Arlington High School Alumnus Directs Groundbreaking Documentary Series to Raise Awareness of the Nature Deficit

Arlington High School ’09 graduate and independent filmmaker, Alisha Camacho, has launched a Kickstarter Campaign to fund a documentary series that explores how and why communities along the Anacostia Watershed in Washington D.C. are spending more time outside.

“Anacostia Unplugged,” she said, “will show how going outside is saving lives, preserving the environment, and empowering communities along the Anacostia River.”

Anacostia Unplugged is the result of research Camacho conducted while a student at The George Washington University. “Once you’ve seen and heard what I have, there is no turning back,” said Camacho, “So for the past year and a half I’ve been moving forward with the documentary series while seeking funding opportunities.”

Camacho credits her Arlington roots for initiating her passion for the environment. “Growing up along Spy Pond definitely helped spark my interest in the environment,” she explained. “I used to spend hours trekking through the marsh, walking along the pathway, fishing, and making up all sorts of games and adventures with my friends and younger sister Kc.” Camacho also attributes her time as an Environmental Educator at the Blue Hills Reservation south of Boston during Mass Audobon’s summer camps as the starting point for Anacostia Unplugged:

“This was when I first noticed how out of place some of the children I worked with acted outside. Some of the kids seemed so uncomfortable walking on the rocks, or had no idea what to do when we would let them have free play. While it was fun for me to see how quickly being outside improved their physical coordination skills, or creative play, these experiences also acted as a warning sign that something was wrong. I recently learned that the average time a child plays outside in the US is between 4-7 minutes. That’s a scary statistic. So while Anacostia Unplugged takes place in DC, the themes being addressed are relevant everywhere, including Boston.”

Camacho needs to raise $49,500 by June 30th, or all pledges are canceled. To date, she has raised $5,455. To learn more about the budget, Camacho has outlined a detailed explanation on the series blog.

“We have many strong partners, a lot of proposed story lines, and the talent and vision to move forward,” she said, “we just need the funding.”