As part of our commitment to help empower social change in our community, Gorilla partners with Mosiac: a diversity-minded organization focused on providing students with exposure to creative careers.

The Mosaic Film Experience began in 2012 and has since grown into a way for students – many of whom may have never thought of a future in film as a possibility – to be given the resources and opportunity to tell their stories. Through this program, Gorilla provides workshops, gives feedback, and supports individual students in need of the resources necessary to explore their film talents.

This year, we teamed up to help a group of students create a PSA in support of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and the City of Grand Rapids’ Mayor’s Greening Initiative. The project, titled “Breathe”, was written, directed and produced by Mosiac students, and was purposed with inspiring viewers to help plant trees to achieve a 40% tree canopy goal in Grand Rapids.

Through this experience, we watched as seventeen-year-old Mariah flourished in her role as a first-time film director. It was an experience which had a profound impact and has since inspired her to a career focused on film direction.

Hell yeah, Mariah. The world needs more Hispanic female film directors.

Check out a short behind the scenes montage on out Instagram Page.

 For more about the Mosaic Film Experience: http://mosaicfilmexperience.com

“Breathe” PSA produced by WMCAT Students: http://bit.ly/2ohXWWA