Volunteer Experience

Melody has volunteered and worked with over 25 non-profits over the past 8 years by raising awareness, educating, and fundraising for non-profits that are helping and empowering women, children, animals, and the environment.

Selected Volunteer Experience

SOCIAL JUSTICE & HUMAN RIGHTS
ANIMALS / CONSERVATION
EDUCATION

www.misssey.org

M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. INC. (Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting, and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth)
- 10 years, 2009 - 2019

In 2009, I began volunteering at M.I.S.S.S.E.Y., a non-profit that responds to the epidemic of the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the San Francisco/East Bay Area. I cleaned/ organized the facilities, ran office errands, and helped with events. During this time, it came to my attention that some of the victims M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. served were from my high school district. This information pierced my heart, not knowing that the classmate sitting next to me could be going through something so horrible. After several months of volunteering, I started working on a short documentary about the non-profit and the work they are doing to support survivors during their time of rehabilitation.

In 2010, the documentary, "SACEY/SPA" won 2nd Place at the Social Issues Documentary Film Contest and $2,000 donated to M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. The film also won an Award of Distinction at the 3C Media Solutions Student Film Festival and aired on CNN, National Television, on January 14th, 2010. The film helped raise awareness in my school and community about child trafficking.

For the next year, I became the Wish-list Volunteer Leader, collected donations, and organized fundraising for tangible necessities (gift cards, BART cards, bus tokens, baby supplies, art supplies, food, hygiene products, clothing). I contacted local stores to receive gifts, and I managed Wish-List tables at events. During holiday seasons, I helped with wrapping presents for survivors and making sure they had a loving holiday celebration.

In 2011, I did a year-long training with Nola Brantley, one of the founders of M.I.S.S.S.E.Y., on how to empathize and work with victims of child exploitation/human trafficking. And I received the first M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. Wish-list Group Leader Award for my dedicated work to the cause.

Between the years 2012 and 2014, I continued to volunteer to film events, protests, fundraisers, and helping with Wish-List necessities during the holiday season.

In 2015, I trained the staff of M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. on how to create educational videos to share on their website. I also filmed and edited five videos MISSSEY 411. Link: http://y2u.be/pCUwcepHLN4

Between 2013 and 2019, using my skills in filmmaking, I embarked on a mission to raise awareness and give communities the tools and the knowledge to combat this scourge. I brought together 100 influential artists, survivor leaders, 20 organizations to join me in the fight to end trafficking by making "California's Forgotten Children" documentary. After years of hard work, I completed the film and continue to work on spreading its message every day.

LA STOP THE TRAFFIK - 3 years, 2013 -2020

In 2013, I joined "LA Stop the Traffik," a student-run, non-profit, Active Communities Against Trafficking (ACT) group at UCLA, which advocates for an increase in community awareness on the exploitation involved in human trafficking. With a team of fearless college students, we organized events throughout the year to stimulate knowledge and engage others to take a stand against such breaches in human rights.

We collaborated with other student groups, non-profit organizations, and businesses to raise funds for organizations that directly engage in rescuing victims from the trafficking trade and those that help victims to recover and re-establish themselves in the community within a safe environment.

Well beyond after graduating UCLA, I continued to volunteer at the organization for events and coordinating office interns to help with transcriptions, graphic design, social media, events, and research for "California's Forgotten Children" documentary.

www.unicefusa.org

UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) - 1 year, 2013 - 2014

In 2013, I began photographing events for The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on fundraising, advocacy, and education in support of the world's children. These images featured on their website, articles, and promotional marketing materials. In 2014, I received the Global Citizenship Award from UNICEF for my dedication to helping children by using my skills in photography.

www.mindfulmusic.semel.ucla.edu

Mindful Music and UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
- 7 months, November 2017 - May 2018

Worked on a film to engage and uplift children who are fighting short term and long term illness, using a participatory live music session. The video focuses on the children's bravery, strength, positivity, and beautiful personalities that never give up. The project is for the Mindful Music program, the Stephen & Kate band, and the UCLA Medical Center's Pediatric Unit.

Building Futures' mission is to build communities with underserved women and children where they are safely and supportively housed, free from homelessness and family violence.
www.bfwc.org

Building Futures with Women and Children
- 6 months, 2008-2009

In 2008, I started volunteering for Building Futures to help underserved women and children who have been homeless and domestically abused. By using my skills in filmmaking, I made a short documentary about the dedicated staff, services, and facilities at BWFC. The San Leandro Unified School District of Education honored the film with a Certificate of Commendation for raising awareness about domestic violence in Alameda County. It won Honorary Mention at The Social Issues Documentary Film Contest, and $300 donated to BWFC. From Building Futures with Women & Children, I received a Certificate of Appreciation for helping recruit volunteers and donations to the non-profit.

www.nevercrywolfrescue.com

Never Cry Wolf Rescue - 1 year, 2009-2010

By working closely with Never Cry Wolf Rescue & Adoptions founder Sam Blake, a compassionate veteran who rescues and rehabilitates wolves across the country, I created two short award-winning documentaries about protecting wolf and wolf hybrids.

The documentaries raised awareness of the challenges wolves face to stay in existence and to educate the public of the myths and poor treatment of these beautiful animals in the United States. The Alpha wolves accepted me as a friend into their wolf pack and allowed me to get close to film them. I worked respectfully for a year, documenting the rescue and nurture of wolves and wolf-hybrids that have been abused or abandoned.

Awards:
- Audience Award for Best Documentary Short at the Riverside Saginaw Film Festival
- 1st Place Best Documentary at The Palo Alto Humane Society Film Contest
- Honorable Mention Best Documentary at the 3C Media Solutions Student Film Festival

The Oakland Zoo has been serving the community since 1922 in locations all across Oakland, finally settling in Knowland Park. A center for wildlife conservation.
www.oaklandzoo.org

Oakland Zoo - 6 months, 2011

Growing up, I always loved to read Jane Goodall's books and dreamed about how she started her career filming animals at a zoo before going to the jungle. Fresh into college, I said to myself, "Why not learn to photograph animals at the zoo like Jane?"

A few weeks later, I got an internship for Anima Management and Education at the Oakland Zoo. The first day at work, I was shoveling zebra poop into a barrel and pushing it up a hill in the pouring rain; scrubbing potent Boa Constrictor poop off rocks; climbing up trees for Chinchilla enrichment; training a Pig to sit; being chased by a Comodo Dragon for its exercise while holding a hissing cockroach with tweezers. And my favorite, learning about all the monkey drama while cutting up fruit and vegetables for the animals. It was not what I expected, but I learned so much.

Over the next six months, I observed and photographed 42 different mammals, primates, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Made an educational documentary about African Pygmy Hedgehogs featured on the zoo website. I completed an Animal Management Course for Certification in caring, feeding, cleaning, training, and providing enrichment for the animals at the zoo.

www.thedogcafela.com

The Dog Cafe - Photographer - 2017

Photographed puppy portraits, puppy holiday portraits, guests interactions with the puppies, and merchandise pictures. The Dog Cafe’s mission is to revolutionize dog adoption by reinventing the way people connect with rescues who need homes.

The Pachamama Alliance - 3 months, 2009

At the Pachamama Alliance, I assisted with events by helping set up, breakdown, and manage guests at yearly fundraisers. Pachamama Alliance is a global community that offers people the chance to learn, connect, engage, travel, and cherish life to create a sustainable future that works for all.

Website: www.pachamama.org

Center for Biological Diversity - 3 months, 2008

At The Center for Biological Diversity, I created PSA about all species hovering on the brink of extinction and the work done to protect the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive.
The film won 2nd Place for PSA/Documentary at the Laney College Film Festival Real Life Club Awards.

Website: www.biologicaldiversity.org

www.campreelstories.com

Camp Reel Stories - Cinematography Professor - Summer, 2017

When I am not in the field, I enjoy mentoring youth who are interested in filmmaking. In summer 2017, I taught a hands-on cinematography and documentary production workshop to a group of 60 female directors in between the ages of 7 and 17. Camp Reel Stories works to empowers young women with the skills to create media, to view current media critically and thoughtfully, and to aspire to leadership in their field.

I later hired several of the young women to work on my film sets as a Production Assistant in San Francisco and Los Angeles. And I have met with them for coffee and lunch to give advice on their careers and connect with other professionals.

UCLA Extension - Assistant to Production Workshops- Summer, 2017

Mentored and trained students in a professional industry standard set protocol. Taught composition and the tools used in how these elements work together to serve the story.

Global Cinematography Institute - Assistant to Production Workshops - 3 years, 2013 - 2016

The Global Cinematography Institute is devoted to the education of cinematographers and their extension into the digital and virtual realms. I assisted with technical support for conducting camera and lighting evaluations during classes, crewed on sets, and shot promotional photography and documentaries. Mentored students in the professional industry-standard on-set protocol.

InterLangua

• Taught storytelling to 1st graders in Shenzhen, China. • Mentored and trained high school students in the film.