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Greening of the Bronx: An Urban Garden Tale

Picture an environmentalist. For many Americans, that prompts an image of someone who’s white, well-educated, and in the middle class. Now picture the Bronx. The Bronx is a community where new urban environmentalists have risen up and are changing the landscape in the Bronx, redefining what “greening” is to include environmental, social, and economic justice. In the mix of this activism is Sustainable South Bronx, a green collar jobs training program that looks at not only how one “greens” urban communities, but the people within that community also.

  • Savanna Washington
    Director
    Playing Frisbee in North Korea
  • Savanna Washington
    Writer
    Playing Frisbee in North Korea
  • Savanna Washington
    Producer
    Playing Frisbee in North Korea
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 25 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Savanna Washington

Savanna is a filmmaker, activist and educator and has used her life to effect change. Savanna founded Aardvark Alley Films in 2005. In talking about her work Savanna says, “Aardvark Alley Films is where film meets activism to work towards a better world.” Her latest film, “Playing Frisbee in North Korea,” is now having its U.S. national broadcast through American Public Television and can be seen on-demand through PBS Passport. Ms. Washington traveled to North Korea to shoot for the film. The film began at a conference on Korean reunification sponsored by General Colin Powell and the Colin Powell Center where she was a Graduate Fellow.

Through Creatively Speaking at The Institute on Race, Power & Political Economy @ The New School and her filmmaking work, Savanna’s main focus today is Climate Justice. The theme for the Fall 2023 film program that Savanna produced was: “One World: Climate & Humanity – Fighting Loss and Displacement.” She also traveled to Dubai for COP 28 for the Institute and has produced and directed three short films about the Conference which are available at CreativelySpeakingFilms.com.

In Spring, 2024 Savanna produced the first annual “Harlem Earth Day.” Savanna’s next film project, “Greening of the Bronx: An Urban Garden Tale,” looks at the challenges and solutions Black and Brown urban environmental activists are bringing to the table in the Bronx and nation-wide.

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