Fund Documentary "Teaching Social Studies"

Hello, my name is Lindsey and I am the director and producer of the feature documentary, "Teaching Social Studies."

I began this project in the fall of 2022 when I read that the Texas Board of Education was considering changing the usage of the word “slavery” to “indentured servitude” in their social studies curriculum. This pitted legislation against the "teaching" of critical race theory and calls from parents and students for diversity and inclusion in education against one another. I was outraged, but also curious about how my home state could publicly discuss further whitewashing a very bare-bones depiction of our collective past.

As Americans, historically we bury stories that are uncomfortable. I grew up in a world (Texas) where I was taught a very vanilla version of history in public school. How should we talk to the next generation about the past?

Many Texan educators have resigned or been forced out of their roles as a result of these state laws. Dr James Whitfield who, in 2020, became the first black principal of Colleyville Heritage High (North Texas) wrote a letter to the school community about police brutality after Floyd’s murder leading to the decision not to renew his contract. He spent his time working on behalf of the Transform 1012 N Main Street project, turning what was once one of the largest KKK klaverns in the country into The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. The building will be led by representatives of the cultural groups that were targeted by the KKK, thereby “returning resources to these communities.”

During the editing process we realized that we needed more of the student/youth perspective in this story.

We are now proceeding to film on June 18th and 19th (Juneteenth).

We plan to film a round-table interview with several of the Colleyville Heritage students who bravely organized a protest on Dr Whitfield’s behalf. We will also interview several members of the Transform 1012 N Main Street youth council who have deciding power on the future of this historic community center. I’ve been inspired to hear their stories and am honored that they will be sharing their perspective with me.

A key component of this story is the tireless activism of Dr Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Dr Lee was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom just this year. As a retired schoolteacher, the 97 year-young social activist started a movement to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday and was present when it signed into law.

This documentary will be filming Opal’s Walk for Freedom this Juneteenth. The 2.5 mile walk recognizes the 2.5 years it took for the news of freedom to reach the enslaved people in Texas. We will film the walk itself and hope to secure an additional interview with Dr Lee, if time permits.

The reason I’m asking for your help is that this story is time-sensitive. Educators are trying to do their jobs and many local governments are intervening and micromanaging them.

We unfortunately cannot proceed to film this June without outside sources of support. Funds received will go towards gear rentals, crew labor, travel expenses, editing, and festival submissions. Anyone donating more than $2000 to this project will be mentioned as an executive producer in the end credits of the documentary.

Thank you so much for your support!

“We have simply got to make people aware that none of us are free until we’re all free, and we aren’t free yet.” — Dr Opal Lee