| Strong Enough To Fight (36 min) Kenya/USA |
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Director/Producer: Bob Miller
Description:
The unrest that gripped Kenya following the disputed 2007 presidential election was the worst outbreak of ethnically motivated violence the country had ever seen. Idleness among youth, combined with the nation's history of ethnic rivalries, were cited as a key factors to the crisis in which young people were routinely bribed by the nation's political elite to carry out acts of violence against their neighbors. Ironically, the youth of Kenya were also the greatest victims of the violence, culminating in the deaths of over 1,200 Kenyans and the displacement of half a million. In the years following the crisis, however, Kenyan youth have begun to seize active roles in the reform of their nation. After moving around the country interacting with young people, United States Ambassador Michael Ranneberger said he sensed "a sea change of attitude" among youths, "a tidal wave below the surface. The youth have woken up." Through a network of grassroots organizations born mostly out of slums, Kenya's youth are encouraging reconciliation in their communities. Among them is the Kibera Olympic Boxing Club, a hodgepodge group of adolescents from different tribes. The group's ethnic diversity is remarkable given the violence the each witnessed, yet together these boxers represent a nascent trend of cross-tribe brotherhood in a healing nation.
Biography:
Bob Miller is a photographer and filmmaker with roots in America's deep south. As a visual storyteller specializing in non-fiction documentary, his work has been recognized by American Photography, the Lumix Festival for Young Photojournalism, the International Photography Awards and the Alexia Foundation for World Peace. Bob has also screened and exhibited work in solo and group shows both nationally and internationally while regularly serving a variety of editorial, commercial and nonprofit clients. It is his conviction that a powerful story can push us beyond our own experiences into the reality that we are all characters living similar narratives, facing like challenges. As a storyteller, he hopes to reveal that truth in every assignment.
Contact Information:
e: bobmillermedia@gmail.com
w: www.strongenoughtofight.org
