“A team of strategic communication specialists who put powerful media to work for personal and institutional change in communities, workplaces, and campuses across America.”
Activities
Active Voice uses guides, workshops, events, partnerships, and media to tell personal stories, present unusual perspectives on major issues, and inspire people to make change. The organization also trains individuals in skills, provides technology, runs advocacy campaigns, and provides media and advertising support. Staff act primarily as consultants and take on client communities or organizations, with which they develop long-term strategies for campaigns, including implementation and ongoing support. The organization focuses primarily on issues of justices, tolerance, equity, and contentious social issues; environment, community, and planning are also frequent topics.
Relevant Project(s)
- Farmingville. When this Long Island suburb erupted in controversy surrounding hate-based beatings of Mexican day laborers, Active Voice used film as a medium for inspiring discussion and helping the community work through its issues. Using personal stories and interviews from a wide range of community members, the film attempts to break down Farmington’s philosophical polarization and also to inform viewers about legal and political issues. Shown in communities far beyond Farmingville, the film serves as a parable of community conflict and steps toward resolution.
- The New Americans. A long-term documentary project in cooperation with PBS and immigration experts across the country, The New Americans attempts to document and explore the depth of experiences facing new immigrants to America. While the film project is meaningful as a documentary alone, the major goal for the project is to engage communities, governments, and leaders in preparing for immigrants and successfully integrating them into communities, both philosophically and physically.
- Beyond the Dream: California and the Rediscovery of America. With one of the highest rates of diversity in the country, high levels of immigration, and a wealth of industry and resources, California has become a “laboratory for divergent social trends.” This film series, produced with PBS, focuses on “how such diverse peoples redefine home, community, and civic participation in ways that lead to a peaceful and prosperous society.”
- The Two Towns of Jasper. In the aftermath of the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr., in Jasper, Texas, Active Voice and PBS sent two film crews—one black and one white—to document this racially divided community and its reactions to the worst hate crime seen in years. Active Voice published a discussion guide to assist communities, families, and organizations in processing and discussing the film.
Relevant Methodologies
Active Voice most frequently uses film (and filmmaking) as a medium for probing and sharing complex issues in community and society at large. The organization usually pairs films with discussion guides or supplementary program materials to ensure that the conversation continues after the credits end. In particular, Active Voice strives to represent differing opinions on important issues; methods such as that used in the Jasper film (sending a white and a black film crew to document the same situation) are creative ways to identify differences in community experience and perception.
Active Voice’s strength comes from the media and communications experience of its staff, which are uncommon in the planning and visioning world. Coca-Cola and Nike thrive because of the attention they pay to advertising; Active Voice helps communities and campaigns use advanced marketing techniques and spread their messages more broadly.
Region
National
More Information
2601 Mariposa Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-553-2841 (phone)
415-553-2848 (fax)