Shivangi Sinha
Netflix’s ‘Teenage Wasteland’ is a special documentary that shows the ability of human beings to inspire others and bring about substantive change. David Birmingham was one of the Middletown High School students featured in the documentary, who spoke about his time in school when he and a bunch of other students worked on a film project. What started as a creative exercise soon became the genesis of large-scale questions being asked about the toxic wasteland in the town. David spoke about what inspired him to be a part of something meaningful and how it eventually became much bigger than he had ever imagined.
David Birmingham Was Asked to Stop Filming When He Attended a Town Meeting
David Birmingham was always involved in student and political activism work at Middletown High School in Middletown, New York. He began to question his idyllic suburban life when he learned about a school project his teacher, Fred Isseks, had launched for the Electronic English course. A group of students began investigating, in a documentary style, the toxic wasteland located very close to their homes. David said that, for him, it was unbelievable and seemed like a fantasy that something so dangerous was right in his backyard. Given his interest in the subject, David joined the group of students and became part of the reporting, editing, investigating, and filming of a project that eventually turned into something much larger.
Recalling a town hall meeting where officials were being questioned about the wasteland, David said that one politician asked him who he was. David had a camera in his hand and had come to film the session for the project. He recalled that the man asked him why he had to film, with what David perceived as a sneer on his face. He replied that he was a student journalist. David said that the man dismissed him and told him that he was not a journalist. David graduated from high school in 1995. Looking back at that time, he said he now sees the importance of what they did and urged others to follow the same path, ask questions, and hold people in power accountable.
David Birmingham is Committed to His Work as a Therapist Today
David Birmingham has since remained in Middletown, New York. He currently works as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at BAVOY Mental Health Counseling, where he has been working full-time since September 2022. He also works as a private tutor with WyzAnt Tutoring, a role he took up in December 2023. David completed his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the University at Albany before pursuing a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University, which he completed in June 2022 with a 4.0 grade. He was committed to activism even during this time, which led to his involvement with ACA, NYMHCA, and the Zero Suicide Committee. David is married and has four children. He has said that he meets Fred Isseks for breakfast almost every day, and many of the friendships he formed during that time have continued over the years.
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