The Film Posse produced a 20-minute segment for this hour-long international documentary exploring the underlying social determinants of health for Linda Harrar Productions, the World Health Organization, and PBS broadcast. Our segment, set in Oakland, CA, focuses on the impact of environmental pollution, racism and the promise of green jobs as part of a wider examination of how social policies can affect the health of populations. We spent time shooting near the Port of Oakland and in communities impacted by gang violence. We returned home with a personal appreciation of how breathing diesel fumes for most of the day could impact one’s health, greater empathy for communities working to bring peace to their neighborhoods, and a commitment to greener practices in the office and at home. We were empowered by the passionate and vibrant activism of the individuals—both young and old—that we met, interviewed and documented on this journey.

Air Date: 2009