West Michigan Newspop: Ravenna teens among youth filmmakers nationwide honored
“Avery & Abi Creating Better Food Futures”
Mosaic Film Experience and Newman’s Own Foundation announced the winners of the second annual Nourishing Narratives: Cultivating Youth Stories for Change, a national youth mobile film competition that explores food justice through storytelling.
Mosaic Film Experience is an award-winning, Michigan-based nonprofit that empowers youth to explore emerging and creative careers through storytelling. Newman’s Own Foundation, the private grantmaking foundation started by legendary actor Paul Newman, collaborates on the competition as part of its mission to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity.
Nourishing Narratives invites youth ages 13 to 18 from across the United States to explore food justice through short films created entirely on mobile devices. This year’s filmmakers were challenged to interpret the theme “Creating Better Food Futures,” incorporate a plate or bowl as a required prop and include the phrase “Change Starts With Us” in their films. Teen storytellers submitted short films exploring topics including access to healthy food, urban farming and community gardens, organizations feeding their communities, food education and Indigenous food justice.
The 2026 Nourishing Narratives winners are:
“Against the Wind,” by Rita Backes Kozhimannil – White Bear Lake, Minnesota
“Avery & Abi Creating Better Food Futures,” by Abigail Cooper and Avery Walker – Ravenna, Michigan
“Changing Food Futures 4 Wheels at a Time,” by Jackson Alexander Brisco – Kennesaw, Georgia
“Creating Better Food Futures,” by Ada Grace O’Connor and Jane Mathis Alexander Fettus – Washington, D.C.
“Feeding Hope,” by Gabriella Grace Dibrell – San Antonio, Texas
“Food Show,” by Natalie Goldban, Sammy Goldban and Teddy Kroin – Scarsdale, New York
“Mickey-Don’ts,” by Myles Alexander Fredrickson – Castaic, California
“Planting the Seeds of Food Literacy,” by Brianna Wang and Adrianna Wang – Jackson, Mississippi
“The Divide on Our Plates,” by Ewura-Adjoa Darkoa Dwumfuoh, Maame-Abena Konadu Dwumfuoh and Nana-Ama Pokua Dwumfuoh – Oakley, California
“The Same Bowl,” by Ike Grace Apata – Calumet City, Illinois
Each winner or winning team will receive a $1,000 award and a Newman’s Own prize package. Winners and a guardian will also be invited to a special two-day celebration Aug. 14–15 at College for Creative Studies and The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Metro Detroit, where they’ll connect with leaders in storytelling, education, innovation and food justice. The celebration will conclude with a public screening of the winning films on Aug. 15. Winning films can be viewed via YouTube.
A distinguished panel of educators, food justice leaders and film industry professionals from across North America – including Crystal FitzSimons, president, Food Research & Action Center; Maralyn O'Brien, chief strategy officer, Chef Ann Foundation; and Virginia Anzengruber, producer, screenwriter – selected this year’s winners.
“Nourishing Narratives reminds us that young people aren’t waiting to impact the future, they’re already shaping it,” said Skot Welch, founder and president of Mosaic Film Experience. “These filmmakers challenged audiences to think differently about food, community and opportunity. Their stories demonstrate the power of storytelling to spark meaningful change and show that meaningful change isn’t defined by age, but by the courage to share your voice.”
Read the full article here: https://www.westmichigannewspop.com/news/ravenna-teens-among-youth-filmmakers-nationwide-honored