Check out Philly We Rise’s new video series, ‘Reimagining Resistance’

Over the next two weeks, Media Mobilizing Project (MMP) project Philly We Rise is releasing a seven-part video series on local efforts to resist President Donald Trump’s policies.

Titled Reimagining Resistance, the series focuses on “stories from people in the movement” fighting in the “local Trump resistance,” said MMP Executive Director Bryan Mercer.

MMP’s hope is that the videos will educate likeminded Philadelphians about existing local activist efforts in areas such as health care and criminal justice reform, as well as how to support those efforts.

“A major impulse behind this series was to get people to see ways to plug into existing work beyond going to rallies and protests,” said T.C. Owens, MMP’s production and partnerships coordinator.

“We are all under attack right now in different ways, and the day-to-day needs on the ground vary. Right now, we need to see how organizers are creatively reimagining ways to keep our communities safe, and build leadership within their communities.”

The series, funded by grassroots donations, will feature these Philly activist groups:

• 215 People’s Alliance
• #No215Jails Coalition
• Put People First — PA
• Unite HERE
• Philly SUN
• VietLEAD
• New Sanctuary Movement

Check out the first video about Put People First — PA on Facebook here, or at the Philly We Rise website here.

The videos were produced by MMP’s 14 Movement Media Fellows, a group learning to use media production as a means of activist storytelling. Next up, the fellows will be working with different activist organizations over the next few months to produce media stories about those orgs’ work with issues relating to education, immigration, labor and criminal justice, Owens said.

“We’re working to have these pieces be as useful to the organizations as possible,” Owens said. “It really depends how best the MMP fellows can serve the needs of the organizations on the ground fighting daily for justice in our communities.”