Writers Matter (2015)

Everybody always talks about inequality in America. Inequality in income, inequality in incarceration rates and at the base of it all, inequality in education. Many have tried to address these issues, to find solutions on the public policy level, advocating for better laws and different allocation of budgets, but the gap only widens. Across the country, small organizations are trying to make a difference. They know that they can't solve the problem but maybe they can help some children make some progress. Writers Matter is one of those organizations. It's a writing program with a unique approach. It doesn't teach the children how to write better fiction or persuasive essays. Instead, it encourages students to write about themselves, about their lives, struggles and hopes. With just pencil and paper, those dedicated teachers and college students are making a difference in the lives of inner city youth. The movie tells the story of some of those children who talk about where they come from, and read the poems they wrote about themselves. It also introduces us to the teachers and college students who run the program and the effect it has on their lives. This project has 2 goals: To push forward, again, the subject of inner city education and to inspire others to act for a change. Not at the next elections or the next budget meeting but today, here. It doesn't require a huge budget or political power. Just a believe that change is needed. And above all, possible.