WHAT IS TEACHED?
TEACHED is a short film series that candidly assesses the causes and consequences of our nation's race-based “achievement gap," looking at continuing inequalities in our public school system and taking viewers into those communities where the effects are most severe to hear what solutions the students, parents, teachers and others have to offer.
Created by a former teacher and education advocate, TEACHED is meant to remind viewers of the promises made over half a century ago with the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision that all U.S. students would receive an equal education. TEACHED films address some of today's most challenging education issues and are complimented by one-on-one interviews with national education leaders who are breaking traditional political barriers in their fight for education equality.
TEACHED is a non-profit project that relies on sponsorships and contributions to achieve its mission. To make a donation to TEACHED, please go here.
TEACHED is produced by LOUDSPEAKER FILMS, an independent production company committed to social justice and education equality (website coming soon).
WHO WE ARE
Kelly Amis, Producer/Director — After graduating from Georgetown University, Kelly taught in South Central, Los Angeles as a charter corps member of Teach for America. She went on to earn an M.A. in Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University and research the Australian education system as a Fulbright Scholar. Amis has worked for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and several education reform organizations, including the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, the Sallie Mae Fund and Fight For Children. TEACHED is her first film project. Read Kelly's blog here and watch interviews of Kelly here, here and here.
Ashley Johnson, Executive Director — Ashley is a graduate of New York University where she double majored in Journalism and Sociology. Ashley has an interest in film and a strong commitment to education equality. She honed her event-planning, scheduling and all-around problem-solving skills at Teach for America's National Office in NYC. Based in Harlem, Ashley is helping to grow TEACHED's East Coast presence and make sure our schedules and events run smoothly.
Sergei Krasikov, Director of Photography/Editor — Born in Belarus, Sergei began his career as a journalist for his nation's largest independent newspaper. Upon moving to the U.S. in 2000, Sergei became a full-time independent filmmaker concentrating on producing documentary and narrative films, non-fiction cinematography and regular collaborations with dance & theater groups, conceptual video artists and performers. Most of Sergei's work addresses topics that concern the environment, social justice and art.
Christina Voros, Art Meyerhoff, Cyrus Dowlatshahi, Justin Ammon, Philip Ebeid and Andrew Blum, Cinematographers.
Meet our amazing artistic contributors here.
INTERNS
Please meet our 2012-2013 high school interns and future filmmakers:
Joshua Saunders, Keenan Serrano, Georgia McClain, Vanessa Mehouchi and Austin Taylor.
DEDICATION
Malik D. Smith 1995-2004
TEACHED is dedicated to Malik Smith, who was only eight years old when he passed away in 2004.
Like too many African-American boys, Malik was wrongly labeled as a "special education" student. Fortunately, he spent his last school year at SAIL (the School for Arts in Learning), which treated him like the intelligent and capable child that he was. Thank you SAIL and to all the teachers and principals out there who understand that every child has the potential to achieve and deserves the best education possible.
We love and miss you Malik.