I’ve had a lot of opportunities to make videos that I’m proud of through the years. This one stands out. The California Faculty Association asked me to make a video focusing on the direct impacts of budget cuts on students. The key was to focus on Prop 30 from the students’ unique perspective. So instead of putting words in their mouth, back-to-back, I had the students tell me what the difference between Prop 30 passing and failing might mean for them. For some of them it meant as much as the difference between staying in school and dropping out. While for others it meant they could afford an apartment in a safe neighborhood or wouldn’t have to be doing endless fundraisers to pay for books. Regardless of the situation, what I took away from this project was that these students are passionate about their education, passionate about being responsible for their own lives and they want to leave their mark on society.