Flip the Script

Flip the Script is a first-of-its-kind, city-backed media incubator for justice-impacted youth aged 18-24. Launched in Brownsville, NY—one of the most underserved and over-policed communities in the nation—the initiative tackles two urgent issues at once: Public safety + Access to the creative economy.

The Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and the Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG) lead  by a coalition of five community-rooted organizations under the guidance of : The Community Changing Fund (CCF), PowerTools, ReelWorks, PaleFO Cinema, and the Center for Community Alternatives (CCA)

Over the course of 40  weeks, Flip The Script empowers youth through four core program elements:

✔️ Paid Training — Participants earn $20/hour while learning film, storytelling, and life planning;
✔️ Trauma-Informed Curriculum — Healing circles, emotional development, and creativity-based learning;
✔️ 1-on-1 Mentorship — 6:1 ratio with credible messengers;
✔️ Career Pathways — Media, culinary arts, security, and more!

In addition to success in landing participants post-program jobs, Flip the Script participants have produced two original narrative short films with award-winning directors: Dicey and The Check’In. Both films premiered at Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn in November 2023.

With a recent feature on Fox 5 News and an upcoming film set to premiere in the coming months, Flip the Script isn’t just about making movies. It’s about making moves.

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Filmmaker Spotlight 

At 17, Koran “KJ” Campbell wasn’t thinking about the future—he was just trying to survive the present. KJ was just nine when he lost a brother to gun violence. By 17, he’d lost both.

On his way to Flip the Script one summer afternoon, KJ experienced a moment that could’ve ended differently. He was spotted by rival gang members while riding a CitiBike through enemy territory, and had no weapon or back-up. Instead of getting involved, he turned to the Flip the Script mentor, a former gang member turned community leader and credible messenger himself, who offered him support and accountability.

At first, KJ was silent—watching from the sidelines. Through healing circles, consistent mentorship, and the opportunity to direct and star in his own story, he found his voice.

Now, eight months in, KJ is a leader:

• Co-director and lead actor in Click, the upcoming short film based on his life
• A credentialed chef
• A trained security guard
• An aspiring director with a clear vision for his future