora Voices, New Directions: conference, University of Toronto, April 2014

Visiting Artist, St. Vincent, West Indies 2005. Traveled on island presenting“The Garifuna Journey” to Caribe descendants

Panel Participant: International Council for Traditional Music Conference, Brazil (2001);“Echoes of the Bone,” Northwestern University Conference; Caribbean Studies Association Conference; and the Evanston Arts Council

Teacher: Columbia College, Chicago, Il. Taught documentary production in film/video department (1999-2001)

Panel Co-Facilitator/Presenter on “outsider/insider” collaboration in documenting ones’ culture: Field Museum of Chicago; American Museum of Natural History, NY

Co-Author: “Special Project” article, Cultural Survival Quarterly, Spring 1996 & 1998

Author:“A Personal Distribution Story,” Angles Magazine, Vol. 3, #2, 1997

Author: “Garifuna Settlement Day: A Celebration of Resistance,” ACM Magazine, Spring 1996

Panel member for application review, Chicago Artists International Program, 1995

Juror, Women In The Directors Chair Film Festival, 1994, 1997

Panelist, 1994 Presenters Incubator Regrant Program, funded by NEA & MacArthur Foundation
Conferences attended: NEFVF 1994, NAMAC 1993, Robert Flaherty Seminar for Independent Video and Cinema: 1994

Juror, American Film Festival, Chicago, Illinois, 1989

Panel Moderator, Chicago Area Film and Video Network Conference, 1989

Author: “Collages, Carvings and Quilts,” The Visual Arts of St. Vincent,” Caribbean Review, Vol. XIV, No. 1,1985

Guest Lecturer, School of the Art Institute, Chicago, 1983-86

Guest Lecturer, Parkside University of Wisconsin Extension, 1986

Awards & Grants for Film/Video

2020-2021
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA EMMY® AWARDS
Outstanding Achievement / ENVIRONMENT/SCIENCE – LONG FORM CONTENT
Every Second Breath project: THREE OCEAN ADVOCATES: INSPIRING CHANGE

2018
Virgin Island Council of the Arts, grant for Every Second Breath project: BARBARA CRITES: SNORKELING ST JOHN USVI

2005
Virgin Islands Arts Council grant for “The Jamesie Project”

2004
Virgin Islands Humanities Council grant for“The Jamesie Project.”
Virgin Islands Arts Council grant for“The Jamesie Project.”
Illinois Humanities Council grant for“The Jamesie Project.”

2003
Virgin Islands Humanities Council grant for“The Jamesie Project.”

2002
Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award

2000
Grants for Reeltime program: Illinois Humanities Council, Illinois Arts Council, Playboy Foundation
Illinois Humanities Grant for“Valentina, Midwife and Healer.”

1999
Rotary International, grant to distribute“The Garifuna Journey” video and Study guide for distribution to schools in Belize.

1998
Evanston Arts Council Cultural Fund, Major grant for“The Garifuna Journey”
Zonta International, Grant to develop study guide for Garifuna project.
The Artistic Achievement Award in Ethnographic Video, Huntington International Independent Film Festival
Award of Merit in Film/Video, Latin American Studies Association
Honorable Mention, Phila Film International Film Festival
Honorable Mention, Columbus International Film Festival

1995
CAIP travel grant (Belize), Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
Special Assistance Grant: Illinois Arts Council (Garifuna project)

1994
”Bronze Apple” National Educational Film and Video Festival.
Grants for“The Long Road Home” project: Resist & The Shefa Fund

1993
“Honorable Mention” Columbus International Film & Video Festival.
“Certificate of Appreciation” Earth Peace International Film Festival.
Grants for“The Long Road Home” project: Chicago Office of Fine Arts, Peace Development Fund, Resist, New Prospect Foundation, Landau Family Foundation.
Special Assistance Grant: Illinois Arts Council, for arts consultant Morrie Warshawski.

1990
Community Arts Assistance Grant: Chicago Office of Fine Arts.

1989
Build Illinois Filmmakers Grant: Community Film Workshop