Poverty Porn Media Portayals of Minorities

On Purpose | Season 1

The explosion of poverty porn, where a newscaster or filmmaker dives into an impoverished area to share what living in dire straights is like, instead of helping those individuals is doing them a great disservice. This portrayal of minorities, in media and film, Native Americans and others, often feeds the misunderstanding, pity, and judgment of them, as the viewer only sees one small slice of life, which comes through the filter of someone who has spent limited time among them. A couple living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Lakota people, those represented in Dances with Wolves, and part of the larger Lakota tribe which includes Standing Rock, have a solution - start a film school. Tired of stereotypes fomenting further negativity upon their people, they set out to empower their people to tell their own stories. With little space or money, they have built a small school and have been making documentaries and narrative films. Reel Jobs Film School, an endeavor in their Cloud Horse Arts non-profit, is showing that even with very little, we can change public perception. They could use your help! Funding is always challenging to come by. If you'd like to support with time or finances, please reach out to Mark at Reel Jobs is their film school. Tel: 605-455-2972 Music by N'we Jinan, "Come and Listen"