THE BLUEPRINT PROJECT
The Blueprint Project is a collection of stories inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “What is Your Life Blueprint?” The speech was given to high school students in 1967. In it, he highlights the importance of having a blueprint that asserts and celebrates one’s dignity and worth, one’s “somebody-ness.” He encourages people to maximize their potential -- to strive to be the best of what they are -- by working hard, by having self love, by fighting for justice.
Deo Mwano Consultancy looked at the norm of our society with COVID-19 and racial tensions and created original stories that highlight the challenges but bring hope and encouragement through visual storytelling using dance and music.
There are 8 stories. Each story captures different experiences. Below are descriptions of each of the characters.
Media Coverage
Professor -- Martin
Prof. Martin is struggling with remote teaching. He does not know if he is getting through to his students teaching. He does not know his students are even learning effectively. He ends up channeling his energy and frustration through improvisational dancing, through breakdancing and popping hip hop style of dance.
Janitor -- Mark
Mark works as a janitor at a school. Due to COVID-19, he has been working extra time to keep the school clean. His wife was frustrated with Mark’s long hours. Like Mark, she is working remotely but is also taking care of their kids. She wants Mark to be home more to help. Mark gets a phone call and the wife explains her frustrations. Mark is upset that he is not able to be home to help more. He channels his energy into improving a cello piece.
Nurse -- Jillian
Jillian is a nurse and parent. She just worked a double shift and went to her daughter’s school to pick her up. She is looking forward to spending time with her family. She gets a phone call from the hospital asking her to come back in because they are short staffed. She is frustrated by the request but decides to go back to work. She channels her energy by performing a tap dance number.
Social Justice Advocate -- Isiah
Isiah is a student. He is watching a youtube video on social injustice in America. The longer he watches the video, the more frustrated he feels. He reacts to soundbites that deal with police violence, protesting, bail reform. He is inspired to do something. He gets up and performs a song about social justice and peace.
Student with Social Anxiety -- Amanda
Amanda is a student struggling with social anxiety and remote learning. She is afraid to turn her camera on. She doesn't want her classmates to take a screenshot of her and turn it into a meme. She gets called on to answer a question. She refuses to turn her video on and answer the teacher. She finds herself back at the school in one of the hallways, channeling her emotions and feelings through an improvised dance.
DACA Student -- Jose
Jose is a DACA student who is in college and working two jobs. Jose is behind on his tuition. While at work, he receives a phone call from the school informing him he is being kicked out because of the lingering balance. Jose is upset and in distress that he is getting kicked out. He channels his emotions and energy through his hip hop style of dance.
Laid Off -- Pedro
Pedro found out he was let go at work due to low revenue caused by COVID-19. He calls his wife to tell her the bad news. He tells her to have faith. Pedro expresses his energy and emotions through an original song about hope and perseverance.
No Promotion -- Denise
Dennise has been working for a company for 6 years. She was promised a promotion in one to three years. So she applies for a promotion. She has a conversation with her manager about the position she applied for. The manager informs her that the higher-ups want her to stay in her current position. She is deflated by that news. She expresses her energy and emotions through her Afro dance performance.
Bill, is the manager who is having a hard time explaining to Denise why she has not been promoted after 6 years of working under him. Bill is feeling uncomfortable to addressing the issues Denise has brought regarding her promotion.
Cast and crew credit:
Director, Producer- Deo Mwano
Nurse- Stephanie Brewster
Teacher- Shaquille Worsley
Janitor- Kurt Villiard
High School Girl Social Anxiety- Amanda Whitworth
Civic Leader Rapper- Martin Toe
Getting Fired- Oscar Arevalo
Black Girl Not Getting Promoted - Millicent A.Alhamis
Supervisor-Peter Grigorakakis
Street Cleaner, Abel Garcia
Artwork Blueprint Project-Kylie Jennet Cropper
Videographer for the project- Jason Sliviak
LET’S COLLABORATE
The Blueprint presentation is a virtual screening of the short stories, which will include some of the performers. There will be a follow-up discussion of the themes and topics. We will also discuss the creative process behind the project. The discussion format is flexible and can be customized to your organization’s theme and needs. Deo Mwano Consultancy will work with you to maximize participation and engagement by distributing marketing materials to your community. The Blueprint Project is a powerful way to inspire, motivate and engage participants, providing them with the tools and strategies to deal with the real issues many of us feel and experience due to our current realities.