The Power of Media

I had one of my teens come over on Saturday and do some video of a few of our younger kids. Ruby is 7 and Bookie is 10. It took us a few practices runs before Thad and I had all of the video equipment working. It is amazing what can happen when you turn the microphone in the ‘on’ position instead not checking it and being surprised when there isn’t any audio. The purpose of this short video clip was for a project at Thad’s High School – Brophy. We had planned on hiking that morning but the weather had decided to stay horrible and it was cold, cloudy and sprinkling though out most of the day. It was the perfect day to listen to a few of my kids tell their stories.

I confess to the fact that I love to talk and at times say way too much. So I like to say that pictures or video sometimes can be so much more powerful than words. Yeah, a picture can be worth a thousand words. How is it possible to depict what it would be like to grow up in today’s world without a dad? As we intentionally asked both Ruby and Bookie to talk a little about their young lives the common factor for them was a missing dad. Ruby lost her dad at the age of one. He died in a car accident. She has been fortunately been raised by a mom who is plugged into her larger family so grandma, grandpa and uncle have made a huge difference. Bookie’s dad has been in prison since he was three. His dad killed someone in the midst of a gang fight.

It is difficult to describe with words the look on both of these kid’s faces when I asked them if there were one thing in their lives they could change, what would it be. It wasn’t rocket science to hear both of them quickly say; “I would love to have my dad with me”. I have known both kids since they were very young and watched them grow up over the last 5 years. I have had the privilege of being more like a grandpa that can spoil them and be with them at least once a week maybe more often.

My young friend, Thad, who has this video project due in a week, had his work cut out for him.  He took probably 15 minutes of video and had to use these pictures and interviews to talk about the issues of generational poverty from the perspective of a child. I know that seeing young Pee Pee, who is 5 walk around looking like a little kid and hearing me talk about their circumstances will touch anyone to help them rethink their view and willingness to help with the underprivileged at risk youth.

I love to use pictures; music and some voiceover to help get across simple message that one person can make a difference in the lives of someone else. I’m so jazzed that Thad chose to do this to help our little friends Bookie, Ruby and Pee Pee.