Write Your Peace

SHARP Program Helps DC Students Write Their Peace

amandawriter — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:00:41 +0000

Here is a phenomenal summer program held at Ballou High School in Southeast DC. At its helm is the amazing Gabriel Benn. The Summer Humanities Arts Readiness Program or SHARP for short is empowering kids through hip hop. Check out the video.

From Homeless Blogger to Elle Magazine Intern

amandawriter — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:55:13 +0000

This story was sent to me last night by one of my public relations colleagues and mentors. The story of Briana Karp, an employed yet homeless California blogger who uses her blog to gain voice and visibility hits at the heart of what we are trying to do with Write Your Peace.

Because the blogosphere and Internet are global playgrounds, once you start a blog, you are immediately opening up your opinions, triumphs, defeats, etc. to a global audience. You may think no one is listening and no one can hear you, but this story proves that when you blog, you gain an instant platform that could possibly catapult you to the next level. Be encouraged. Write your peace.

UK Taking the Lead on Media Literacy

amandawriter — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:17:37 +0000

Should media literacy be taught in public schools? Some officials in the UK seem to think so. Which means the United States may be falling behind other developed countries in the fight for media literacy.

The European Commission is advocating broad media literacy education the digital and media illiterate will be invariably left behind in modern society.

From eWeek Europe:

“In a statement released this week, EC Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding said that people who are not been able to interact online will not be able to take part in the world around them. “We must make sure everyone is media literate so nobody is left out. Citizens are being talked to all the time, but can they talk back? If they can use the media in a competent and creative way we would take a step towards a new generation of democratic participation,” she said. Read the rest of this story.

What is Media Literacy?

amandawriter — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:14:04 +0000

The answer to that question also answers the question of why Write Your Peace matters. Watch this video.

Voice and Visibility

amandawriter — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:00:05 +0000

Write Your Peace is a new media program that aims to arm participants with new media, reporting and writing skills in order to promote self-confidence, self-awareness, connectivity, digital literacy and community empowerment. This program will teach participants to blog and become citizen journalists, write and report on personal and community issues, and promote their work within the global blogosphere. By the end of a program cycle, WYP writers will be armed with the tools to reach a wider community and expose their lives, interests and viewpoints to a global audience.

Why Does This Program Matter?

In many spheres, the Internet has been the great equalizer; giving individuals, companies and causes a global stage. Messages can be shared easily and inexpensively—creating an unprecedented opportunity to share stories of all kinds. Unfortunately, the use of the Internet and particularly the new media tools of video, blogging and social media, has remained largely the domain of those who have technology and media savvy, or are exposed to new media tools through education or work.

Write Your Peace proposes to break down barriers for those who lack media and technology savvy and transform them from consumers of media content to producers of media content. In the process, WYP will give voice and visibility to a new league of media producers.