How Film Fridays with Freddy Is Changing the Conversation on Campus

Every Friday, something a little different happens at Moreno Valley College. Students gather not for a lecture or a lab, but for a film and a conversation many say they were not expecting to have.

Frederick “Freddy” Jones, director of College Corps Grants at MVC, launched Film Fridays with Freddy as an extension of the work already happening through the California Volunteers College Corps program. College Corps places student fellows in community service roles, and Jones wanted to create a space where they could process what they were experiencing in the field. Film became that space.

“We work with real people, real students, who are facing real-life social and economic challenges,” Jones said. “The film series allows students to share their stories in a safe space.”

Jones draws on his background as a counselor and social worker to facilitate each session. Films are selected based on current events, professional development themes, or topics connected to the National Association of Social Workers. Before each screening, Jones shares the film at least a week in advance, along with content disclaimers and campus resources, giving students time to prepare. Fellows are also encouraged to research community resources connected to the film’s themes and bring what they find back to the discussion.

The result is something closer to collective knowledge-building than a traditional classroom discussion.

One session focused on homelessness, where participants shared local resources alongside those Jones provided from each campus. He said the conversations often create a level of openness that breaks down barriers between students and administrators.

“I have found that this has strengthened our rapport with our fellows by removing titles and humanizing management to them,” Jones said.

This past cohort brought the series to a new level when Jones partnered with College Corps directors from Norco College and Riverside City College to screen Pá’čapa: A Mt. Rubidoux Story, a documentary centering Native perspectives on the well-known Riverside landmark. Created by local documentarians Rosy Aranda, Blossom Maciel, Daisy Ocampo, and Lorene Sisquoc, the film highlights the voices of Serrano, Cahuilla, Tongva, and Luiseño communities while reclaiming the site’s deeper history.

Fellows also had the opportunity to hear directly from Lorene Sisquoc, a Fort Sill Apache/Cahuilla filmmaker, producer, and featured voice in the documentary, who spoke with students about the cultural significance behind the project. The following day, fellows from all three campuses came together for a cleanup at Mt. Rubidoux.

When scheduling conflicts forced sessions to be postponed, students responded with more requests and even began suggesting films of their own.

For Jones, the impact runs both ways. Growing up in the Inland Empire, he said film helped him better understand cultures and identities outside his own perspective. What started as an opportunity to help students see the world differently has also reshaped him through their stories, experiences, and willingness to engage in difficult conversations.

“I entered into the film series wanting to open the eyes of the fellows, but they continue to open mine,” Jones said.