June 4th Youth Media Education Symposium

On June 4th 2009, 130 students and adults from Gardena, Crenshaw, Dorsey and King-Drew Medical Magnet High Schools, in addition to Audubon and Horace Mann Middle School participated in a Youth Media Education Symposium sponsored and supported by the Women of Color Media Justice Initiative, the California Women’s Foundation and the Gardena High School Healthy Start Collaborative. The event was held at California State Dominguez Hills’ Loker Student Union. Students and youth advocates gave presentations on media literacy and advocacy which focused on analyzing media representations of young women and men of color, addressing violence against women of color in music and video, developing positive images of masculinity and male responsibility, and dissecting media stereotypes of LGBT communities of color. Women’s Leadership Project students presented a workshop that examined the similarities in the history of media imagery of African American women and Latinas. Representatives from Peace Over Violence, Mother’s Day Radio and the LACHRC also gave presentations. Artist and musician Nailah Porter provided inspirational words and songs on socially responsible music for the closing debrief session.

Media Literacy and Advocacy

During the spring semester of 2009 the Women of Color Media Justice Initiative (WCMJI) partnered with GHS and two other high schools to train students on media literacy and media advocacy with an emphasis on gender politics. February-March trainings featured students from GHS Life Skills, Peer Health and Government classes in addition to King-Drew Medical Magnet’s after school program. WCMJI partners Ida B. Wells Institute, Mother’s Day Radio, the City Commission on the Status of Women and the Women’s Leadership Project has received funding from the California Women’s Foundation to do training and education on media education. WCMJI has recruited and trained Cal State Los Angeles students to work with its high schools on deconstructing racism and sexism in the media, challenging mainstream media-influenced gender roles and examining the gender/racial politics of hip hop representation. Students who participate in the program will be involved in letter writing, drafting editorials and contacting music industry corporations and media outlets to advocate for socially responsible images in hip hop, rap and other music genres.