OUR DOCUMENTARIES
THE INSPIRING JOURNEY OF FRANK GILMORE
The Inspiring Journey of Frank “Educational” Gilmore documentary chronicles the remarkable transformation of Frank “Educational” Gilmore starting from his troubled past in the streets to his current role as a community tirelessly advocating for the rights and needs of underserved constituents. The film delves into Gilmore’s underdog campaign for councilman, his surprising victory, and his subsequent impactful work within the community.
26 BLOCKS DOCUMENTARY
At the center of 26 Blocks Documentary are several local African American developers, contractors, workers, politicians, activists, and community members. They all seek to participate in the American Dream by redeveloping their community. The documentary weaves the stories of several community-driven redevelopment projects and other initiatives to explore the complexity of gentrification and its impact.
COMING SOON
SARAH'S DAUGHTERS:
DARING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
A documentary about domestic violence told by survivors and the grass-roots organization that helped them. Filmed and edited by 26 Blocks creator, Tali Hendricks. 26 Blocks joins forces with Sarah’s Daughters Domestic Violence Awareness organization and community leader, June Jones, to produce this most needed documentary.
COMMUNITY ACTIVISM
OUR PURPOSE
We provide meaningful edits and streaming that celebrate and inform the community. Trainees learn the technical and aesthetic aspect of filming professional looking and sounding video events, community meetings, PSA’s, music videos, biopic and issue documentaries. We have created a platform to empower community artists to work with leadership in a collaborative that keeps the important stories and issues of our community in the eyes of the public. Please follow us for more.
African Cultural Arts Family Festival 2022
Jersey City’s African Cultural Arts Family Festival 2022, celebrates Juneteenth 2022. Hosted by Friends of Berry Lane Park and June Jones.
(Editor: Tali Hendricks, Videographers: Tali Hendricks, Siheed Cleveland and Chris Soko)
June 18, 2022
Still We Rise: Aftermath 2022
A Documentary Short that explores people reflections on Covid and Black Lives Matter.
Written by E’otree Snow
Filmed and Edited by Tali Hendricks and Reel CinCity Productions
Feb 5, 2022
Frank "Educational" Gilmore Inaugural
Jersey City’s Ward F celebrates the election of Frank “Educational” Gilmore to City Council in November 2021 at the Inaugural Ball held at The Factory.
Videographer: Kossi, Siheed Cleveland, Elijah Cleveland. Editor: Kossi
July, 2022
Rev. Martin Luther King Tribute 2023
Jersey City Community Awareness Series presents the Rev. Martin Luther King Annual Tribute 2023. Hosted By Daoud David Williams and Omar Barbour. Featuring Winard Harper, Jeli Posse, and the Michael Cochrane Tribute Quartet.
House of Prayer's Day of Healing 2023
House of Prayer sponsors the Annual Day of Healing, 2023. Mary McLeod Bethune Park, Jersey City, New Jersey.
2023 Extraordinary Women of the Year: Tribute
In memory of Termara King and Luz Hernandez, dedicated Jersey City teachers lost to domestic violence, a Legacy Tribute was presented at the ‘Annual Extraordinary Women of Jersey City NJ’ Event by Councilman Frank Gilmore. Filmed and edited by NuDigi/26Blocks. Event at The Factory, Jersey City.
The Reason
Jersey City’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is 26 blocks long and is the generational home of Jersey City’s African American community.
With a skyline backdrop of NYC, some would say it has become the victim of hyper-gentrification. As this community combats gentrification displacement, many put their faith into independent candidates who advocate for equitable participation.
Local activists and long-time community leaders are now campaigning against incumbents whom they claim, have left their community out.
The Story
26 Blocks is a documentary miniseries, filmed in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was produced by a team of local journalists, activists, and concerned citizens.
Shot with a reality-TV-style, this long-term project was designed to educate and inspire as it follows the community’s efforts and questions the status of MLK’s infamous dream of inclusion.
Join the 26 Blocks Doc Team as we explore the inner workings of Jersey City’s redevelopment and the community’s attempt to participate in it.
About Us
The Civil Rights, and other Human Rights-based movements were organized and led by the moral conscious of individuals, families, and communities that share common goals that protect the dignity and rights of Americans.
African-Americans, in particular, are on the front line of the struggle for fair housing, decent livable wages, equitable economic development, meaningful job training, education equality, reliable voting rights, effective health care, and more in America..
The struggle that exists in Jersey City is one many American cities can relate to. Amplifying the stories that take place within 26 Blocks is an important contribution to the work of the aforementioned individuals and organizations who continue the fight to realize the American dream for all.
HELP US SUCCEED
To complete our massive project and ensure that the next generation of content creators and voices of our time thrive, we are seeking funding and professionals willing to volunteer their time. We need a few good masters of videography, journalism, video editing, and social media.
BE HEARD
In a media-saturated world where content is frequently churned out, documentary films and the individuals who create them play a crucial role in capturing the essence of human experience and amplifying the voices of the people. These powerful narratives not only serve as a valuable source of information, knowledge, and inspiration for the community but also spark the interest of audiences nationally and worldwide. By documenting their own stories, individuals contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage, challenge societal norms, and promote inclusivity, ensuring that diverse perspectives are heard and understood.
SOJOURNA COLLIER
STORY DEVELOPMENT
Susan-Sojourna Collier, Emmy® nominee for Outstanding Writing, is a veteran TV writer known for her work on All My Children, Port Charles, and One Life to Live. She produced two films with Tommy Ford, distributed by Lionsgate/Grindstone, and her screenplay was a semi-finalist at the Tribeca Screenwriting Festival. As a Playwright in Residence at National Black Theatre, she adapted Aesop’s Fables for young audiences and collaborated on vignettes about homeless students. Susan-Sojourna is an educator, motivational speaker, and co-founder of The Mamie and Jimmie Collier Writing Fellowship. She was also a Writer in Residence in Abu Dhabi and currently teaches at NYU and runs the fellowship. BA from Talladega College, MFA from Spalding University. As a writer for 26 Blocks documentary of Jersey City, NJ, she provides story development and distribution expertise.
PETER ZIELYK
CHIEF EDITOR
Award Winning Film and Video Editor, Cameraperson and Video Producer
Peter(He/Him) is an acclaimed film and video editor, cameraperson, and producer with a proven track record of success. With more than 20 years of experience working with global brands, startups, and nonprofits, he is a skilled and creative storyteller with an eye for detail and a passion for excellence. As Chief Editor for 26 Blocks, Peter oversees the assistant editors and loggers, and produce final edits for distribution.
PAMELA TIMPSON
DOCUMENTARIAN
Pamela Timpson is a photographer and documentary filmmaker with 30+ completed documentaries. When she is not working on 26 Blocks she provides training for upcoming documentarians and works to launch a nonprofit Digi2U, a platform of services and a network of people to provide training, project development services, and in-house productions to inspire talent and equal opportunity in the digital age.
TYQAWN HEADEN
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Tyqawn Headen, accomplished videographer and music artist, brings his technical knowledge and his love of content creation to 26 Blocks. When he is not solving computer problems, he is researching the next work-around as new technologies rapidly develop better workflows. His persistent love of new technologies allows us to work professionally on a modest budget.