Co-Creator, 2019 – present

THE GUS NEWPORT PROJECT aims to learn from and share the teachings of an American treasure, Eugene “Gus” Newport, who has served in multiple social change roles, including elected official, academic, organizer, and thought leader.

Former Berkeley mayor Eugene “Gus” Newport is known to activists, cultural icons and political leaders as a tireless advocate for justice. Through his life and relationships, he has aspired to emulate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of a “Beloved Community,” and we can see that vision take hold in the broad and diverse network of citizen leaders he mentors and emboldens daily to demand progressive change. The verité documentary follows Newport’s lively activism on today’s issues — from police misconduct to voting rights – and reaches back to relevant moments in his history, including his friendship with Malcolm X.

This project is not a biographical portrait looking backward, it is about the community created in the present, on a daily basis, by a tireless advocate who sees his own life inextricably bound to those around him. Through an oral history project, documentary, interactive archive and public programs, the project will capture Gus’ unique contributions to numerous social movements and carry his legacy forward as a resource for future generations of students, educators, activists, and leaders.

Impact Producer, 2008 – 2015

BRIDGE THE GULF is a community media initiative designed to help Gulf Coast communities convey their stories and their vision for a just, healthy and sustainable future.

NEWS STORIES

“Bridge the Gulf … provides a space for residents of Gulf Coast neighborhoods to upload their own videos, photos, and written stories about everything from the BP oil spill to community development projects. Residents have stories to tell and also possess the basic tools to tell them; by providing a public forum, Bridge the Gulf weaves those stories together into a larger, crowdsourced narrative that’s more powerful than the sum of its parts.”

• ARTICLE IN YES! MAGAZINE: Why the Smartphone Becamse the Lightsaber of the Environmental Justice Movement

“Melissa Harris-Perry pays tribute to the “Bridge the Gulf” organization for its work in aiding distressed residents along the Gulf Coast.”

• VIDEO ON MSNBC: Foot Soldier: Bridge the Gulf

“On the Gulf Coast — a region so battered by disasters in recent years that the national news media is nearly omnipresent — some residents decided to seize (the) cameras and mics for themselves.”

• STORY ON STATE OF THE REUNION: Bridge the Gulf Gives Residents A Voice

LEAH MAHAN’S BLOG ON BRIDGE THE GULF