What is the name of your organization?
Wōrak Horak Youth Organization
What is the name of your solution?
Wōrak Horak Youth Organization
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
We don't merely educate; we empower, inspire, and cultivate the next generation of Native storytellers through the power of film.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Winnebago, NE 68071, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
United States
What type of organization is your solution team?
Not registered as any organization
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
Today in Winnebago, NE, our community is thriving in many areas, but the lack of artists and career opportunities on our reservation is scarce or isn't of high value. Youth who are interested in the arts and creative fields lack extracurricular activities and/or after-school programs that help them hone in on their crafts and discover new ones.
Our organization is dedicated to empowering Native Youth. We provide hands-on experience in video production, opening doors to exciting careers in the film industry. More importantly, we equip young people with the opportunity to learn from elders and knowledge keepers of the Winnebago tribe and culture, ensuring the continuity of rich cultural narratives. With a greater mission beyond our realm, preserving the stories of our ancestors.
The United States recognizes 574 federal tribes, each possessing distinct cultural traditions, languages, attire, values, and kinship systems. This diversity underscores the uniqueness of each tribe and highlights the film industry's need for accurate and varied representation of Native cultures. Now is the perfect time to nurture Winnebago stories and cultivate a new generation of Native storytellers and filmmakers. We're not just teaching skills; we're preserving culture and shaping the future of Native representation in media.
What is your solution?
We help young storytellers grow and flourish in their artistic journey with our engaging and dynamic 10-week filmmaking program. Our goal is to spark their creativity and build invaluable skills to capture and convey their unique ideas on camera through hands-on experiences and collaborative projects such as video projects and culturally influential short films. Youth can explore roles in script development, sound recording, lighting, camera operation, directing, graphic design, marketing, and editing.
A key solution to address the challenges faced by Native communities lies in investing in Native youth. By providing them with the tools and experiences to engage with and learn from tribal elders and leaders, we facilitate a deeper
understanding of their cultural heritage and tribal history. This approach not only acknowledges the historical trauma experienced by many tribes but also celebrates their resilience.
This initiative offers Native youth unique opportunities to explore careers in video production and filmmaking within reservation boundaries, guided by Native filmmakers from their own communities. Such experiences are typically unavailable in these geographical areas, making this program particularly valuable.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
The Wōrak Horak Youth Organization aims to establish strategic partnerships with youth-led programs in our community. Our focus is on Native youth interested in various creative arts disciplines, including:
• Filmmaking
• Graphic design
• Drawing/Painting
• Performing arts
• Creative writing
• Photography
Many of our local and tribal operations/entities are grant-funded, and video production could also be utilized as a tool to secure funding for other areas in the community. Contributing to the Winnebago tribe's goal of economic development. Essentially, through the growth of our organization, our program would be creating job security within the community.
