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Youth Activism: TAKE ACTION PACK

Published on August 20, 2008

Twelve Months, Twelve Films, Twelve Issues.

Here at MediaRights.org and the Media That Matters Film Festival, we decided to crew up and give you a fresh, focused, all-in-one package of brand new short films, background information, resources, tips and activities on each of the topics covered in the eighth annual Media That Matters Film Festival.

The mission of the festival is to take the concept of "audience" a step further and use short-form, big issue media as a tool to educate and inspire activism.

In preparation for a new school year starting in a couple of weeks, check out our Youth Activism Pack. Watch the films The Countdown and America For Dummies, then read on to find out more about how to take action.

The Issue

Youth participating in voter registration drives

September is an exciting yet daunting month charged with change. The new school year here in the United States is about to start and students in countries across the globe are getting ready for the year ahead. Parents and educators are under the gun to provide a well-rounded and engaging education to a tech-reliant generation. But this fall is not only the start of a new school year - it is also the build up to one of the most anticipated days in the U.S. and global political calendar - the election for the President of the United States of America. Millions of Americans will hit the polls to place their vote and this year looks to be one of the most interesting battles for the White House in recent history. This is in large part due to the role of young people and new technology in the various voter registration campaigns. So what does this all add up to besides a whole lot of work?

It means that now is a more important time than ever to think about how we engage our youth, raise awareness, encourage activism and heighten media literacy skills in this heavily saturated media atmosphere - and still have fun with it! Organizations all over the world are promoting youth interest in politics, global concerns, the environment and other important issues. As part of our outreach efforts, we hope to assist you in helping young people realize that the power is in their hands.

As organizers, educators, youth leaders, media activists and community members, we are left with these questions -- How do we harness this energy and help to connect our youth to organizations and movements that can really make a change? How do we integrate activism and social consciousness into our curriculum and our daily conversation in a fun and engaging way?

Well here are some suggestions!

The Films

The power of peer-to-peer learning becomes more and more evident as we witness positive connections in our outreach efforts. Showing strong films made by young people can really help to kick start a conversation among young people-- this is the first step to activism. And remember: conflicting reactions can be positive too! Here are a couple of good starters:

Sofia Snow in The Countdown

The Countdown presents poet Sofia Snow as she explores the effects of the September 11th attacks on the United States and the world. Winner of the Emerging Artist Award, The Countdown promotes a message of unity and the importance of placing cultural, religious and ideological differences aside to unite the world. Check out other films available on MediaRights.org such as I Wonder What You Will Remember From September 11th, and 9.11: Another World is Possible that address the after effects of September 11th and other similar films from the Media That Matters Film Festival such as Holla Back Dubai!

Niaz Mosharraf, creator of America for Dummies

America For Dummies is this year's winner of the Youth Voice Award and explores the scary truth behind the ignorance shared by many young people in regards to politics, history and social issues. The film demonstrates a reality in which young adults are more in touch with the world of celebrities and pop culture than with current affairs and global issues. This film is a great start to a wider discussion on how we can become more involved with the issues that shape our lives. This film also offers a promising future in which young people can turn apathy into real social change.

Both America for Dummies and The Countdown can be used cross discipline - from social studies to humanities and politics classes, as well as in media literacy and media making courses. Find other youth-focused films in our Media That Matters collection by downloading this ready-made listing. Also, catch Election Day, a Big Mouth Film that recently aired on POV and was released on DVD just in time for the election warm-up.

Remember, you can always order a curated DVD by emailing us at festival@artsengine.net, or hold out for our eighth collection featuring both America For Dummies and The Countdown that will be released this fall!

The Action!

For Educators:

Use media in your classroom, after-school group or community organization as a means of opening up dialogue about these pressing issues. The more comfortable and familiar people are with talking, the more comfortable they will be to get involved with each issue.

Log on to the Youth Media Exchange and find articles, games, video and other media to help reiterate the importance of youth activism. Help your students get excited and engaged by what other young people are doing around the world. Great ideas can come from good examples that have worked before.

Invite local organizations to come and present their work in the classroom. Find youth-specific organizations on MediaRights.org. Dig deeper to find issue-specific speakers and invite local Greenmarket reps, voting registrars or other activists to speak about the work they do. Encourage students to ask questions and follow up with Take Action activities.

Log on to RockTheVote.com. It is a quick and easy way to be come a registered voter and find out what others are doing to promote youth interest in voting.

Start a slam-poetry club and encourage students to start one themselves. Check out sites for poets such as WelfarePoets.com who incorporate spoken word, hip-hop, Latin jazz and other forms of music, poetry and art to promote activism and fight injustice. Groups such as Urban Word NYC were started to give a safe, supportive and dynamic forum for New York's youth to express their thoughts and emotions about pressing sociopolitical issues facing the world. Check out these websites and see how you can inspire young people to start slamming!

Download the Discussion Guide for the seventh annual Media That Matters Film Festival for activity suggestions. It's free and can be easily adapted to for use with other films covering social issues.

Youth Activists:

Get connected and involved with other like-minded individuals. Mobilize.org is a networking site dedicated to empowering, educating and energizing young people who are leading others in activism, civil engagement and political participation. Download the their Mobilizer's Guidebook to help further organize and mobilize activist groups. You can also add their organization on Facebook.com to find more young people striving to make social change happen now.

Check out sites like WiretapMag.org and RealitySandwich.com - just two organizations educating and urging young people to voice their opinion on issues ranging from gay marriage, immigration and the Iraq War. You can log on and find young people near and far fighting to raise awareness. Log on today and learn how to get more involved and get your voice heard.

If you can't find a television station in your area offering alternative and educational programming, you can always log on to the internet and check out websites like the New York Map Exchange , a youth video exchange network providing access to media produced by organizations and individuals promoting activism and media literacy.

Family Activities:

Conversations start in the family! Arguments and differences of opinions aren't necessarily a bad thing. Try not to be intimidated by political debate at home but instead create a safe space for younger members of the family to express opinions and ask questions. And remember to ask questions back. The newspaper is a great tool to help introduce current events on the national and international level.

Attend a public rally, demonstration or gathering in your town or city, even if it is just to find out more about the issue. Log on to answer.pephost.org to see what events and rallies happening all over the United States. It is a good starting tool to see what issues are driving members of your community to activism on a local level.

Communities:

Plan a night to screen Media That Matters films in your community using our free DIY Screening Guide. Fill out our online Pre-Screening form so we follow your event and (if it's a public event) we can even help you publicize on our websites.

Want to run a voter registration drive in your community? Rock The Vote has a free downloadable activist toolkit to get you started. Encourage young people in your community to join the efforts. Check out RockTheVote.com to take action.

There is power in numbers. Change is progressive and starts on a small scale. Don't be afraid to attend your local city council meetings and voice your opinions about community concerns such as urbanization, public transportation and issues relevant to your community. Read more about these laws and explore the links to find out how you can be a check in the balance of power.

Other ways to get involved:

Check out a comprehensive directory on youth activism and organizing in the United Sates with the new book The Future 500. The book includes essays, analysis, listings, photos and resources that map out and give you the push you need to get involved with the growing youth activist movement.

Tune in to alternative television stations such as Manhattan's Youth Channel, which provide young adults with an alternative to mass media and allow equal access for all young people regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, religion or social status.

You can also look into MoveOn.org, a grassroots citizens' activist organization designed to inform people about various petitions and ways you can actively participate in decision making amongst government leaders.

In Conclusion

May these resources add to your use of film in the classroom. Beyond Media That Matters, we invite you to search around MediaRights to find others films, organizations and to read articles about other important youth issues.

Good luck, and let us know what you are doing to encourage youth activism! Publish an announcement on MediaRights to encourage others to join you, or send us an email!

More Take Action Packs:

This article is available for noncommercial use under a Creative Commons license. It was originally published on MediaRights.org, a project of Arts Engine, Inc. This notice must accompany the article at all times.