When Skot Welch launched Mosaic Film Experience 13 years ago, he wasn’t trying to start a movement. He simply saw a gap. Young people, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, lacked access to creative career pathways, and he wanted to do something about it.
“I got 15 of the busiest people I knew in a room and told them what I believed about our young people,” says Welch, founder and president of the Grand Rapids nonprofit. “I wasn’t expecting them to have time to help, but they said, ‘Wow, this sounds amazing. What do we do next?’”
That led to the creation of an innovative, mobile-first approach to digital storytelling, designed to make filmmaking more accessible to youth. Since then, Mosaic Film Experience has served over 40,000 students.
It’s expanding its impact with Nourishing Narratives: Cultivating Youth Stories For Change, a nationwide mobile film competition about food justice.
The initiative, supported by Newman’s Own Foundation, gives youth a platform to raise awareness, spark conversation, and propose solutions for food equity, which disproportionately impacts low-income communities and people of color.
Mobile films increase access
Lack of access to equipment, education, and platforms often limits entry into the traditional storytelling landscape. Mosaic Film Experience aims to remove these barriers by giving youth the tools to tell their own stories in their own communities, using devices they already have: their phones.
“The mobile nature of the Nourishing Narratives film competition challenges the conventions of storytelling, empowering students to share their unique perspectives in innovative ways,” says Welch. “Through the use of mobile devices, we’re leveling the playing field for content creation.”
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Courtesy Nourishing NarrativesMosaic Film Experience has served over 40,000 students.
Participants, ages 10 to 18, are asked to create films up to three minutes long, shot and edited entirely on mobile devices. Each submission must:
- Feature the theme of food justice, highlighting issues such as food deserts, community gardens, or access to healthy meals.
- Include a fruit or vegetable as a prop as a visual reminder of the importance of nutritious food.
- Incorporate the phrase “Tomorrow Starts Here,” to connect all submissions under a unifying theme.
Students are encouraged to investigate solutions, document organizations making an impact, and reimagine what an equitable food system could look like.
A diverse panel of judges will select the top films, which will be showcased on YouTube. Up to 10 winners will receive monetary awards. Additionally, winning filmmakers may be invited to help shape Newman’s Own Foundation’s grantmaking process through its Youth Advisory Council.
“As we celebrate what would have been Paul Newman’s 100th birthday, we’re excited to launch this initiative to bring youth voices to the forefront of a very important national conversation,” says Alex Amouyel, president and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation.
Submissions will be accepted March 7 through April 7, with winners announced June 25 and an awards event in August.
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Courtesy Nourishing Narratives The Nourishing Narratives contest invites youth to create mobile films on food justice, supported by Mosaic Film Experience and Newman’s Own Foundation.
Helping youth tell their stories
Mosaic Film Experience already is empowering youth to explore storytelling as a career path.
In its early years, the program focused on international filmmaking. But Welch and his team realized that while they were receiving hundreds of submissions from around the world, they had only two films from Grand Rapids, where the program was based.
“We knew we had to do something different,” Welch says. “That’s when we introduced mobile filmmaking so kids wouldn’t need fancy equipment. We also shortened film lengths and focused on local youth first before expanding.”
That shift paid off. Today, Mosaic Film Experience has helped thousands of students explore storytelling in ways they never imagined. One of its success stories is Mariah Barrera, who developed her storytelling and production skills through a Mosaic Community video project and the Mosaic Mobile competition, which she won twice while at City High. She went on to earn a scholarship to Columbia Film School and now runs a creative agency.
“We hired her company to help run Nourishing Narratives,” Welch says. “She’s come full circle.”
Beyond Nourishing Narratives, Mosaic Film Experience has a separate partnership with Sony focused on intergenerational storytelling.
Mosaic is planning to partner with other community organizations or nonprofits. “We’re excited to connect youth with older generations and capture their stories in meaningful ways.”
Welch, who also runs the consulting firm Global Bridgebuilders, says his business success allows him to dedicate time to Mosaic Film Experience.
“Mosaic is a nonprofit, and Global Bridgebuilders enables me to do this volunteer work,” he says.
Welch encourages students, educators, and community leaders to get involved.
“Young people have incredible stories to tell,” he says. “Through Nourishing Narratives, we’re giving them a platform to amplify their voices, spark important conversations, and create lasting change.”
Donations can be made to the program to help expand the competition’s reach.
“You don’t have to be a filmmaker to make a difference,” he says. “Just helping young people tell their stories can be enough to change the world.”
For more details, visit
nourishing-narratives.com or
mosaicfilmexperience.com.