NINA

I think about the Nina School for the Deaf community every day. The time I’ve spent with them and working on this film has sensitized me to the needs and rights of the d/Deaf community.

We have had the freedom to be experimental with this medium of film and post-production has only become increasingly insightful for me as I get to relive and process the experiences I had with the Nina community. This form of education that documentary filmmaking provides through direct sustained bonding with collaborators of different backgrounds and continual exposure to their footage is by far my favorite way to learn now. This experience has opened my eyes to my ignorance, misconceptions, and shortcomings, so I feel myself moving through life factoring in more considerations than ever before. I am more mindful now of all the audiences we want our film to be positively impacted by so as not to prioritize an American able-bodied audience. I want to do the Nina students and the staff as much justice as I can with the way my team and I portray the beauty of their love for one another and their d/Deaf culture in the midst of the layered neglect they face.

I am eternally grateful for my time in Siaya, Kenya, and how the community has helped me grow in ways I never expected. I will remain hungry for more intimate connections with people around the world and how I can help share their powerful stories through film. – Moroti Adewole

Before learning about Kenya or documentary storytelling, I never expected this experience to change me the way it has. Change is a difficult phase to accept and pass through- one that I initially met with discomfort and stubbornness. I didn’t understand that with change comes growth, and with growth comes understanding. Through this experience, I was able to begin to understand the work I needed to do to be an advocate for change. The learning process is not linear- nor is it easy. But I have my team, and everyone a part of Oak Tree Films to thank for allowing me to explore my creativity in a form so foreign to me, for pushing me to challenge myself and the world in light of every injustice and the confusing moments we face.

Thank you Siaya. You have changed me in ways I could have never thought possible. – Adrianna Ogando