Confessions of A Young Ethnographic Filmmaker

Please explain how “4eva n a day” is not the greatest mixtape of all time.

My mother, Michele Manting, is one of my inspirations. 

My mother has spent her career working odd hours as an OBGYN to support me and my brother, Alexander. As a child, I remember many nights that she would have to spend away from the house, to provide a living. At an age when most people are considering retirement, my mom continues to work overnight call hours. Likewise, I spent more than 60 hours per week for the first six months of my term to create institutional programs like service-learning classes and campus clubs and build a solid infrastructure through volunteer mentorship and social media to support sustainable community partnerships for New College of Florida. I’m definitely my mother’s son; hard work is in my blood.

My father, Robert Brewer, retired from the United States Army. He’s now a pacifist. 

National service has always been an important value in my family. My grandfather, mother, father, and oldest brother have all served in the Armed Forces. I draw great pride from my family’s service and have sought to continue that tradition. I became extremely interested in making a positive contribution to society. National Service through the AmeriCorps VISTA program was a logical step to serve my country and continue my family’s legacy, which I drew a lot of inspiration from as a child. I volunteered with Relief Spark in post-Katrina New Orleans during my Christmas break in 2007. I was a privileged teenager, who was struck by the stark contrast transitioning from a suburb in Tallahassee to suddenly being a few blocks away from the Lower Ninth Ward, where the devastation of that awful event lingered. I carried my video camera around in order to capture what I saw, and that’s what sparked my interest in social documentary filmmaking/photography and their shared ability to reach wide audiences.

Kelly O’Malley and Nicholas Manting-Brewer 

To this day, I continue my community outreach with Manatee Habitat For Humanity. My service paradigm has shifted from a hierarchical and charity-driven to horizontal and solidarity-based. I’ve come to realize—from working with students and reflecting on my own experiences—that we often draw a lot of knowledge from our community outreach. It clicked when I was photographing a Manatee Habitat Home dedication. The homeowner tapped me on the shoulder as I was looking through the viewfinder. “Thank you,” she said, “For organizing all these students.” I realized that in the previous nine months, we did help build her house, but in the process had learned practical skills for construction, experienced new community dynamics, and gained new friendships with the staff and fellow volunteers at Habitat.

My co-VISTA, Erica and I with a group of students during Alternative Fall Break. 

I am inspired by the potential of the AmeriCorps VISTA program. My education in anthropology at New College of Florida taught me that poverty is a structural problem that cannot be solved by one person or one small group volunteering. It requires a structural solution that  VISTAs specialize through sustained effort at capacity building for organizations. My service has been the most productive use of my time in trying to make a difference.  It is my proudest achievement.

A group of New College volunteers repaint a house with Manatee County Habitat For Humanity’s A Brush With Kindness project in Parish, Florida. 

1 lunch with a mentor. 

1 coffee with a good friend.

1 run-in with an old flame

275 bench.

1 nutty metabolic conditioning workout

1 beautiful sunset with the Tiger Dog. 

I’d say today was interesting and eventful. 

proud moment: did 300 crunches today. 

Whenever I have a regretable day, I remember that one of the women who raised me worked her ass off all throughout my childhood so I could be where I am. I also remember that this woman continues to work 24 hour shifts at the Labor and Delivery clinic of a busy hospital at the age that most people consider retirement. I’m so proud of my Mom and she’s the reason I’m a feminist.  

Today I decline benched 245 lbs for three sets of 8 reps. I’m still kind of in disbelief. I weigh 180 lbs. 

(Source: raisedby-w0lves)