“Our senior citizens are the pioneers whose spiritual strength and faith in our beloved City has defined Newark’s resilience and transformation. These stories of courage and triumph stand to inspire and guide resent and future generations. By preserving these stories, we will enable today’s Newark youth to determine where they are going by reading and hearing the record of where their ancestors have been”, Mayor Cory Booker regarding the NewARC Senior Story Telling Initiative

The Barat Foundation, in collaboration with Mayor Cory Booker and the City of Newark, the Newark Housing Authority, Newark Now, and the Newark Public Schools, has embarked upon a Newark Senior Story-Telling Initiative. The program features Newark senior citizens sharing their lives and inspirational stories, which are filmed, edited and produced by students from the NewARC after-school digital filmmakers program, working with the NPS Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Seniors are presented with a DVD of their story as a legacy for their family and community; each student who works on the project is listed in the credits and is presented with a DVD for their portfolio. The stories are archived and will become part of a trailer documentary about the power, resiliency, and inspiration of Newark seniors. The program is designed to honor the lives of Newark citizens and open up dialogue between the generations, encouraging mutual sharing and respect; and to promote positive images and role models for the city and its children.