The Residents
Mark Pratt grew up in Cabrini Green and moved out with his family in 1999. They Have since relocated three times in search of safe and affordable housing. Mark is a filmmaker, and has worked on numerous documentaries, narratives, and short films. He was featured in Voices of Cabrini and is now a co-producer of Mixing It Up. Mark and Ronit met in 1995 while both attending Columbia College.
Teenager Raymond McDonald lives at Carbrini Green with his grandmother. He is a gifted actor, musician and athlete who grew up at Cabrini and now attends Schurz High School on the city's northwest side. While the majority of Raymond's friends and family have relocated from the area, he lives in one of the historic "row-houses" which are not yet slated for demolition. Raymond faces racial tension as white homeowners move into his community.
Londa Gray's was the first family to move to the North Town Village mixed income community, built to replace Cabrini Green. Only five years later, They are forced to leave due to escalating rent.
Tara Stamps, daughter of late activist Marion stamps, continues her mother's legacy through teaching eight-graders at Carbrini Green.
Ryan Flynn is an artist who purchased a condo in the mixed-income community across from Cabrini Green He grapples with his role in the gentrification of the neighborhood through documenting the demolitions through photography and paintings.
Deidre Brewster is an activist and former member of the Coalition to Protect Public Housing at Cabrini. She recently moved into the mixed-income community next to Cabrini Green and is organizing tenants for a "voice at the table".
United Nations investigator Raquel Rolnik illustrates the international importance of this story when she visits Chicago in order to assess alleged human right abuses within the Plan for Transformation. Rolnik tours Cabrini with resident activists and then visits the mixed-income homes with CHA officials. She expresses frustration and disappointment in the disconnect between promises made and realities on the ground.
The Filmmakers
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR Ronit Bezalel has been creating social issue documentary films for over fifteen years. Bezalel began her career at the National Film Board of Canada, where she directed When Shirley Met Florence (1994). Her film Voices of Cabrini: Remaking Chicago's Public Housing (1999) received a John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Award to catalyze dialogue about affordable housing issues in Chicago neighborhoods. She was also selected as one of Newsweek magazine's "Top 10 Women of the 21st Century" (Jan 8, 2001) for this work. Bezalel received an MFA from Columbia College and a BA from McGill University in Montreal.
CO-PRODUCER/SEGMENT DIRECTOR/NARRATOR Mark Pratt, a former Cabrini Green resident featured in Voices of Cabrini, is producing and featured in Mixing It Up. In 1998, Pratt graduated with a B.A. in film from Columbia College and has since directed and filmed dozens of independent narrative films and music videos. He came on board as a collaborator for this project in 2001 and has served as content advisor, directed key scenes, and is co-writing the narrative. Pratt brings his invaluable knowledge of the Cabrini Green community to this project. He is currently working at Jenner Academy in Cabrini Green as assistant to the Dean of Students.
CO-PRODUCER Brenda Schumacher is a filmmaker, community organizer, and marketing communications professional. Schumaker directed and produced the Chicago Gay Games VII documentary featuring athletes and artists from seventy countries. As the broadcast communications director for Chicago Games she produced nationally broadcast television commercials, promotional videos and a video tribute that was broadcast live on NBC5.com. She brings the democratic methods and analysis of a community organizer to her film productions, ensuring diverse representation and community-based collaboration.
CO-PRODUCER Madaliene Schlet is the former director of marketing at Edge Media, a video production company focusing on the needs of educational publishers and nonprofit institutions. She worked at Houghton Mufflin for seven years as executive producer of technology development for science and was producer for world languages. Prior to that she served in the Peace Corps working in non-profit development. Schalet is a volunteer at the Evanston Community Media Center where she helps edit, shoot and crew on local productions regarding community issues, affairs, or other members' productions.
ADVISORY PRODUCER Judy Hoffman is a documentary editor working in Chicago, Illinois. She most recently edited Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Mike Pfleger about the activist white Catholic priest who has been at the helm for 25 of a large predominantly African American parish. In 2007, she co=produced and editor Senator Obama Goes to Africa, a chronicle of then Senator Obama's momentous 2006 diplomatic trip to Africa. Other editing credits include The Fight Over Faith, a CNN presents documentary examining Evangelical Christians in the U.S.
ADDITIONAL CREW
Camera
Doug Clevenger
Rebecca Parrish
Rebecca Spencer
Josh Gibson
Tom Clayton
Marie-Joëlle Rizk
David Korta
Kevin O'Dowd
Laurie Little
Ben Steger
Suree Towfighnia
Glenn McManus
Bill Glader
Ben Kolak
Sound
Anne Hanson
Mark Pratt
Adam Blaskewiez
Additional Editing
Alex MacKenzie
Rebecca Parrish
Postcard Graphics
Jess Weida
Research
Megan Cottrell
Michael Lachney
Intern
Andrea Cortes
Study Guide
Daniel Tucker
Naomi Walker
Music
Duane Buford
Graphics
John Filipkowski
Story Consultant
Deidre Brewster
Riva Lehrer
Advisors
Gordon Quinn
Tod Lending
The Filmmakers
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR Ronit Bezalel has been creating social issue documentary films for over fifteen years. Bezalel began her career at the National Film Board of Canada, where she directed When Shirley Met Florence (1994). Her film Voices of Cabrini: Remaking Chicago's Public Housing (1999) received a John D and Catherine T. MacArthur Award to catalyze dialogue about affordable housing issues in Chicago neighborhoods. She was also selected as one of Newsweek magazine's "Top 10 Women of the 21st Century" (Jan 8, 2001) for this work. Bezalel received an MFA from Columbia College and a BA from McGill University in Montreal.
CO-PRODUCER/SEGMENT DIRECTOR/NARRATOR Mark Pratt, a former Cabrini Green resident featured in Voices of Cabrini, is producing and featured in Mixing It Up. In 1998, Pratt graduated with a B.A. in film from Columbia College and has since directed and filmed dozens of independent narrative films and music videos. He came on board as a collaborator for this project in 2001 and has served as content advisor, directed key scenes, and is co-writing the narrative. Pratt brings his invaluable knowledge of the Cabrini Green community to this project. He is currently working at Jenner Academy in Cabrini Green as assistant to the Dean of Students.
CO-PRODUCER Brenda Schumacher is a filmmaker, community organizer, and marketing communications professional. Schumaker directed and produced the Chicago Gay Games VII documentary featuring athletes and artists from seventy countries. As the broadcast communications director for Chicago Games she produced nationally broadcast television commercials, promotional videos and a video tribute that was broadcast live on NBC5.com. She brings the democratic methods and analysis of a community organizer to her film productions, ensuring diverse representation and community-based collaboration.
CO-PRODUCER Madaliene Schlet is the former director of marketing at Edge Media, a video production company focusing on the needs of educational publishers and nonprofit institutions. She worked at Houghton Mufflin for seven years as executive producer of technology development for science and was producer for world languages. Prior to that she served in the Peace Corps working in non-profit development. Schalet is a volunteer at the Evanston Community Media Center where she helps edit, shoot and crew on local productions regarding community issues, affairs, or other members' productions.
ADVISORY PRODUCER Judy Hoffman is a documentary editor working in Chicago, Illinois. She most recently edited Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Mike Pfleger about the activist white Catholic priest who has been at the helm for 25 of a large predominantly African American parish. In 2007, she co=produced and editor Senator Obama Goes to Africa, a chronicle of then Senator Obama's momentous 2006 diplomatic trip to Africa. Other editing credits include The Fight Over Faith, a CNN presents documentary examining Evangelical Christians in the U.S.
ADDITIONAL CREW
Camera
Doug Clevenger
Rebecca Parrish
Rebecca Spencer
Josh Gibson
Tom Clayton
Marie-Joëlle Rizk
David Korta
Kevin O'Dowd
Laurie Little
Ben Steger
Suree Towfighnia
Glenn McManus
Bill Glader
Ben Kolak
Sound
Anne Hanson
Mark Pratt
Adam Blaskewiez
Additional Editing
Alex MacKenzie
Rebecca Parrish
Postcard Graphics
Jess Weida
Research
Megan Cottrell
Michael Lachney
Intern
Andrea Cortes
Study Guide
Daniel Tucker
Naomi Walker
Music
Duane Buford
Graphics
John Filipkowski
Story Consultant
Deidre Brewster
Riva Lehrer
Advisors
Gordon Quinn
Tod Lending
