“Youth FX never says ‘No’. They say ‘How?’. How can we tell this story?”

The kids have something to say. Youth FX isn’t just listening, they’re handing young people the megaphone. And they’re teaching them how to use it.

When Bhawin Suchak, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Youth FX, began building the organization, his priority was to center the vision and voices of young people. Understanding that young people have a voice and a story to tell doesn’t appear to be all that radical of a concept. However, the reality is that there are serious roadblocks that prevent so many voices from being heard.

For many, it’s having an adult tell them they’re allowed to speak up. For others, it’s lack of resources – from the expensive equipment to the technical skills needed to use them. To Bhawin, the critical mission of this organization has been to “eliminate these barriers of entry” that exist in filmmaking, storytelling, and digital arts.

“What we’re really about, is how do we create films that are reflective of the experience of the youth?” Bhawin said.

I had the privilege of meeting with Bhawin to learn more about this work and hear from Youth FX educators, Camille Dobbs and Daysia Leneé, about the incredible programs that are made accessible to underserved youth in Albany. Camille notes how moving it is to see what the students can do when resources are accessible and the barriers to entry are gone.

“It’s been beautiful, as an educator, to witness the growth and the talent of a lot of these young people – to bear witness to their stories, assist in the telling of their stories, and empower them in the process,” she expressed.

Youth FX was founded in 2008 to do exactly that – to empower and amplify the voices of young people and give them the confidence, support, and technical skills required to flourish as creative individuals in digital film and media arts. Based in the southend of Albany, Youth FX has become a “community hub” for storytellers and creatives in the Capital Region. With programs for students ages 10 to 25, Youth FX has cultivated an inter-generational community of mentorship, learning, and passion for the arts.

It is incredibly clear how passionate this staff is about the services they’re able to offer the community. In chatting with Camille and Daysia, the two were beaming with pride as they told me about the students in their summer program, how engaged the middle schoolers working on a documentary storytelling project have been, and the remarkable work they’ve watched as these young people grow through the programs in the “continuing community” that is Youth FX. Through workforce development programs , rotating workshops, community screenings of student films, and even an in-house production company – Youth FX creates a path for young people to develop a lifelong passion for the digital arts.

Camille accurately described the organization as a “center of gravity” for students. Not just in the way that the physical building has become a community hub and the organization has provided the knowledge and technical skills needed to thrive in the industry – but the fact that the students move through their programs, go out into the world, and remain connected to this vibrant community. Many members of the staff had previously been students themselves, eager to give back to the community that gave them so much.

“You’ll see people who have been in our programs for so many years, and they come back excited to re-engage, meet people, and share in their knowledge,” Bhawin explained.

Youth FX hosts a year long national fellowship called NeXt Doc for filmmakers 21-25 to develop their documentary skills through “skill-sharing workshops”, peer screenings, mentorship, and a week-long retreat with their cohort. This program, led by Bhawin, essentially opens up a global network of connections for the young people here in Albany. These relationships are at the core of what Youth FX is all about.

Youth FX doesn’t stop there. Bhawin and his team remain committed to fostering collaboration and community involvement, noting how imperative it is to be community members and actively combating the grim political landscape around us.

One of the many ways Youth FX is promoting progress in the community is through their Solidarity Screening Series – where students and outside community members come together to watch films and discuss ways to build deeper understanding and solidarity with one another.

“Right now, there’s clearly a culture of deepening divisions within our society, rather than creating space for more understanding. And that’s what we want to do. Stories are the way for us to understand each other and be in communication with each other,” Bhawin said.

Unsurprisingly, the young people at Youth FX have already woven this cultural awareness into their storytelling. Camille tells me that after watching films from last year's Summer Program, she saw an overwhelming theme of resilience. Many of the films explored the “needing a break from reality” and in turn a response of finding strength to overcome.

This program was created with young people’s voices in mind, and continues to enrich our community as they uplift their stories.

The younger generation is talking – let’s listen.

Want to get involved? Go to youthfx.org to learn more about the incredible work they do and consider donating to help keep these programs accessible to the young people who need it the most.