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Documentary
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Branding
"Meaning" - A SEEK Documentary, story needing to be told.
this is a pure depiction of the meaning and value of the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program which was developed 60 years ago. This program was the first of its kind to provide opportunity to black and brown kids to higher level education.
About the project
Meaning behind the eyes of SEEK
"Meaning" is a powerful documentary capturing snapshots of the lived experiences and impactful work of alumni, students, faculty, counselors, and administrators within the Percy E. Sutton SEEK Program at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY). Established in 1966 in the wake of the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Higher Education Act (1965), SEEK was born out of the visionary activism of New York elected officials including Shirley Chisholm, Percy E. Sutton, Charles Rangel, and David Dinkins. This documentary honors six decades of the nation's very first higher education opportunity program, highlighting through testimonials how SEEK established the foundational architectural model for educational equity. It pioneered a proven support ecosystem that to this day combines dedicated personal counseling, intrusive advising, one-on-one tutoring, intentional academic monitoring, strong community building, the scaffolding of personal journeys into academic strengths, peer support, intergenerational mentorship, and and financial aid. The SEEK legislation and academic model inspired subsequent initiatives like EOP, HEOP, and similar programs nationwide. Beyond celebrating 60 years of transformative success and upward mobility for students from communities traditionally impacted by structural and economic barriers, "Meaning" brings this legacy to life through the powerful testimonies of those who have experienced SEEK's impact firsthand. Today, while many elements of SEEK's trailblazing framework have been widely adapted with much success across academe over the last two decades, proper attribution to its true originators is most frequently lacking. In light of this erasure, "Meaning" sets the record straight by reclaiming the historical narrative and celebrating the true national pioneers of educational equity and opportunity.
Behind the story
A very tedious process truthfully. I approached Norka Blackman-Richards (Director of the SEEK program) about putting together a video which should emmulate and capture the feeling and meaning behind the SEEK Program. Because we didnt have anything that would show how the councilors or the current students and how much change the program has done with past students. So i thought it was the right time to do so for the 60th Anniversary. The most difficult part for me was the editing process due to not having everyone in the documentary display their own stories within SEEK. However, the lord was with me in such a decision making and his way was indeed the best way.
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