01
THE DOCUMENTARY
Organizing is the New Cool is the product of collective brainstorming sessions initiated by the filmmakers to determine what, if anything, they could do to encourage greater activism among people in their Atlanta community and beyond. Dismayed that more people were not choosing to get active, they ultimately surmised that many potential organizers either did not know the path to activism or were intimidated by retrograde misconceptions about what an activist looks and acts like and how they are perceived by their peers. The film stands as a multimedia renunciation of out molded stereotypes about activists. It showcases how a new cadre of activists reinvent collective organizing and animate an admirably authentic and unabashedly hip leadership style which attracts followers and provokes reconsideration. What’s more, in showing us the varied “Cools” which define its featured activists- and refuting the notion that there is a single prototype for activists- the film will help viewers to conceptualize their own unique activist self and arm them with a foundation of knowledge about how to get active and grow change within their community.
Organizing is the New Cool bridges the gap between the youth and the elders and eliminates the invisible borders between the freedom fighter and the ordinary citizen. The film inspires viewers to take a crucial stance and play an integral role in the revitalization of a moribund humanity.
Centered on the FTP Movement and its collective mobilization to provide Food, Clothing, Shelter and Justice for All, Organizing is the New Cool canvasses many faces of activism that are making an impact today.
Utilizing interviews and unscripted footage of people in need and activists familiar and unheard of, the film provides a multilayered depiction of this new brand of activism encouraged by the filmmakers. The aim is for the film to educate, inspire, and equip viewers to be the change they want to see in the world.
02
THE FACTS
FACTS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW
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There are 2 million Georgians, including 500,000 children, who live in food deserts.
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35 food deserts can be found inside Atlanta's Perimeter.
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There are 18.9% of Georgians who are food insecure, meaning they can't afford to buy healthy food on a regular basis.
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Georgia spends about $1.2 billion a year housing prisoners.
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More than 45,500 children experience homelessness each year in Georgia.
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A total of 20 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2018. This number represents 17 out of every 10,000 people in the United States.
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Every 7 hours a cop kills an American Citizen.
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48% of unarmed people killed by the 100 largest city police departments were black. These police departments killed unarmed black people at a rate 4 times higher than unarmed white people.
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Out of the 2.3 million people who are incarcerated in the United States right now, an estimated 1 million of them are African-American/Black.
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84% of police officers have stated in a recent survey that they have directly witnessed a fellow officer using more force than necessary.
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- Sources: Hunger in America 2014 Report, USDA; AJC; Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness; National Alliance to end Homelessness; Cop Crisis; MappingPoliceViolence.com; NAACP; US Department of Justice;
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03
THE MISSION
This question, at once rhetorical, practical, revolutionary, and inspirational is the starting point of a gripping documentary film by four Atlanta filmmakers on a mission to both provide answers and stomp out apathy. Organizing is the New Cool brings viewers to the front lines of activism in communities that have been systemically dismissed, destabilized, and damn near dispirited. It is there, at the vanguard of the movement to fight injustice and promote community self-reliance and self-determination that we are introduced to a passionate contingent of organizers, community activists, freedom fighters and artists who are determined to positively impact their communities- on their own terms and with their own stylish flair. Organizing is the New Cool is no mere assemblage of profiles though. Instead, it is decidedly more than that. It is a repository of the wealth of knowledge and stories amassed by the filmmakers who are themselves dedicated community activists. It is a compelling examination of the social, economic, and cultural issues which impact marginalized communities and spur the film’s subjects into action. It is a manifesto for change, a visual guidebook for the up-and-coming change agents, and an urgent call to action.