Detroit Future Media workshops are 20-week trainings for Detroiters interested in building Detroit’s media economy through the creation of grassroots media, and community cultural production. The workshops offer intensive trainings on video, graphics, and web design with a focus on education, entrepreneurship and media-based community organizing.
Last week's DFM Orientation 2012 kicked off the start of a new round of media classes. The orientation consisted of three days of information sharing and student reflection on what their goals are for the semester.
On the first day of orientation, students received their orientation packets (which, in a nod to environmental justice, skipped the thick packets of paper and were instead passed out on flash drives) and created classroom principles that would be used to set the environment of not just the classrooms, but the entire program. Some of the principles students created included: not monopolizing class time, being respectful of other students by doing classwork and being on time, and approaching people in a holistic way that is respectful of their entire lives.
Day two of the orientation was a more reflective day, with students interviewing other students and doing free writes on their skills, communities and dreams for Detroit. Reflections were then used by students to start formulating ideas for the major media project all students are required to complete for graduation.
Orientation wrapped up with a day of media training. Students divided into three groups based on the different tracks they are in (entrepreneurship, education, or media-based community organizing), and then rotated through a twitter training and a blogging training. The third workshop focused on consultation between students and their instructors about their projects and classes.
With orientation 2012 completed, classes began on Monday. Students are already tweeting about their experiences. From Jeff DeBruyn:
@detroit_future media class begins. First question: what is media?#detroitfuture
From Phax Similie (aka Whitney):
Sitting here listening to my fellow
#DetroitFuture kin kick around ideas is incredibly motivating. I hope they all know how great they are.
From Combsthepoet (aka Honeycomb):
Workshops selected. Creativity redeveloped. My life is good, vision is solid. My
#detroitfuture is bright. My fellow futurists are bout it!
The DFM classes are 20 weeks long and culminate in a major media project that will be on display during graduation. Follow the #detroitfuture hashtag on twitter for continuing updates!
