Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy identifies loneliness and youth mental health as two urgent public health crises in our country. What would happen if our schools addressed this by shifting from competitive testing to science-backed, culturally responsive teaching that utilized the wisdom and expertise of the elders in the community? InterGeneration documents the power of social and emotional learning —not just in our schools, but in the wider community. The film gives agency to teens and elders as they wrestle with issues of identity and belonging. It shows that strong intergenerational relationships are essential to our individual and communal health. InterGeneration models how we can create multicultural, multi-age social connection in our shifting and uncertain world.

The Idea For This Documentary Wouldn't Let Me Go... Years ago I was struck by contrast between the worlds of children and adults. Just take what is going on in our minds. Many of us adults think about things like our plans, responsibilities, worries about the future, our finances, health matters, our productivity or our achievements, leaving little space for much else. When we engage in fun, it can quickly turn into something we continue to do for our health or a competitive achievement based activity. Room for "fun for funs sake" is minimal. While we as adults have all of that going on, a young child may be thinking something like this right now: "I’m beautiful and free and I have imaginary castles and a million imaginary friends to have parties with and I can do ANYTHING!" When we stopped playing and imagining as we did when we were children — did we lose a BIG PIECE OF OUR POWER? Did we disconnect from our creative magic? I began this documentary on a quest to explore the power and imagination that children experience day to day — and to reflect on how we adults can start to pull some of this joy and wonder back into our own lives. Producing MY SECRET COUNTRY has changed my life in a variety of ways. Spending weekends animating blinks or arm movements (yes did you know I did the majority of the animation for the movie with my imaginary animator friend Youwarkee, (who I invented just so I wouldn't be lonely!) allowed me to read a ton of audio books. LIBRARIES in fact! Yes, there is A LOT of animation in this movie. Begging friends for more pictures of dessert gave me a wonderful excuse to chat to more people than I normally might in my introverted life. The greatest reward has been meeting all of the people connected to the movie. They have impacted me deeply and launched me into a process of self-discovery. I grew into the person I am now, the person who has reconnected to my seven-year-old self. About that seven- year-old me, she was incredibly resilient and creative and went on magical adventures in her imagination that made life fascinating. Regularly, at night, when I couldn't sleep I met with an imaginary unicorn and we flew together to an imaginary planet. On special occasions, Cindy, the most outgoing Barbie in my Barbie crew, would jump in her pink corvette with her besties and fly out to join me. We'd have a grand ole party! Reconnecting with this side of myself has meant a greater feeling of wholeness and a swift connection to the rivers of creativity that floweth for us all, should we choose to dip our toes in or, what the heck, fling our entire bodies in! (Though as many of you know, do this at your own risk! Creative overload ensues.) My intention for you when you watch this movie is that you will feel empowered, inspired and connect in an even deeper way to your playfulness and the delight that is born there.