Abstract
The Jesuit value of being men and women for and with others is the very
heart of Creighton’s Backpack Journalism project, a collaboration between the
Department of Theology and Department of Journalism, Media and Computing.
Led by Dr. John O’Keefe of Theology and Dr. Carol Zuegner and Tim Guthrie
from JM&C, 14 students traveled to northern Uganda to produce an awardwinning
film, “Mato Oput (Justice & Reconciliation).”
The filmmaking is part of a five-week summer course that immerses
students from a variety of majors first into a weeklong boot camp of learning how
to shoot and edit video, write blogs and stories. They also learn about and discuss
the elements of social justice and the Catholic Church. Armed with that
knowledge and backpacks brimming with tripods, cameras and sound equipment,
the students traveled to Uganda to explore the efforts of the Catholic Church to
build justice, peace and reconciliation after a civil war that lasted more than 20
years.
The experience is a transformative one. Sophomore Hannah O’Keefe says
witnessing firsthand the heartbreaking struggles of the people changed her:
“Although I saw the horrifying effects of extreme poverty and civil war, I also
found myself surrounded by inspiring and hopeful people working for a better
future. I think it is safe to say that, thanks to the people I encountered on the
other side of the world, I am one step closer to truly being a woman for other and
have a reinvigorated thirst to seek justice.”