Transform Chattanooga

Baja Dalla receives the keys to his new home earlier this year. His story, and the details of the effort to build his home are detailed in a film to be shown at a national revitalization conference

Though construction of the Habitat for Humanity home built in Chattanooga’s Southside last year has been completed for several months, its impact continues through a locally produced film that will be shown at the National Brownfields Conference in New Orleans on November 17.

Main Street: More than a Home, by Dave Porfiri and Linda Duvoisin of Chattanooga based film and television production company Mindflow Media , documents the construction of the first Habitat for Humanity home in Chattanooga to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.  It also touches on the inspiring story of Baja Dalla who lost his family in the genocide in the Sudan, grew to adulthood in a refugee camp, fell in love, was married, and now has found a new home in Chattanooga, thanks to the generosity of the Southside Community.

“This event is the most comprehensive conference on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment in the nation,” says Pete Palmer, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.  “The Southside build was a special experience for everyone involved.  I am confident that the film will touch many hearts, and will encourage others to initiate change in their communities.  It is a real honor for our community, and particularly for Dave and Linda to have this film shown at such an important conference.”

More information about the conference is available at www.brownfieldsconference.org.  Information about the  filmmakers is available at www.mindflowmedia.com.  Film details are available at www.greeninghabitat.org.  Baja Dalla’s story is available at www.transformchattanooga.org.  More information about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga is available at www.habichatt.org.