Countering Negative Media Stereotypes of Black Love...

Greetings Family!

Part of our responsibility as Black leaders in the Digital Age is to utilize the same media tools that have negatively stereotyped us since the slave trade, as tools of empowerment in the Digital Age. Join the cyber movement to counter negative media stereotypes of Black love, families, relationships and communities, with Message Media Ed!

"LIKE" the Black Family Love Movement here http://MessageMediaEd.org and participate, meaningfully, in the digital landscape :)

Also, don't forget to share our DIGITAL LYRICIST - Black History Month Contest with the young & talented in your life. Winter break is the perfect time to write :)))  Applicants may win a laptop, full scholarship to our leadership retreat and the opportunity to be coached and judged by the legendary, Brother J of X-Clan!  

Contest details and applications are available here http://MessageMediaEd.org 

The mission of Message Media Ed is to produce Black leadership for the Digital Age: culturally conscious role models & meaningful participants in the digital landscape...

Have a wonderful holiday! 

In service,

Shani

Digital Lyricist - Black History Month Contest!; Sankofa Digi-Family Day!; Village Health Foundation Fundraiser & more!

Greetings Family!

We have so much to share with you for the upcoming year, including our new and first funder, the California Consumer Protection Foundation!!!  Yeeee!!!!  The Digital Elder Project is now officially, funded in part by CCPF and will be offered to the community 4 times in 2011! Additionally, we will host our first annual, Sankofa Digi-Family Day in February, and our first annual Diversity Leaders (6-day) Spring Retreat!  And of course we will offer the Diversity Leaders Boot Camp, 3 times in 2011, to be exact!

Finally, we are kicking off the holidays with our Digital Lyricist - Black History Month Contest for youth and young adult songwriters, poets and mc's (ages 13-25). Finalists will be coached and judged by the legendary, Brother J of X-Clan, and two winners will receive a Net-Book (mini-laptop), a full scholarship to Diversity Leaders (6-day) Spring Retreat and other fun goodies! Applications will be accepted between December 17th-February 4th. Selected finalists will perform and winners will be chosen at Sankofa Digi-Family Day!

A complete calendar of events can be viewed athttp://MessageMediaEd.org 

Keep in touch and join us in 2011!

In service,

Shani

UPCOMING EVENTS FROM MESSAGE MEDIA ED...

***DIGITAL LYRICIST - BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST!!!***

CHALLENGE US! Teach us! We are looking for meaningful, young voices with big visions for South LA. DIGITAL LYRICIST - BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST finalists will be coached & judged by the legendary, BROTHER J OF X-CLAN.

Theme: "My Vision for South LA" & all entries should incorporate a public figure from Black history

Rules: 500 Words or less, no curse words

Entry Fee: $10

Applications: Accepted online and via mail, Friday, December 17th - Friday, February, 4th

Parents - Educators - Counselors... Please share!

All details here --> http://MessageMediaEd.org and see the attached application.

 

***SANKOFA DIGI-FAMILY DAY - FEBRUARY 2011***

SAVE THE DATE!

Join us in kicking off our program year!

Experience our mission!

Learn about and register for programs!  

Enjoy creative performances by our Digital Lyricist - Black History Month Contest finalists!  

Enjoy fun, intergenerational activities!

Free food! Free admission! 

Sunday, February 27, 2011, 3-6pm @ Earlez Grille (3930 Crenshaw Blvd. 90016)

Looking forward to seeing you there!

***THE DIGITAL ELDER PROJECT - MARCH 2011***

Join the rest of our Digital Elder graduates, and become a Digital Elder in 2011! 

This is an amazing, 2-day, empowerment retreat!  In response to many crises facing the African American community in South Los Angeles, 

our goal is to introduce telecommunications and technology as a means of, 1) strengthening youth/adult communication and understanding; 2) building critical job/career skills, and 3) increasing cultural awareness, all integral components in cultivating social and cultural capital within our historically marginalized and underserved community. 

Texting | Basic/Advanced Computer Operation | Internet Navigation | Facebook | Twitter | Blogging | Photo Uploads & more!

Using the role of the traditional African elder as a guide, a Digital Elder is a role model who utilizes modern tools of communication, to listen, nurture, guide, acknowledge, share wisdom and affirm. 

SAVE THE DATE!  The next Digital Elder retreat takes place on Saturday & Sunday, March 12 & 13 @ the LA Urban League West Adams/Baldwin Hills WorkSource Center! All details here http://MessageMediaEd.org -- Join us!!!

***DIVERSITY LEADERS BOOT CAMP - MARCH 2011***

If you are a parent/guardian/relative/mentor of an African American youth/young adult, this is the perfect leadership workshop to bring them to!  How often do you get a chance to spend quality, creative and fun time with your youth or mentee?  AND...

Learn to enhance communication with together! 

Learn dropout prevention techniques!

Identify career goals! 

Learn what challenges your youth experiences daily and how to overcome them! 

Learn how and what influence media advertising has on your youth's self-perspective and ways to change it for the better!

Build a support network!

Engage in group mentoring!

In Los Angeles, 52% of African American youth dropout of high school annually. Let's solidify their support system today!

DIVERSITY LEADERS BOOT CAMP is a 4-hour youth/young adult (ages 13-25), leadership workshop that combines the African American experience with media education and leadership development activities, as professional development tools. Upon completion, participants share their manifestos on video: a statement of their vision for the African American community and the role they will play in achieving that vision.

"FINALLY, a teen leadership workshop especially for African American parents and their teens. We need this. This is an essential component of rites of passage for African American youth."-- Parent participant

SAVE THE DATE!  The next Diversity Leaders Boot Camp takes place, Saturday, March 26th, 9:30am-1:30pm @ the Village Health Foundation! All details here http://MessageMediaEd.org

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***OTHER GOOD STUFF ASSOCIATED WITH MESSAGE MEDIA ED***

>> Village Health Foundation fundraiser! Please join us for our first annual MIDTOWN FUN Toy Drive and Bowling Party, Saturday, December 18th, @ 7pm. Tickets are $20 and include two games and shoe rental. Proceeds to benefit: The YEL Program, Village Health Foundation and REAL mentoring. For more information please call Denise Davidson at (323) 864-7788 and tickets can be purchased at the VHF clinic at 4067 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 737-1159

>>  Massenburg Studio Holiday Art Event!  Studio opening and rare artwork for sale for the holidays. Don't miss it! Saturday, December 18th, 2-5pm @ Beacon Arts Building (808 N. La Brea Blvd., Inglewood)

>> Great Beginnings for Black Babies fundraiser!  Help GBBB celebrate 20 years of community service by supporting their 20 in 2010 Online Fundraiser. No chicken dinners! Just go towww.firstgiving.com/gbbb and help GBBB continue to provide high quality services to their clients.