INTERVIEW: RE:IMAGINE ATL Brings Forth The Future of Storytelling

Executive Director Jessie Sparrow dives into the non-profit’s mission of belonging

As the world looks towards the future of storytelling, Georgia’s own RE:IMAGINE ATL is on the front lines of fostering the next generation of creatives. What began as a music video summer camp quickly evolved into a media education and workforce development center that has serviced over 7,500 young people. Founded by Susan Spiccia in 2014, the non-profit offers courses, camps, and creative opportunities for underrepresented youth from all over Atlanta. Art Seen ATL had the pleasure of chatting with Jessie Sparrow, the organization’s executive director, about RE:IMAGINE’s role in our city and what sets them apart from the rest.

Jessie Sparrow of RE:IMAGINE

RE:IMAGINE develops and implements industry-level curricula for a variety of written and audiovisual storytelling forms. Students can participate in learning tracks covering all areas of production, including classes on podcasting, animation, and digital journalism. The leadership at RE:IMAGINE offers first-hand insight and information to students—many team members are creatives themselves and have experienced the instability that often accompanies the early phases of an artistic lifestyle. “We have built a team of folks who know what it feels like, who are creating themselves and understand struggling to build a network, working on sets for free, or just trying to do whatever you can to get money to still fuel your creativity,” Sparrow said of her colleagues. “We have been given opportunities and now we want to share. We want to be the shoulders that folks are standing on.”

Thus, the team at RE:IMAGINE strives to build a brighter future for their students, one that presents young artists with enhanced opportunities as early as possible. Instead of leaving students to fend for themselves when they leave the RE:IMAGINE nest, the organization goes the extra mile to connect graduates to internships and partnerships with companies such as Warner Brothers Discovery, Disney, NBCUniversal, Lionsgate, and The City of Atlanta. More than 40% of RE:IMAGINE alumni are working in paid production opportunities in Atlanta and beyond. “We really try to walk alongside our students,” Sparrow nodded, “making sure they're getting that real world hands-on experience, making sure that there is a mentorship component, helping with wraparound supportive services, and giving them direct industry access to build into those creative careers.”

Even before graduating the program, RE:IMAGINE students have the chance to participate in once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Recently, the non-profit was selected as a recipient of LinkedIn’s Ad Grant and NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab fund. The youth at RE:IMAGINE have helped produce PSAs for NBCU in the past, but this is first time that the Atlanta-based organization itself was highlighted. Local student production apprentices created The Assist, a three-part PSA for the NBA featuring the Atlanta Hawks’ own Nickeil Alexander-Walker in conversation with real RE:IMAGINE participants. “It’s amazing because [the students] aren’t just actors reading lines—these are young creators speaking about equity and access and purpose,” Sparrow added. “Having Nickeil Alexander-Walker participate really connected sports and storytelling, and I feel like it’s a really powerful message that investing in young people matters.”

RE:IMAGINE is also partnering with Wellspring Living, a local organization serving sex trafficking victims, to launch a socioemotional storytelling curriculum. RE:IMAGINE’s sound design team will be releasing a podcast to document the journey, a collaboration that highlights the importance of art and stories in every area of our community.

It’s safe to say that the faculty at RE:IMAGINE have lots to be proud of. When I asked Sparrow what she considered the most rewarding part of her work, she immediately lit up and answered without missing a beat. “My favorite part is day one and the last day of the program,” she smiled. “On day one, everybody comes in and is so awkward and unsure, [...] and by the end when we have our cohort celebration, they’re a family.” The director noted that these friendships tend to last long after classes have concluded—Sparrow shared that a recent alum just completed an external documentary with her RE:IMAGINE cohort.

Georgia’s prominent film industry makes Atlanta the perfect home for RE:IMAGINE, but Sparrow made clear that the nonprofit does so much more than just moviemaking. The storytelling skills taught in the program are meant to equip young creatives for a variety of media careers. I asked Sparrow how we a community can work to uplift these youth in their journey, and she stated that the first step is to start thinking outside the box. “It's not just about film,” she said, “It's sports. It's entertainment. It's tourism. It’s not just creativity for creativity's sake. Art affects us on a cellular level in the way that exercise or nutrition do. It’s so important to keep that message open and help people realize this isn't just about being a creative storyteller or about a job.” Sparrow went on to add that RE:IMAGINE’s goal of connecting students to tangible, paid opportunities is not just about “economic mobility” for the participants, but for the state as a whole: “We're trying to position young people as the creators, producers, future executives who can build wealth and who can shape culture.”

Beyond the useful technical education RE:IMAGINE participants will receive, Sparrow hopes graduates walk away with a deeper gift: a sense of self. By engaging a diverse group of students, empowering them with valuable career knowledge, and encouraging lasting friendships, the program seeks to build a home for blossoming creatives. “Representation isn’t just about visibility; it’s about belonging,” Sparrow shared. “When a person steps onto set or into a room and they realize they can do this and that they belong there, that really changes their trajectory.”