Freshwater Discussion Guide

This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection and designed for people who want to use FRESHWATER to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues, and communities. In contrast to initiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions conversations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.

The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.

For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit https://communitynetwork.amdoc.org/.

Discussion Guide Writer: 

Morgan Mann Willis (she/they) is a Detroit-based writer, community organizer and strategic planner. They work with creative projects, nonprofit organizations and individuals to bring their work to life. She’s a Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellow, avid traveler and lover of Detroit’s waterways and green spaces.

Map Designer:

Venusloc (Vanessa Reynolds) is a self-taught multimedia artist born and raised in Detroit. Their work has been featured in publications such as Fourculture, Your Mom’s Berlin, and exhibited at Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and MdW fair, Chicago. In 2023, They were awarded a Kresge Artist Fellowship for video art. 

Field Notes on a City Pastoral. 02, by MARS.

MARS. is a writer and cultural organizer born and raised in Detroit. Their work has been published in Obsidian Literature & Arts for the African Diaspora, Michigan Quarterly Review: The Mixtape, Foglifter Journal, Gertrude Press, and elsewhere. MARS is a 2021 Kresge Literary Arts Fellow in Poetry and a 2019 Lambda Literary Art Emerging Writers Fellow in Poetry. Their debut chapbook, FLOWER BOI, is available via Gold Line Press. 

Discussion Guide Producer, POV

Courtney Cook, PhD || Education Manager