Byron Hurt

Byron Hurt is a documentary filmmaker, lecturer, writer, and anti-sexist activist. His documentary, “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Byron is an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Journalism School, and a consultant for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Forward Promise initiative, a storytelling project for young men of color. At the Mesa, Bryon worked on his film “Hazing,” about six characters whose dreams are dashed by hazing practices that forever change their lives. From Byron:

“When I left for my two week residency at the Mesa Refuge in Point Reyes Station, I felt tired and burnt out from a rigorous lecture circuit travel schedule. When I arrived after a cross-country flight, I was overwhelmed by the living quarters and the surrounding landscape. It quickly felt like home.

By the end of the two weeks, I felt like a new person. I was able to rest, rejuvenate, and get clear about my latest endeavor, HAZING, a 90-minute documentary intended for PBS. I also bonded with the two members of my cohort, who were also powerfully uplifted by the Mesa Refuge experience. On the day that I left, I felt honored to add my name to the long list of creators and thought leaders who have passed through the Mesa Refuge doors.”

Watch the teaser for HAZING here.