Our mission is to empower the voices of communities through the use of media and technology. This is achieved by, bringing together and partnering with people from all walks of life and teaching them how to tell their stories through envisioning, filming, editing, and communicating their views via community-based participatory media and social media. The hope of all New Orleans Video Voices projects is that the documentary films, photos, blog postings and short clips produced, not only engage and empower community participants but that they ignite and inspire social action and change.

Core Principles

NOVV has four core principles to express its belief in Video Outreaching Impacts Communities Effectiveness (V.O.I.C.E)

V.O.I.C.E. Learning

This principle implies that all adults and children deserve the opportunity to learn what they need to know to succeed. Helping areas become true "learning communities" has been part of NOVV's work since its inception. As an external partner, NOVV helps communities build an understanding in the power of media skills and how it can be used to tell their stories.

V.O.I.C.E Communities

The role of communities implies the importance of partnerships between a variety of community groups, organizations and citizens. In our work we encourage partnerships with a range of community organizations that support our visions and goals. Our own work relies heavily on partnerships with organizations that share our principles; through these partnerships, we are able to offer digital and social media training, resources and sustainable support.

V.O.I.C.E Equity

Our commitment to improved results for all Gulf Coast communities underscores our belief that equity is paramount. Public news today remains highly inequitable; some only show certain sectors or issues of a community in a skewed light to attack ratings; while others may not report the communities' news at all. In our work, NOVV intentionally takes the backgrounds and circumstances of a community in account. We endeavor to teach communities how to keep issues that impact their lives in the minds of others by using the media skills learned. The diversity of backgrounds of the NOVV's staff directly informs our approach to issues of equity.

V.O.I.C.E Results

This principle carries several implications for our work. First, it implies results at scale: all people deserve their VOICE to be heard. For that to happen, opportunities need to be afford to them. Second, it implies responsibility: to ensure success, we must measure our progress by the positive impact and sustainable skills taught to the community. Third, it implies opportunity: both community partners and members must have appropriate and high-quality opportunities to learn skills that will aid in the advocating the needs and the strength of their areas. The result is the empowerment, health and resiliency of a community committed to sustainable change.

Values

NOVV's values are driven by the unheard voices of Gulf Coast communities and the organizations that service them. Our values are our V.O.I.C.E:

Video Capturing the true essence of a community through, Participatory Media, Blogging, Social Media, and Cultural Preservation.

Outreach Training member of the community how to use film and social media as a tool to advocate Human Right, Diversity, Dignity, Social Justice and Civic Engagement.

Impacting, Teaching sustainable skills to communities and organization that cultivates Open Collaborations, Networking, and Capacity Building.

Communities Recognizing the importance of Oral History, Cultural Preservation, Environmental Sustainability, Ecological Sustainability, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity in all communities.

Effectiveness Afforded boundless opportunities from a media training organizations that has the Flexibility, Capacity, and Mobility.

Recent Accomplishments

The extent of NOVV's project viewership exceeds the individual communities in which the projects occur and the inception of the organization in 2009. In May 2009, NOVV and youth participants from the Awesome Mentoring Group entered their completed film project into the Elisabeth Irwin High School Human Rights Film Festival. NOVV facilitated a trip to New York for a few of the girls and their family members. The film not only received notable accolade from the judges which included the founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, but also won first place in the film festival. Following this accolade, in September 2009 NOVV received recognition from the New Orleans City Council for their work in the Treme/7th Ward community. The Councils recognition is a significant acknowledgment of our successful track record of delivering superior community involvement projects to date. In addition to the aforementioned projects NOVV completed a successful summer project with the Boys and Girls Club in the Iberville Housing Development funded by the Transformer Grant in summer of 2009. In addition that summer, NOVV worked with youth directors to capture the activities and thoughts of teen volunteers during a Lutherans' Conference. NOVV partnered with the Make It Right Foundation to create a cross generational short film and photo project of residents in the 9th Ward. The work was exhibited at the Contemporary Arts Center in Downtown New Orleans for several weeks. NOVV has completed a yearlong project with community elders in an area of New Orleans called Algiers. The participants worked to develop a documentary about the inception and future of the Common Ground Health Clinic in Algiers. NOVV has also, conducted two media training in Moss Point, Mississippi attended by the partners of the Gulf Coast Sustainable Communities Network on filming techniques, social media skills and blog development. Both were funded and hosted by the Institute of Sustainable Communities.

In addition, NOVV has captured footage for parting organization on the BP Oil spill by interviewing the Vietnamese fishermen, attending the Gulf Coast Fund BP Oil Drilling Disaster Funder Trip in May of 2010, speaking with partners of the Gulf Coast community support organizations and recording one of the initial BP community meetings.

At present, NOVV is partnering with members of the Israelite Baptist Church to document the needs of their community. Funding for this project was awarded to NOVV by The Stern Foundation by way of the Arts Council. NOVV is also currently developing a promotional piece for the City of Moss Point and editing a short for the youth of Magnolia Grove in Gulfport, MS.

Read more about our story.