CDI Scholars Are... Making an Impact Across the USA
Young Amanda (left) with her siblings, fellow CDI Scholars Jackie and Brian.
Now an adult, Amanda is working to celebrate the stories of towns across America.
Amanda: filmmaker, administrative professional, and CDI alum from the Class of 2016. The youngest of six siblings – four of whom became CDI Scholars – Amanda had great examples before her and a path to set on her own.
At Pomona College, she double majored in History and Media Studies, and she went on to earn an MFA in Film Production and Directing from DePaul University. "I like being in the classroom!" Although she was a dedicated student in high school, she feels like it was during college that she truly started to develop her critical thinking and analysis skills.
"Finding the intersection between history and film was very interesting," for Amanda, who ended up writing her senior thesis on film during the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya. She loves working on documentary projects, where she gets to blend her technical skills behind the camera with her research chops.
Professionally, Amanda supports the work of Main Street America, the national network representing historic main streets across the United States. Amanda started at Main Street after graduating from college, and was glad to be able to stay on while she was pursuing her MFA. Now, degree in hand, she's excited to bring those talents to Main Street, traveling into the field to document the histories and stories of small and rural Main Street Communities across the US.
For Amanda, the opportunity to document present history in this way feels like it is bringing her eclectic experiences full circle. "When I think about that, I get excited."
Her professional administrative experience has further improved her work as a filmmaker, too. "Working at a nonprofit has definitely helped translate those admin skills to directing, to fieldwork... Thinking back, one thing has helped translate to the next, which I'm super appreciative about."
This year, Amanda will complete her first video for Main Street America, while her most recent film The Kid tours the film festival circuit. She's especially excited that The Kid was accepted to the 31st Annual Black Harvest Film Festival in November.
Your support of CDI extends beyond the impact it has on our Scholars – it is making an impact across the United States. Whether it is through medical research, technical innovations, or documenting the nation's history, CDI Scholars are making a difference right here in the DMV and across the country. When you give to support them, you uphold the promise of the American Dream.
