PhotoForward
  • Home
  • About
    • PhotoForward
    • Advisory Team
  • Programs
    • PF Programs
    • Exhibitions
    • Scholarship
  • Galleries
    • Project Galleries
    • Cambodia: Women's Strength & Stories (WSS) >
      • CWSS EXHIBITION GALLERY
      • PHOTO SUBMISSIONS >
        • 2016 PHOTO CHALLENGE!
      • MEET THE JURY
    • Cambodia: Our View, Our Story >
      • Our View, Our Story
      • Our View: Photo Gallery
      • Our View: Meet the Artists
      • Our View: Behind the Lens
    • Cambodia: Through Our Lens (TOL) >
      • Through Our Lens (TOL)
      • TOL Artist Gallery
    • Laos: Culture Keepers Museum Exhibition
    • Laos: Stitching Our Stories (SOS) Program >
      • Stitching Our Stories (SOS)
      • Women at Work
      • SOS Artist Portfolio 2012-13
      • Behind the Lens
    • Laos: SOS Community Research Project >
      • Community Research Project
      • SOS YouTube Page
    • Laos: Advanced Photo Stories Workshop
    • New York: The Photo Studio
  • Culture Keepers
    • Culture Keepers Exhibition
    • Stitching Our Stories
    • Media Gallery >
      • Community Researchers Gallery
      • SOS Artist Gallery
      • Culture Keepers: Video Gallery
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact & Contribute
    • SOS EXHIBIT PORTFOLIOS
  • News
  • MediaForward
  • Contact

MEDIA FORWARD CONSULTING

Allison Milewski provides innovative arts and media education consultant services to a range of national media organizations and award-winning filmmakers, including Independent Television Services (ITVS), PBS LearningMedia, Latino Public Broadcasting, HBO Documentary Films, and Tribeca Film Institute.

MediaForward educational resources, interactive media literacy projects, teaching and screening guides, community engagement projects, and professional development workshops provide innovative media resources for cultural organizations, media production companies, youth-development organizations, public schools, crisis intervention programs, and filmmakers. For more information about past and current projects and our consultant services, contact us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Email: 

Picture
*Images are the property of the makers of 'Children of Giant', PBS Learning Media and Latino Public Broadcasting

CHILDREN OF GIANT
De/Segregation, Stereotypes, and Intersectionality in the shadow of Giant

Curriculum Collection Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Latino Public Broadcasting, Galán Incorporated Television/Film, and PBS Learning Media
In the summer of 1955, Hollywood movie crews rolled into the small, West Texas town of Marfa to film Giant, based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling but controversial novel. Like Ferber’s book, director, George Stevens' film portrayed critical social issues that were rarely addressed in mainstream movies, including racial prejudice, segregation, sexism, and the plight of the working poor.

In the shadow of this film production, the residents of Marfa, Texas were living the social themes and racial tensions depicted in the movie. The film set of Giant may have been racially integrated, but the town itself, with its substantial population of Mexican Americans, was still in the grip of Jim Crow and segregation.

Students will learn about daily life in 1950's Marfa through the memories of the town's residents and will understand how the social issues and racial struggles of West Texas were interpreted through the lens of Edith Ferber, George Stevens, and the film-making team. Finally, students will compare media representations of race, class, and gender depicted in Giant to those in modern films and television programs and consider the value of telling and viewing stories through an Intersectional lens.
Download the curriculum collection and film clips at PBS Learning Media

Picture
* All images and designs are the property of Tribeca Film Institute

IF GOD IS WILLING AND DA CREEK DON'T RISE

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Tribeca Film Institute and HBO Documentary
Tribeca Youth Screening Series 2010
Five years after Hurricane Katrina, Spike Lee returns to New Orleans to find a city riddled with  contradictions as massive development initiatives and political restructuring are simultaneously rebuilding  the city and threatening the survival of its communities and culture. 

With a focus on the civic collapse that preceded Katrina, the devastation from the levee failures following the storm, and most recently, the  unrivaled environmental devastation from the BP oil disaster, If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise  examines the rights and responsibilities that governments, corporations and individuals have in protecting our communities and safeguarding our natural resources.
  • Click here for the Screening Guide & Educator Supplement
  • Click here to visit Tribeca Film Institute, Education Program

Picture
*Images are the property of Map Your World and its project partners

MAP YOUR WORLD
Map It, Track It Change It, Share It 

Curriculum Collection Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services (ITVS), the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, and BAVC Producer's Institute for New Technologies

Map Your World is a multi-platform project that puts the power of new technologies into the hands of young change agents, enabling them to map, track, and improve the health of their own communities – and then share their stories of change with each other and with the world. The curriculum is currently being implemented in middle and high schools across the USA. Map Your World projects have also been adapted for schools and community organizations in multiple countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Click here to view the curriculum and learn more about the project. 

Picture
*All images for REBEL are the property of Iguana Films

REBEL: LORETA VASQUEZ
Civil War Soldier and Spy

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Latino Public Broadcasting, PBS Learning Media, Iguana Films

It is estimated that between 500 and 1,000 women went into military service during the American Civil War, yet their contributions to major events of that era are often overlooked, misunderstood, misrepresented, or undocumented. Using excerpts from the documentary film Rebel: Loreta Velazquez Civil War Soldier and Spy and the remarkable story of Loreta Velazquez as a guide, students will consider how factors such as gender and race shape our understanding of history.
Click here to view the curriculum and learn more about the project. 

Picture
*Images are the property of PBS Home Video

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF FRIDA KAHLO

Educator Guide Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Latino Public Broadcasting, PBS Learning Media, AND PBS Home Video 

The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo offers an intimate look at the revolutionary and complex artist and individual. It also presents valuable insight into Mexico's culture and history; the emergence and impact of contemporary art movements and styles; and the conflicting yet contiguous mix of politics, social unrest, and cross-cultural elements that influenced art and artists' experiences during the time Frida lived and worked. 

Through this curriculum collection, students consider what makes art political and discuss the political argument "the personal is political”, which came to prominence through the feminist movement of the 1960s. The film and class discussion will be used as a jumping-off point to debate the relevance of the term “political art” to Frida Kahlo’s work, and to create self-portraits using Frida Kahlo's work as inspiration.
The curriculum collection is available at PBS Learning Media


Picture
*Images are the property of PBS Learning Media and Latino Public Broadcasting

RUBEN SALAZAR: MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Educator Guide Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Latino Public Broadcasting, Voces, Paradigm Productions, and PBS Learning Media
Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle, is an investigative look at the life and mysterious death of pioneering journalist Ruben Salazar. At the heart of the story is Salazar's transformation from a mainstream, establishment reporter to primary chronicler and supporter of the radical Chicano movement of the late 1960s. 

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the life and journalism of Ruben Salazar; consider the principles of journalistic objectivity and advocacy journalism and the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to journalistic bias; and examine the current state of journalism and the role that objectivity and bias play in reporting.
The curriculum collection is available at PBS Learning Media

Picture
*Images are the property of Independent Television Services, PBS, WNET, and Show of Force Productions

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE USA:
BARRIERS AND RESOURCES
From the A Path Appears Collection

Educator Guide Designer/Curriculum Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services, PBS, WNET, and Show of Force Productions
The most commonly asked question about victims of domestic violence is 'Why do they stay?' There is no simple response, but part of the challenge lies in the complex barriers and risks that a survivor and her/his children face when they attempt to end a violent relationship. 

Through this lesson and the film A PATH APPEARS, students will examine the crisis of domestic violence in America and its impact on all areas of society. Students will also be introduced to the stories of survivors of domestic violence and learn more about their motivations for leaving, the challenges they faced, and the strategies that helped them access the resources and support they needed to create a new path. They will also learn about the importance of early intervention and the impact of programs that engage men and boys in combating intimate partner violence. Using personal stories from the film and the lesson plan as inspiration, students will research resources in their own states and neighborhoods and develop a plan of action that could help an individual in their community who is in a similar situation."
The curriculum collection is available at ITVS Community Classroom
​

Picture
*Images are the property of PBS Learning Media and Latino Public Broadcasting

OROZCO: MAN OF FIRE

Educator Guide Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Latino Public Broadcasting, Voces, Paradigm Productions, and PBS Learning Media
José Clemente Orozco was one of the primary artistic innovators of the twentieth century. His work was an expression of his experience, and it bore witness to the seismic changes and volatile social and political landscape of his era. 

Using video excerpts from the documentary OROZCO: Man of Fire and the remarkable story of José Clemente Orozco as a guide, students will: explore what it means to bear witness; learn about José Clemente Orozco and how his art bears witness to the social and political events that unfolded during his lifetime; understand the role of muralism in promoting ideas that reflect society and foster dialogue; and design an individual or group mural that bears witness to an important issue in their community.

The curriculum collection is available at PBS Learning Media


Picture
*Images are the property of Tribeca Film Institute and the film makers

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR

Educator Guide Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Tribeca Film Institute and the Rockefeller Foundation
This Time Next Year tracks the resilience of the Long Beach Island, NJ community for one year as they rebuild after 2012’s Hurricane Sandy. Using a mixture of verité, first-person accounts, and the residents’ own footage This Time Next Year is a poetic documentation of a shore community as they battle local politics, cope with personal tragedy, and band together in the face of transition.

Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina are generally referred to as 'natural disasters', but the devastation that occurred during and after both of these events was caused, in part, by a failure in social systems and structures. Although these two events are unique in themselves, by comparing and contrasting some of the causes and consequences of each disaster it is possible to gain a greater understanding of the social, economic, and environmental forces at work.

The curriculum collection is available at Tribeca Film Institute


Picture
* All images are the property of Independent Television Services and AFTERIMAGE PUBLIC MEDIA

THE ISLAND PRESIDENT

Curriculum and Discussion Guide Collection co-Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services and  AFTERIMAGE PUBLIC MEDIA
The Island President explores the global politics of climate change and the ethics of government and industry. President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives confronts a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced — the literal survival of his country and everyone in it. After leading a pro-democracy movement against a brutal regime — surviving repeated imprisonments and torture — Nasheed became president of this low-lying country, only to encounter a far more implacable enemy: the rising ocean. Two standards-aligned lesson plans explore climate change and human rights, accompanied by three short film modules.

Click here to view the curriculum and learn more about the project. 


Picture
In 2012, the 'Half the Sky Curriculum Collection' received the endorsement of The National Council for the Social Studies

HALF THE SKY:
Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

Curriculum and Discussion Guide Collection Designer/Writer:
Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services, PBS, WNET, and Show of Force Productions
The collection of five Educator Guides and five Community Discussion Guide was developed for the four-hour PBS documentary Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, based on the widely acclaimed book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The guides challenge students to examine the most critical issues facing women and girls today--Violence Against Women, Sex Trafficking and Sexual Slavery, Education, Maternal Health, and Economic Empowerment--and consider the root causes, the opportunities for change, and how they can empower women around the world and in their own communities.


Picture
* Images are the property of Brooklyn Historical Society

IN PURSUIT OF FREEDOM

​Advisory Committee Member: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Brooklyn Historical Society, Weeksville Heritage Center, U.S. Department of Education Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program, and Curriculum Writer Tracee Worley
In Pursuit of Freedom is a multifaceted public history initiative that includes a website, three exhibitions, historic markers, walking tours, an original theatre piece, scholarly symposia, education curricula, and a commemorative public art work. Through these components, the project engages  metropolitan and national audiences by tracing the history of abolitionism and anti-slavery activism in Brooklyn, providing new resources for preserving, interpreting and advancing public understanding of this dramatic and significant chapter in American history.

Click here to view the curriculum, play the interactive game, and learn more about the project. 


Picture
* All images and designs are the property of Independent Television Services and Tribeca Film Institute

AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN LEAD: FILM SERIES

Curriculum Advisor: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services and Tribeca Film Institute
This collection features three films about extraordinary African American Women leaders: Daisy Bates: The First Lady of Little Rock, The Interrupters, and The Black Power Mixtape 1967 - 1975. The first lesson examines the role of  civil rights activist Daisy Bates in the historic desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The second lesson considers the role of contemporary women leaders in addressing and diffusing violence through the lens of Ameena Matthews--a former drug-ring enforcer who now uses her skills as a violence interrupter to intervene in conflicts in her community. In the final lesson, students examine the struggle and legacy of Angela Davis and her profound impact on liberation movements around the globe.

Click here to view the videos and download the Educator Guides
 

Picture
*Images used with the permission of Paradigm Films & ITVS

THE STORM THAT SWEPT MEXICO

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services (ITVS), PBS, and Paradigm Films
The Storm that Swept Mexico tells the story of the Revolution of 1910, the first major political and social revolution of the 20th century. The three national standards-aligned Educator Guides allow high school and college students to connect these definitive historic events with issues that resonate in contemporary Mexico as well as the students’ lives and communities today. Explore the role women played in the Revolution, examine what it means to be a leader, and investigate the social impact of art through the three video modules excerpted from the film. 

Click here to visit the film's website, view the videos, play the interactive games, and download the Educator Guides 


Picture
*All images are the property of KIMIKAT productions

WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: KIMIKAT Productions
Mention Uganda to most people and the images that come to mind are often of AIDS, poverty, civil conflict, child soldiers, ruthless dictators, and warlords. But Uganda, like most of Africa, is far more diverse, complex, engaging, and vibrant than the images the American media would have us believe. Using Kimi  Takesue's documentary Where Are You Taking Me? and the Lesson Plan as a guide, students will have the opportunity to challenge their own expectations and preconceptions about cultures other than their own. They will also consider how different approaches to documentary film making and visual storytelling can alter our expectations and understanding of each other and the world. Educator guides and lesson plans developed in partnership with filmmaker Kimi Takesue.

Click here to visit the film's website and download the Educator Guide

Picture
* All images and designs are the property of Independent Television Services

WASTE LAND

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Independent Television Services (ITVS) Women and Girls Lead Community Classroom Collection 

Developed as part of the ITVS Women and Girls Lead initiative, the Waste Land Educator Guides challenge students to consider the connection between human dignity and human rights and if (and how) art can transform society. Students examine these issues through the lens of Vik Muniz’s art project Pictures of Garbage, created in collaboration with workers from Brazil’s landfills. The lessons also investigate the factors that contribute to extreme levels of poverty among women and children in Brazil and around the world, and they inspire action around these topics within school classrooms, youth-serving organizations, and the broader community. 

Click here to download the Educator Guides


Picture

TRIBECA YOUTH SCREENING SERIES

Curriculum Designer/Writer: Allison Milewski 
Clients & Partners: Tribeca Film Institute and HBO Documentary
The Tribeca Film Institute Youth Screening Series provides NYC public school students with free access to riveting documentary films and educators with engaging educational resources to help integrate the themes and topics of the film into classroom curricula.  Films in the 2010 series featured three HBO documentaries: Josh Fox's Oscar nominated GASLAND and Jennifer Arnold's A Small Act. The Study Guides and Educator Supplements were developed for Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with HBO Films.

Click below to view the Educator Supplements and Study Guides for:
GASLAND by Josh Fox
A SMALL ACT by Jennifer Arnold
Picture
Picture
Contact us:     [email protected]​  
Let's get social!  
Check us out on Facbook, Twitter,   
YouTube, and Tumblr   
Picture
PhotoForward celebrates diversity 
and is a proud supporter of gender equality
and universal human rights
​
All images, photographs, text, and artwork on this website are protected by Copyright © and are the exclusive property of 
PhotoForward™, MediaForward™, Allison Milewski, and/or our partners. 
​
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
  • Home
  • About
    • PhotoForward
    • Advisory Team
  • Programs
    • PF Programs
    • Exhibitions
    • Scholarship
  • Galleries
    • Project Galleries
    • Cambodia: Women's Strength & Stories (WSS) >
      • CWSS EXHIBITION GALLERY
      • PHOTO SUBMISSIONS >
        • 2016 PHOTO CHALLENGE!
      • MEET THE JURY
    • Cambodia: Our View, Our Story >
      • Our View, Our Story
      • Our View: Photo Gallery
      • Our View: Meet the Artists
      • Our View: Behind the Lens
    • Cambodia: Through Our Lens (TOL) >
      • Through Our Lens (TOL)
      • TOL Artist Gallery
    • Laos: Culture Keepers Museum Exhibition
    • Laos: Stitching Our Stories (SOS) Program >
      • Stitching Our Stories (SOS)
      • Women at Work
      • SOS Artist Portfolio 2012-13
      • Behind the Lens
    • Laos: SOS Community Research Project >
      • Community Research Project
      • SOS YouTube Page
    • Laos: Advanced Photo Stories Workshop
    • New York: The Photo Studio
  • Culture Keepers
    • Culture Keepers Exhibition
    • Stitching Our Stories
    • Media Gallery >
      • Community Researchers Gallery
      • SOS Artist Gallery
      • Culture Keepers: Video Gallery
    • Meet the Team
    • Contact & Contribute
    • SOS EXHIBIT PORTFOLIOS
  • News
  • MediaForward
  • Contact