This alum uses film to change minds about her home neighborhood in Panamá City
Yineth Lopez is an award-winning filmmaker, youth worker, and Clubhouse alum. She first visited Clubhouse Fe y Alegria in Panamá City, Panamá for help with her homework. While there, she began to learn the Adobe software suite and was soon able to teach it to other youth. “Everything I learned in The Clubhouse I would teach to other kids,” she says. Her mentor, Serafin Blis of Clubhouse Network partner SENACYT, made the biggest impact on her. She credits him with teaching her how the internet and sites like YouTube can be used to learn a wide variety of skills.
She now dedicates her life to filmmaking and her community. She’s currently working on a project with a group of youth called “Carpa de Cine de Curundú,” or the Curundú Film Tent, funded by Panamá City’s 500 Year Fund with support from Fundación Mente Publica. She sets up her tent around the neighborhood and teaches youth how to make movies. Curundú is a very economically depressed neighborhood of Panamá City and its young people from this neighborhood face many challenges. Yineth says, “above all, this was an initiative developed to show kids that they have options.” Much like her Clubhouse experience, Yineth knows the importance of giving youth access to technology, media, and self-expression. “Making films with youth is important because they see themselves,” she says. She hopes the program will give Curundú youth the chance to explore filmmaking tools and skills.
Her advice to current Clubhouse members is to, “open yourself up to new opportunities.” She says that the ability to learn new things will be helpful in anything you go on to do. “In all aspects of work, The Clubhouse will be a part of you.”
“Te invito a entrar a Curundú” (I Invite you to enter Curundú)
Yineth Lopez’ winning film at el Festival de Cine Pobre Panalandia aims to invite outsiders to see beyond their assumptions of what life is like in Curundú.
“Ingueto – Carpa de Cine de Curundú”
Produced by Curundú youth and featured in the Panama 500 film festival.
If you’re a Clubhouse or Teen Tech Center alum, tell us what you’re up to!