Sprinkles cupcakes, dinosaurs, and linkedin profiles. What do these things all have in common? The ability to bring people together of course! After getting started with introductions and lectures last week, our second week here at AYA was one of connection and growth. Not only was I able to bond with my peers but also walk with them through creative processes like podcasting and broadcast. Through engaging with podcasts in our communications class I was able to envision my own voice in media spaces and learn how to utilize these resources. On top of this, we also concluded the filming process for our very own AYA News Report which gave me lots of insight into the broadcast industry. Overall, not only was I able to gather a lot of takeaways from our second week but simultaneously strengthened the bonds that I had already created within our cohort!
Throughout the years one of the things I’ve struggled most with is expressing my voice in a way that felt effective and concise. As young people we are often told that what we say has to fit in the space of seconds, short, to the point, and easy to understand. It puts so many of us in an impossible position, how do we break down complex issues in a way that’s understandable and interesting? In our journalism class we learned the importance of podcasting as a medium for change that can be consumed by various demographics. The reading we completed by Marshall Ganz helped expand my understanding of how as creators of media we’re able to speak to our audience by appealing to pathos. The story of self, us, and now is a call to action that is applicable to all media forms. When we share messages that not only resonate with us, but the people around us, we foster a sense of community that can push us forward. This really inspired my group to attack a problem that’s often put aside because of how nuanced it can be. Talking about victims and perpetrators of sexual violence is never an easy conversation, but it’s a necessary one nonetheless. By having these discussions and putting out messaging geared towards young people we’re already taking important steps forward. With all the learning we’ve done in class about podcasting it makes me confident that if told correctly our voice can inspire change.
During the other half of our day spent with Professor Alan Lopez, we completed filming our news broadcast which was a process that required the involvement of the entire class. Whether that was in front of the screen, in the pitch room, or behind the camera everyone had an individual role in the making of our show. It was a really insightful experience, we were involved with every step of the process and it imitated what a career in broadcast could look like. Putting together the stories by relevance and creating scripts is not something that comes naturally to me so it pushed me outside of my comfort zone in ways I was very appreciative of.
Finally, the photos I attached at the bottom represent the bonds I was able to create with friends in the cohort! Part of the reason this has been such a great experience for me has been the awesome people who not only support, but also motivate me to be better!
Communicating Change 