1st Grade Picture
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/episode-3-9-first-grade-picture-6723011
Written by Cam Montgomery Jr., and featuring Ginger Marin and Brandon Espy, this episode deal’s with a mother’s fear of losing the child she raised.
Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/episode-3-9-first-grade-picture-6723011
Written by Cam Montgomery Jr., and featuring Ginger Marin and Brandon Espy, this episode deal’s with a mother’s fear of losing the child she raised.
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/fsc-differences-6598922
In episode three season three, and our third installment on the topic of same-sex marriage, a young woman confronts her boyfriend over his seemingly intolerant behavior.
Written by Karli Kaiser, co-directed by Karli and Devon K. Lee, this episode features Mia Eden and Kinyumba Mutakabbir.
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https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/the-traditionalist-6598891In this episode addressing Marriage Equality, Shawna tries to convince her fiancée Victoria, that they deserve a wedding. There’s only one problem….
Written and Directed by Allen L. Sowelle, this episode features Elvina Beck and Joni Colburn.
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/fsc-the-yardsale-6375584
A father has a heart to heart talk with is daughter about racial bigotry. Written by Trey Mendez, and directed by Devon Lee, this episode also features our very own, Kevin D. Bailey, Mary Harris, and introducing Leilani Jones as Crystal.
Articles on raising biracial children.
An interesting article on biracial parenting.
A Harper’s article about an East Indian Mother being confused for as the Nanny.
Washington Post article about the rise in bi-racial births over the past decade.
A White Male perspective on raising a Black Child.
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/episode-2-4-i-got-in-6187143
In this episode of FSC, directed by Devon K. Lee, written by Allen L. Sowelle, and featuring Karla Zamudio and Gabriela Banus – an immigrant mother is conflicted when her daughter gets accepted to college.
At some point our country – a nation of immigrants – will have to have a serious conversation about Immigration. On one side is a belief that left unchecked we open ourselves to challenges on security, and risk losing our National Identity. They say that illegal immigration drains our economy as it lowers academic performance and American worker productivity. The other side posits that our diversity makes us stronger as a nation, and that the US has a long and proud history of opening our arms to anyone seeking freedom and a better way of life. For them, the focus should be on improving our immigration laws, not demonizing those who willfully do the work, most of us are unwilling to do.
One side points to the billions of dollars immigrants send back to their home countries instead of circulating back into our already weaken economy. Yet the other side highlights that 40% of the Fortune 500 companies were either created by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant. And that undocumented immigrants alone paid $11.2 billion in US taxes for 2010, while multi-billion dollar American businesses hide their true earnings.
So do we hold people or their children accountable for breaking our laws, while letting employers and society off the hook for exploiting cheap labor? Or do we accept the contributions of us all, accept the varying narratives and biographies that have contributed to one of the strongest nations on Earth?
I, for one, believe we can do it all the above. After all we are the United States of America. We can secure our borders while also securing a future for those who succeed academically, those who rise above and beyond given extraordinary circumstances. We can act on a dream of a more prosperous union, where we value Human Rights for all, where we give dignity to all, and where we hold true to the Founding Fathers’ calling “E Pluribus Unum.” From Many, One.
comments welcomed.
allen sowelle, show creator
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/fsc-don-t-mean-nothing-final-5-11-12-6140842
After returning from visiting his dad, Ricky confesses a troubling story about the War to his Grandfather.
Writer/Director: Allen L. Sowelle, Lucas: Jean Glaudé, Ricky: Demetrius Butler.
When a Nation commits itself to War much is asked of its young men and women in uniform. Along with a willingness to give the ultimate sacrifice, they are also asked to accept a reality like no other often times with no clear lines of demarcation between “winning the hearts” and staying alive. Few are prepared for the “fog of war.”
This week series producer Josh Feinman asked writer-director, and Army veteran, Allen L. Sowelle about his haunting script, “Don’t Mean Nothing.”
JF: First off, some people may be surprised to learn that you’re a Veteran.
AS: Yeah man, over six years active duty. Stateside and abroad. One thing to be clear though, I never had to face some of the challenges this generation has had to face. My work was in a different theater, with different rules.
JF: This is the third FSC episode on Veterans coming home, not ready for the deafening din of civilian life. You seem to have an affinity for Veterans issues. Is this by default or by design?
AS: Definitely by design. I know we try as a Country to honor their sacrifice, but too, too often we come up short. No Servicemember should have to worry about keeping their property, finding employment, or how to navigate a host of health issues that may have followed them home. Whether the scars are physical or psychological, we owe them as many healing hands and healing hearts as possible.
JF: With Ricky and his grandfather Lucas, who are these characters to you?
AS: Ricky is that kid that no one explained the moral and emotional extremes of armed conflict to. He wasn’t in the infantry or an elite unit, he’s just a kid trying to support our efforts when suddenly the unexpected comes point-blank. His grandfather Lucas is molded from the cast of my uncles and men like them who returned from Vietnam with the attitude of the only way you survive is by turning it off – the haunts, the sounds, the smells, you turn it off. “Don’t Mean Nothing,” came from a book I read about some Marines at Khe Sanh. If there was ever a moment that encapsulated what our Vietnam Vets went through it is the Battle of Khe Sanh.
JF: What do you hope viewers get from this story?
AS: Before people who’ve never served start another drumbeat to War somewhere, they should either spend some time at a VA hospital, or with the families of those who never made it back whole. Listen to their stories, feel their absence. And if that’s okay with you that’s one thing. But, if it’s not, then you better be damn sure about the objective, and about your commitment to our brave sons and daughters upon their return. Freedom isn’t Free, and all of us should be proud to pay for it one way or another.
JF: As the series creator, what do you see next for Front Seat Chronicles?
AS: Some sponsorship would be cool. Half joking, but I’m serious about opening the aperture, shining more light on the diversity of faces, places, and voices that make up the American Experience. In order to keep going it’s gonna take financial resources we now don’t have. So we’ll see. Some sort of sponsoring an episode up to sponsoring an entire season would be significant.
But so far, especially with your help Josh, we’ve gotten a nice tapestry of narratives, and FSC is definitely a writer’s and actor’s medium. I’d love to see more people involved, sharing biographies.
https://blip.tv/front-seat-chronicles/fsc-the-l-word-6125499
Written and Directed by Devon K. Lee. Featuring – Evelyn Kang as Lori, and Richard Lee as Roger.
One thing I appreciate about this series the most, is being introduced to the diverse challenges people face, regardless of background or creed. As writer/director Devon K. Lee was putting this very personal episode together, it was illuminating to learn that Lupus – a chronic autoimmune disease, can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Moreover, it disproportionately affects Asians, Latinos, and African-Americans, and more than 90 percent are women between the ages of 15 and 45.
According to the Lupus Awareness and Research site, with lupus, your immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, and healthy tissues. So lupus creates auto-antibodies to attack and destroy healthy tissue, soften causing pain, inflammation, and tissue damage. It is a disease of flares and remissions.
Perhaps most illuminating was to discover that there are more people affectedly Lupus than by AIDS, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, and Multiple Sclerosis COMBINED.
We at Front Seat Chronicles, PIC.tv, and One Economy cannot stress enough, how valuable early screening can be for you and your family. Thanks for caring.
Below are resources offering support while answering important questions about Lupus.
Lupus fact sheet – http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/lupus.cfm#b
Lupus Foundation of America – http://www.lupus.org/newsite/index.html
The Lupus Initiative – http://www.thelupusinitiative.org/content/educational-resources
WebMD – http://lupus.webmd.com/guide/lupus-support-resources
As Sandra prepares to visit family back in her native China, her American-born husband Wayne discovers her true motives.
Writer/Director: Devon Lee
“Sandra”: Yi Tian
“Wayne”: Eddie Lee
Read more about the episode in this interview with Writer/Director Devon Lee.
One of the most complete resources for new immigrants to the United States is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. There you will find:
Other resources for recent immigrants