Ms. Brown's film, "a Trek to the River's Edge," provides an enlightening account of the young people who initiated the student movement in Atlanta, GA.  She has situated their compelling stories within the broader framework of civil rights struggles in the US and provided viewing audiences with insight into the challenges, motivations, and successes of the movement in Atlanta.  As the Director of the 2017 John Lewis Fellowship Program, I approached Ms. Brown about including her film in our curriculum after seeing it at the Auburn Avenue Research Library.  I am so grateful she agreed to do so.  Our John Lewis Fellows hail from all across the US and from 7 European countries.  These 30 fellows, who have an interest in civil and human rights work, use the City of Atlanta as a classroom.  They study its history, its progress and its promise.  Ms. Brown's film allowed these fellows, ages 19-26, to experience the efforts of young people, their age, that impacted the city, the state, the region, and the nation.  The film's empowering message, about the importance of activism and strategic organizing, was not lost on the John Lewis Fellows. Many of them reference the film as contributing to their transformative course of study in the fellowship program!  It is a must-see!

 

Professor Tanya Washington

2017 John Lewis Fellowship Program