Devon Brown, Age 16
"I changed as a person, even though I'm in the same community, same neighborhood, same house ... I'm more focused than what I was. The only thing [Baltimore] needs is a lot of role models, people who really care about the children and take them places — not specifically Africa — but out of their surroundings, and help them and make them feel that they are somebody."
Richard Keyser, Jr., Age 17
"I'm most definitely glad that I was in the movie, you know what I'm saying? The people that done it, they showed us lots of love — they always did. It was like a dream come true. Goodness gracious! I have been to amazing places that I really thought I would never be in life."
Montrey Moore, Age 16
"Now I see that I can do stuff. I know I can do it. And I want to do it.... They know in society today that black kids can do things, but everybody's waiting for just one example to prove it and let the whole world know that it can be done. But it was sad to see what it had to take.... They had to send us to Africa."
Romesh Vance, Age 16 (pictured at 14)
From the filmmakers: After returning from the Baraka School, Romesh and several other kids from the film were cast as extras on HBO's The Wire, a television show about the violent street and drug life in Baltimore. Sadly, art imitates life for many of the kids in the show, and Romesh, now 16, finds himself cutting school, living at friends' houses and spending far too much time on the streets. Romesh, like the majority of African-American teenagers in Baltimore, faces the Herculean task of rejecting the offerings of the street and making a productive life for himself. (no video available)
The Baraka School
While the Baraka School no longer exists, the need continues for 24-hour schools for at-risk urban children.
The SEED Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation which was organized to establish urban public boarding schools that prepare students from underserved communities academically and socially for success in college and in the professional world. The SEED Foundation opened its first school, The SEED School of Washington, D.C., in 1998 and is currently working to open a school in Maryland.
Ninety-seven percent of SEED's graduates have been accepted to colleges and universities, including schools such as Georgetown University, Howard University, North Carolina A&T, Ohio Wesleyan, Princeton, Stanford, Tuskegee University and the University of Pennsylvania. Eighty-five percent of SEED alumni remain on track to graduate from college.
The SEED School of Maryland is modeled after the SEED School of Washington, D.C., and will serve 400 students. Intended opening is in the fall of 2008. Students will live on campus, will receive 24-hour support to their educational process, and will benefit from a collaborative network of faculty, staff, family members and community members.
Talk About This
I loved this documentary. All the boys were intriguing but I was drawn immediately to Richard. His passion for a better life was clear. I was devastated to see the school close and nowhere for him to continue his success. My hope is that Richard doesn't fall into the trap of his current surroundings. I hope he lifts himself out to a happy, successful, and safe future. Please let him (and the other boys) know that people are still coming across this film and cheering them on. I would love continued updates on your website.
by Nancy Stark
July 23, 2009, 10:49 PM
To Richard and Romesh
I just saw this DVD in my library and grabbed it. I cried and smiled..I am grateful for the year these young men were given. My heart and my prayers are pulling for Richard and Romesh. If you show them this I want to tell them, YOU CAN MAKE IT. Not just barely making it as a carpenter or a mechanic, YOU CAN be the mayor of Baltimore, you really can. PLEASE continue Richard to strive to do better, it sounds like you and Romesh have experienced heartache after heartache but it's well, ( I am sorry to hear about your grandmother) the Bible says "all things work for the good of them that love GOD and are called according to his purpose." I am a living witness that it's true I am the middle child of 3, my mom raised us and YES my father was in prison my entire life. One time he even showed me track marks in his arm to tell me why he didn't pay child support, I was a victim of sexual abuse when I was younger and that is not even the half..I graduated the president of my high school, have a bachelors degree in Psychology, I am married now and have 2 beatiful girls. Your today is not your tomorrow fellas. GOD BLESS YOU. I don't care where you are today!! Really I meant that you can b at a friends house, or in an alley, U WILL Accomplish more than you've ever dreamed, PLEASE HOLD ON and continue fighting yall. Lots of love and encouragement from Columbus, OH P.S. can we send the other guys care packages for school?
by Sufiy Davis from Columbus, Ohio
September 7, 2009, 10:38 PM
This film obviously made money but how was that money used to help the boys who were its stars? After filming was done it seems as though they were abandoned and left to go back to their old lives.
by beez faldwell
October 7, 2009, 10:57 AM
FASCINATING
Fascinating documentary. It was very hard to understand why the school wasn't moved to a different country when the security alerts threatened it's survival. Surely there are other places it could have been relocated too. Also it seemed especially harsh for the boys to be dropped back into the school system. I was shocked by the overcrowding in the schools. It seems absolutely outrageous that one of the richest countries in the world should be content to leave its most needy children to be schooled in that kind of environment - very harsh and made me quite angry. The film has made a lasting impression on me and I hope the boys are still doing well.
by EMMA KUKURUZOVIC from EDINBURGH, UK
October 25, 2009, 7:24 PM
GOD HAS SMILED ON YOU FELLAS
HEY FELLAS I JUST WANT TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR A PHENOMENAL DOCUMENTARY ESPECIALLY THE GENIOUS WHO THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING THIS FILM TOGETHER.I AM AMAZED AT HOW YOU YOUNG MEN TURNED OUT TO BE, HAVE FAITH KEEP ON BELIEVING AND LET GOD HANDLE IT. CHANGE HAS COME AN ITS GOING TO CONTINUE COMING AS LONG AS YOU ALL STAY FOCUS .EACH AND EVERYLAST ONE OF YOU ARE IN MY HEART. AS FOR YOU RAMESH STAY FOCUS BABY YOU CAN BE SOMEBODY AND LIKE YOUR MOTHER SAID IN THE FILM RICHARD IS THERE TO HELP YOU DONT BE AFRAID TO BE SOMEBODY DONT BE LIKE THE NEGATIVE PEOPLE AROUND U ALL IM GOING TO KEEP PRAYING FOR YOU ALL AND MY LOVE GOES OUT TO YOU AND YOU GUYS FAMILY. KEEP GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIVES AND WATCH HIM WORK. STAY POSITIVE AND BE ALL YOU CAN BE AS YOUNG BLACK STRONG SMART BUSINESS MEN .THAT WAS AN OPPERTUNITY OF A LIFETIME TAKE IT AND RUN WITH IT U HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE AND YOU ARE TODAYS FUTURE.
by kia b. from long island , new york
October 27, 2009, 6:30 PM