Conscious Youth Media Crew encourages youth to become life-long learners and positive, productive community members. Our Mission is to elevate young minds and encourage creative expression to build dialogue and social change.
OUR MISSION
Background
Debra founded CYMC in 2001 as a San Francisco-based digital media training program for youth ages 16-23. Through our direct service programming until 2015, our youth participants learned multimedia arts and filmmaking to develop a creative voice through storytelling, gain marketable technology skills and become involved in the community as young leaders.
CYMC trains youth to make short films that share their diverse and rarely-heard perspectives with audiences around the world. The CYMC curriculum specializes in three layers of learning:
Developing Voice and Identity - creating opportunities for self-growth and reflection
Hands-On Technology- our students use state-of-the-art technology and high-quality instruction from experienced professionals, artists, and community members.
Arts Appreciation - exposure to the arts and arts-related experiences like film screenings, art galleries, museums, and more.
Many CYMC graduates have worked as paid producers on special projects, interned in the media industry, and benefited from our college pathway resources, networks, and opportunities. Our interns have been placed at Electronic Arts, TBWA Chiat Day, Goodby Silverstein, Bay Area Video Coalition, Pacific News Service, Radium Media, Ridley Scott & Associates, and more.
We wish to thank our sponsors over the years. Your support has helped change lives.
WHAT’S NEXT: FILM ACTIVATION FUND
Launching in the Fall of 2024, our latest venture FILM ACTIVATION FUND (FAF) continues to create opportunities in media arts and storytelling for underserved communities. Focusing on a slightly older demographic of young people ages 18-28 yrs old who are students and graduates from community college programs, FAF offers further professional development opportunities like mentorship and specialized trainings to raise their skills, help them network and increase their employability within the industry.
Program offerings include skills-building workshops, a guest artist conversation series, community-based projects, and localized in-person convening events for additional networking. Because most of our programming will take place online remotely, our outreach can target participants from all across the country, with a special focus on Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the New York metropolitan area. Film Activation Fund opens doors for young people who are looking for ways to connect with others, navigate the world in a meaningful way, and access equal opportunities for success.
Youth Film Archive
Photo Albums
Highlighted Events Archive
CYMC Staff + Community
-
Debra Koffler
Founder + Executive Director
-
Ray Balberan
Board President
-
Jose Luis Mejia
Lead Facilitator
-
Nina Parks
Program Facilitator
-
Maria Gonima
Program Facilitator/Digital Princess Warrior
-
Jordan Brown
Guest Facilitator
-
Loriz "Ginger" Godines
Guest Mentor
-
Dan Truog
Guest Artist- Editor
-
Ben Kutchins
Guest Artist— Cinematographer
-
Kevin Epps
Board Member
-
Socorro Gamboa
Board Member
-
Zakiya Harris
Grind for the Green Partner
-
Rocky Rivera
Program Facilitator
-
Kim Rhoads
Community Support
-
Jodi Tsapis
Downtown High School- Wellnes Center
-
Eunice Nuval
Downtown High School Lead Partner
-
Samm Styles
Guest Artist- Filmmaker
-
Roberto Grijalva
Program Facilitator
-
Vero Majano
Filmmaker de la Mision
-
Sandy Cuadra
Community Leader
-
Howard Johnson
Guest Artist- Acting Coach
-
Betty Nguyen
Program Support