My name’s Arta Rexhepi. I’m a graduating NSCC Broadcast Journalism student. For a final project, I was required to produce a short documentary. I had no idea I was going to do it on North Preston. In fact, I was going to do a short doc on immigrant professionals’ employment struggles. One day I was working on a story for our weekly news show about this kid, a basketball player from North Preston. My cameraman had to leave, it was early evening and I was standing outside in North Preston waiting to get in the school. And for a moment I felt scared, I felt scared that my gear was going to get stolen. Once I went inside the school to do the story, everyone was super welcoming. I was blown away. It was absolutely nothing I thought it was, I didn’t get robbed. So I caught myself having these stereotypes and I decided I was going to do my major project on North Preston, the stigma of the community. It was no easy task. A white girl trying to do a documentary on the community. They all feared I was going to portray them negatively as the community has been portrayed in the past. It took a lot of work and effort convincing the community that this was their chance to show what the community is all about. At the same time I made sure they understood that I couldn’t portray it as the perfect place, because yes it has issues and problems – but I wanted to show the community as a whole for what it really is. They finally agreed and put me in touch with the people I was interested in talking to, gaining trust was the most challenging part of producing this doc. They know the community isn’t perfect, not once did they ask of me to portray North Preston as flawless, they wanted me to tell the truth. And as a journalist that’s exactly what I need to be doing.
Working in North Preston has been one of the most amazing experiences as a journalist. I was able to see the community for what it really is. I was invited to their homes, their church and school. They said “First time you come you’re a guest, the second time, you’re family” The unity and friendship that I’ve witnessed in North Preston; I haven’t witnessed it in any other community in Nova Scotia to date. I have learned to think, to be critical. I had these assumptions that I didn’t know I had about the community. We tend to judge communities as a whole when things happen, but what I’ve learned is that we need to take a step back and judge the ones who are responsible for wrongdoings individually not the community as a whole, similar to what courts do. When we blame an individual wrongdoing to North Preston, It affects everyone and paints them all with the same brush and it’s very hurting to the community. It changes what people think of them, it affects relationships, friendships, families and young people who want to enter the workforce.
Before doing this project, I had never stepped foot in North Preston, but what I heard had given me a perception to fear going up there. When I went for my first shoot for my news story, no one expected me to return safely. I’ve now spent over two months in North Preston, the only feelings I have felt while being up there is respect, friendship and guilt. Guilt for my assumptions. This has opened my eyes to not judge a book by its cover. In order for a community to get better and evolve we all have to put work towards it. People in North Preston still feel racism has taken a toll in their community, so there’s still something wrong that we’re all doing. North Preston doesn’t have a McDonalds, Wal-Mart, Sobeys or any place to shop. They come to Dartmouth to do all of that which isn’t walking distance for those who don’t own a vehicle or busing which is at least 45 minutes bus ride. There’s a gentleman in North Preston, Ernest Simmonds, who opened up a used tire business just so he can help young people earn an income and stay off the streets. With this documentary I hope everyone will understand that North Preston is a great community that’s had to deal with a lot. It’s lack of resources and opportunities contribute to some of the problems in the community. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to go visit St. Thomas Baptist church on a Sunday like Mayor Savage, who’s a frequent visitor in North Preston. It will be a very rewarding experience. I’m Muslim Albanian and I took my family there to see and it’s been very rewarding for them. I encourage everyone who can to do so. I’ve learned that there are great people in North Preston that are working hard to shape their community and there’s a lot more work that needs to be done. It’s a work in progress. I’ve come to learn that Mayor Mike Savage is very admired in the community for the work he has done and his father who was the one to take an initiative to make a change in North Preston.
Thank you and I hope you will enjoy my doc.
Arta Rexhepi
Twitter: @ArtaRexhepi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyvL2WRbcrg&feature=youtu.be