Fund Their Future Today

When you choose to give, you become part of something bigger, something powerful.

Why give?

  • ✽

    You Put the Tools for Change Directly in Their Hands

    Your donation places professional filmmaking gear directly into the hands of justice-impacted youth, giving them the technical autonomy to rewrite their own futures.

  • ✽

    You Support Healing Through Trauma-Informed Arts

    Your gift sustains our trauma-informed approach, creating a safe, collaborative space for young people to process their lived experiences through the art of storytelling.

  • ✽

    You Ensure Youth are Seen and Heard

    By funding student-led collaborative films, you provide a restorative platform that ensures the unique stories and perspectives of vulnerable youth are finally seen and heard.

  • ✽

    You Invest in Real-World Skills and Career Readiness

    You are directly investing in a student's future by funding an arts education program designed to reduce high school attrition rates and elevate post-secondary readiness.

  • ✽

    You Foster Deep Human Connection and Empathy

    Your generosity builds an inclusive, supportive environment on set, allowing students to practice vital teamwork, communication, and empathy in real time.

  • ✽

    You Elevate the Next Generation of Change-Makers

    By supporting our curriculum, you empower students to become active co-creators of their learning journey and confident change-makers in their own communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • DescSEE to ACT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering justice-impacted and vulnerable youth through trauma-informed arts education. We provide professional filmmaking mentorship to help students process their lived experiences and bring their stories from the invisible to the visible, ultimately empowering them to confidently rewrite their own futures.ription text goes here

  • Description text goes hereWe primarily work with justice-impacted and at-risk youth, partnering with community organizations, juvenile probation departments like Bexar County, and educational initiatives like the Coastline Regional Occupation Program (ROP). Our programs are specifically designed to meet young people where they are, offering a restorative justice approach to healing and skill-building.

  • Trauma-informed filmmaking means we intentionally create a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment on set. Rather than just teaching technical camera skills, our professional instructors guide students in using cinema as a medium to safely process complex emotions and past trauma. This collaborative approach builds deep self-worth, trust, and genuine human connection.

  • We hand the cameras directly to the youth. Our hands-on curriculum covers the entire production pipeline, ensuring students learn practical, real-world skills, including:

    • Storyboarding and Script Writing: Structuring personal narratives.

    • Lighting and Cinematography: Shaping the visual environment.

    • Crew and Talent Management: Practicing teamwork and empathy.

    • Direction and Leadership: Leading a set with confidence.

    • Post-Production: Editing and bringing a shared vision to life.

  • Teach to Empower is our initiative focused on revolutionizing education by making students active co-creators of their learning journey. Rooted in restorative justice practices, this arts education program aims to reduce high school attrition, elevate post-secondary enrollment, and enhance career readiness for youth across Texas.

  • The American Voice program functions as an interactive film project and a living repository designed to reconnect indigenous communities with their identities, heritage, and traditions. By capturing cultural film stories, it helps a younger generation explore their roots and brings forgotten or repressed histories from the invisible to the visible.

  • Yes! Every semester culminates in a completely student-led collaborative film. From the initial script to the final cut in the editing room, the youth crew applies everything they have learned to create a professional-grade short film. These capstone projects are tangible proof that their voices matter.

  • Filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and so is our community mission. You can support our youth by donating to help us acquire gear, volunteering your professional film experience as a mentor, or partnering with us to bring our curriculum to your school or facility. Visit our Contact page to get involved and join our crew.