PCSE Seed Grants in Action: Report #2 from Narratio

Each year, the Patricelli Center for Social Entrepreneurship awards $5,000 seed grants to fund the launch or early-stage growth of a project, program, or venture. Narratio run by Ahmed Badr ’20 was one of this year’s winners. This is their second report since receiving funding from the PCSE in March 2020. Read their first report here.

Narratio Blog Post, June-September 30th, 2020

This past summer marked the beginning of the second cohort of the Narratio Fellowship. In response to COVID restrictions, the Fellowship team, lead by Professor Brice Nordquist, facilitator Gemma Cooper-Novack, and artist-in-residence Ana Vîjdea, created and implemented a hybrid model of the program that combines in-person and virtual instruction.

We continued our collaboration with Syracuse’s North Side Learning Center, the central location for the program. In close coordination with NSLC staff, the Narratio team followed strict public health protocol while coordinating a dynamic and flexible project. To maintain social distancing measures, this year’s cohort comprised six fellows instead of the usual eleven. They are:

  • Isho Adan (Onondaga Community College)
  • Hawa Ahmed (Nottingham H.S.)
  • Rayan Mohamed (Henninger H.S.)
  • Felone Nganga (Henninger H.S.)
  • Hibbatullah Shaalan (Nottingham H.S.)
  • Aman Yohannes (Onondaga Community College)

While last year’s program was focused on poetry, this year’s cohort focuses on autobiographical filmmaking. Led by artist-in-residence Ana Vijdea, an award-winning Romanian filmmaker and MFA Candidate at Syracuse University’s Transmedia program, each fellow created a short film based on their experiences living through the pandemic. Through a series of workshops, editing sessions, and guest speakers, the program was able to continue its goal of creating spaces where displaced young people can share their own experiences, on their own terms.

The summer portion of the Fellowship concluded with a virtual screening of the Fellows’ six autobiographical films. The audience included Fellowship alumni, previous guest speakers, and various community members.

In the fall, the Fellows will continue editing their films in preparation of a public screening in February 2021, as part of Syracuse University’s Humanities Symposium.