Ousmane Ndoye came to the United States from Senegal to pursue his dreams of being a writer and filmmaker. CCA was his first educational journey in the US, and in this video he reflects on his transformative experience at the college, as well as his excitement about screening his documentary at CCA.
Video by: Dept. of Strategic Communications
Ousmane Ndoye’s motto for achieving success in life is simple: live with no excuses.
“Whenever excuses arise, you say ‘Hey, I’m not going to let you take away my dream,’” he says.
Ndoye knows better than most how to achieve success despite barriers that could otherwise stand in the way.
“I was 32 years old when I got to CCA. I used to drive a taxi all night long, go home, and sleep for four or five hours. I’m at CCA until three. I would run home, grab my taxi. That’s what I’ve done to pave my way.”
When he came to America from Senegal 26 years ago, nearly empty-handed, with only a backpack, two pairs of jeans, and two shirts to his name, he knew what he had to do to thrive.
“I could say, oh, I’m an immigrant. I could have all the excuses, because life is tough. I couldn’t find a job. I couldn’t make money. But I changed my paradigm. I said, ‘It will be okay.’”
That paradigm shift has worked out well for Ndoye. Following his graduation from the Community College of Aurora (CCA) in 2011 from the Department of Cinematic Arts, which was then known as the Colorado Film School, he embarked on a career doing what he loves – making documentaries.
Ndoye credits his time at the college for helping him grow the skills he would eventually need to pursue his passion for writing. In addition to writing and producing documentaries, he has also published several books, as well as written song lyrics and poems.
Ndoye returned to CCA in September to screen his documentary film, The Spirit of Adwa, which he co-wrote and directed. The story details the battle between Ethiopia and Italy for freedom in 1896.
Partnering with Ethiopian filmmakers to tell the story, Ndoye says the idea behind the project was not only to provide historical context to an important event but also to drive home an idea he holds central to his work and life.
“It’s all about community building. It’s all about trying to learn from one another as neighbors. So that’s really what motivated us to do this type of work.”
Holding the screening at CCA’s Black Box Theater was a homecoming of sorts for Ndoye, who says the fundamentals he learned from his instructors at CCA were instrumental in shaping him as an artist.
“I needed to always spend time at the library. Sometimes I was first in, and I would be the last to go out,” he says. “I was writing books, I was writing lyrics, I was writing scripts. CCA was the first community college in the state of Colorado that opened up its Black Box Theater for me to screen the documentary. What an honor, what a blessing.”
Ndoye is eager to share the spotlight with current and future filmmakers, giving special attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion by mentoring and encouraging artists from historically underrepresented populations.
He founded the Askkanwii Filmmaking Hub Incubator. The nonprofit group promotes filmmaking educational programs, film productions, and expos, which he says help connect arts, cultures, and heritages beyond borders.
“The only thing I wanted was to create a space for people to feel a sense of belonging, where they can come and tell their story, where they can come and create art, where they can come in and learn new skills.”
This effort has led to the creation of an academy, a networking café, and a diasporic film festival to shine the spotlight on filmmakers from varying cultures.
Working with organizations like CCA gives him the ability to mentor other students in their creative endeavors.
“Every student here is like a classmate to me. These young filmmakers who are honing their skills here, I hope one day, we can come back here and take some of these students around the world, film with them, create stuff with them, and create the bridge and bring it back here.”
This year, he was able to partner with the Department of Cinematic Arts to develop a youth program along with Downtown Aurora Visual Arts to mentor young, emerging filmmakers over the course of a couple of weeks.
“Those two weeks were so powerful, so meaningful to me.”
Though he has found success through sheer determination, hard work, and drive, he says he knows people can’t do it alone.
His advice to future CCA alumni is to create a supportive group of people who will help guide them on their journeys.
“My classmates were wonderful, driven students,” he says. “You’ve got to have a team. Choose some good people and you go with them through the ride.”
Most importantly, he advises students to never stop being curious. Even in his 50s, he says he is constantly learning.
“I’m still looking for knowledge every day. I have more than 1,000 books in my library. I’m always honing my skills. It’s never enough.”
For anyone looking to find their own start, he says CCA is the best place to begin that journey.
“For a little guy who was raised in a very poor fishing village somewhere in West Africa, and then I came to America, I fell in love with my college. It opened up doors for me.”