As a second-generation Nigerian American, I have always loved everything involving art, film, media, writing, and languages. My journey has not always been easy, but through creativity, I have found the courage to connect with others and grow my self-confidence.

I consider myself to be extroverted, but it was a challenging journey overcoming insecurities that developed at a young age. I used to make it a point to stick to what’s comfortable and stay to myself. When I began using my yellow Polaroid and my camcorder (both gifted to me by relatives) to take pictures of the people around me, it allowed me to come out of my shell and form deeper connections with others.

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I’ve been a part of Wide Angle for some of the most formative years of my life. During the vast majority of high school, I was a part of their after school program, and in my early 20s, I worked as a graphic design intern. Throughout that entire time, a giant wooden relief of the Wide Angle logo has hung on the office wall. If you’ve never seen it, the Wide Angle logo features the silhouetted figures of four youth: three holding up film equipment,–cameras and a boom mic–and one holding a pencil and paper. This logo has represented Wide Angle’s commitment to amplifying youth voices and providing them with media and arts education for as long as I’ve been here. The emphasis was on teaching video production, with a little hint at more, like drawing, represented by the youth holding the pencil and paper. 

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When it comes to getting ahead, we’ve all heard the phrase it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know. You’d be surprised by how many people at major companies are hired not for their intensive portfolio or impressive resume, but simply because they were recommended by a friend. Success is found through building a supportive network. Hard work will only get you so far. How does one find this hypothetical network of people to pull them to the top? Some would say by getting thousands of connections on LinkedIn. Others may advise you to send cold emails to every billionaire whose name you happen to know. While there may be some value in those methods, one simple, yet powerful lesson I learned from a successful CEO, is that the secret to networking is all about showing up for other people. 

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I am a former amateur boxing national champion for the USA Boxing Association who found a deeper passion for combat sports through digital photography and short filmmaking. My story has come full circle in many ways. I found boxing around the same time as digital media. Since my high school (Baltimore School For The Arts) didn’t give me an athletic outlet, I spent my after-school time on YouTube, watching training videos of the uber-talented kids my age at Upton Boxing Centre in Baltimore. This content inspired me to become a boxer myself, and eventually, I deemed myself high-level enough to switch gyms and train at Upton Boxing under coach Calvin Ford, the trainer of Gervonta Davis. 

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Dr. Patrick Oray, Ph.D., is a Literature faculty member at Bard High School Early College in Baltimore. He teaches Literature of the Americas, First Year Seminar, and a Social Justice elective. A Chicago native, he moved to Baltimore in 2014 after earning his M.A. and Ph.D. in American Studies at the University of Iowa, specializing in critical race theory, immigration, and media studies. He led United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers Local 896/COGS during his studies and wrote for Little Village magazine. His work with nonprofits began with Americorps VISTA and the University YMCA, experiences that continue to shape his educational and civic efforts.

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In early 2022, Wide Angle’s fee-for-service Production department was selected for NBCUniversal's Creative Impact Lab. Through this initiative, NBCU partners with national nonprofit creative agencies that train apprentices to craft marketing materials for a roster of nonprofits. Last summer, we were paired with Urban Arts, a NYC-based nonprofit that teaches game development through coding, computer science, animation, and other mediums to underrepresented youth. Together, we produced a 30-second ad for Urban Arts, set to air on NBCU platforms.

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My Father's Plan is a non-profit organization in Baltimore City dedicated to teaching youth of all ages skills to spark personal growth and ultimately enhance their community. Founder Dawod Thomas is also my uncle, and I wanted to highlight his leadership and learn from him, particularly as I think through what impact I want to have on future generations. He spoke with me about what it means for him to continue his dad's legacy in Baltimore City.

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Our media educators are impassioned creatives making a difference in our classrooms and Baltimore. I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Darian Jones, our new Program Director (former Program Manager and Media Educator), to discuss his latest storytelling project capturing the inspiring fight against eminent domain in Baltimore's Poppleton neighborhood. 

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This Valentine’s season we’re bringing you a match made in media! Wide Angle alum Sumayyah met her husband over a decade ago in our high school media program. For Allen, it was love at first sight. Read the blog to learn more about their love story!

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There are thousands of stories unfolding every day in the city of Baltimore. We are no strangers to the stigma that lives against Baltimore’s culture and history. But, there are also thousands of inspirational stories that make this city an opportunity goldmine. Wide Angle’s new Owning Our Opportunity blog series is a platform to honor the trailblazers, the unsung heroes, and the compelling tales that highlight Baltimore's rich diversity.

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This winter, we’re shining a spotlight on our younger students through our Dream Big campaign to support 90 middle school students in our Baltimore Speaks Out (BSO) program. This week, we’re hitting rewind with three staff members to learn how they discovered media making, why it’s been so formative for them and how those experiences shape their approach to working with our youngest learners.

Get to know three of our BSO instructors - Aiara Manning (Arts2Work Apprentice - Junior Designer & Assistant Media Educator), Christian Lewis (Media Instructor), and Camille Ollivierre (Media Instructor) as they take a walk down memory lane.

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Who determines what’s successful in the classroom? Who leads the curiosity? In Baltimore Speaks Out (BSO) workshops, the common answers to these questions break from the status quo. Student curiosity leads the creative process, intentionally subverting common educational hierarchies, which often position teachers as the sole experts. During introductory media classes, BSO students play, explore, and problem-solve, as teachers provide initial skills to help set them up for success before moving into a support role. Students are enthusiastic and engaged when they get to lead their own creative process.

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Our staff is constantly growing and adding new faces to the team. We’re glad to have the opportunity to welcome the newest members of our programs team who are all bringing a whirlwind of passion, creativity, and zest for all things media arts. Read along as we get to know our new program instructors and outreach manager.

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I was introduced to Wide Angle Youth Media in the summer before my freshman year of high school through Baltimore's Youth Works program. The summer program was my first consistent exposure to media arts, software, and production. I didn’t know at the time that I would start down a path in photography and videography, but I do remember really enjoying getting the opportunity to learn some Photoshop basics that I would soon use more regularly.

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I came to Wide Angle Youth Media late in the semester of 2021. I joined Darian Jones’ film class with no prior experience in production. For the most part, I didn’t know what I was doing, and I often wondered if I could belong in this field. Luckily, I got to meet amazing mentors like Darian who trusted my vision and encouraged my skills.

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For underrepresented communities, media representation is vital. Though historically underrepresented in significant roles in video entertainment, there has been a shift towards greater diversified representation in recent years. According to UCLA’s 2023 Hollywood Diversity Report, since 2019 people of color have been consistently becoming a bigger part of the entertainment space when compared to their white counterparts. The study indicates that Americans are gravitating toward more diversified films. The highest median global box office receipts were earned by cinematic pictures in 2022 with casts that were between 31% and 40% minorities, while the worst performers (repeating a trend seen in the previous three years) were those with casts that were less than 11% minorities.

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This past fall semester, our Actor’s Workshop and Video cohorts joined forces to recreate a scene from a well-known movie. For this classic film school assignment, students selected movie scenes and voted on their favorites. Racism, tragedy (sports injury), intra-racial prejudice, and gun violence were all topics covered in the scenes initially viewed. Video students wrote reflections and shared them in class after they watched each scene as a group.

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This spring, we’re shining a spotlight on our apprentices and interns through our Play It Forward campaign to support 14 emerging creatives in our program. In this blog post, we’re highlighting three young professionals on staff to learn how they discovered their creative passions and what’s lies ahead.

Get to know Lacee Cottman (Social Media Intern), Jeffrey Obike (Arts2Work Multimedia Apprentice) and Aleeia Townes (Design Intern)!

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Maceo “Tendaji” Lester - he/him pronouns - is a filmmaker based in Baltimore, MD. His work ranges from music videos, narrative film, documentaries and wedding videography. Lester received his BA in Mass Communications at Virginia State University and his MFA in Film from the Maryland Institute College of Art. His love of music, sports and African-American culture are very prevalent in his work. His work has been screened and won awards at several film festivals across the nation and internationally. Lester aspires to tell authentic stories that will substantially impact race/gender equity and help cultivate storytellers of the next generation. He is a former Workforce Manager and Media Instructor at Wide Angle.

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A young girl around 10 years old is writing in her composition book as the teacher instructed. While she is in the midst of her writing a young boy calls out loudly, “Nellie has gorilla arms.” The class laughs and students start to gather. Another student exclaims, “You have more hair than me…and I'm a boy!” “Can I braid it!?” Someone yells. Can girls not have arm hair? Nellie thinks to herself. From that day forward young Nellie wore a sky blue, long sleeve jacket everyday until she entered middle school and everyone had forgotten about the incident. You may have guessed this but young Nellie was me.

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