A Message of Thanks & Highlights from the Grand Opening of Message Media Ed!

Thank you so much! Asante Sana!

We appreciate all of you who were able to join us on September 17, 2011, for our celebration, either physically or spiritually!  

We still feel your energy, love and see your excitement for what we have to offer the community and education as a whole. We are answering the call to build better learning environments for African American youth and we are dedicated to cultivating social, cultural and technical capital for the African American community as a whole. 

We look forward to seeing you again at an upcoming training and event!  We also look forward to you using our center to study, research, chat, meet and think!  Special thanks to our board, team, event sponsors, vendors, guest artists, keynote speaker, honorees, friends, and family for making our grand opening a meaningful success!  

"INNOVATION - the gift of African people to humanity, as the originators of mankind, arts, sciences, spirituality, culture - is innate in all African Americans, and if repression is sustained, evolution of humankind will continue to be stunted. ADVANCE" - Dr. Shani

Please make sure to peruse our event calendar and programs at http://MessageMediaEd.org and become a member at http://www.messagemediaed.org/#!membership

Please follow our keynote speaker, Carmen Dixon Rosenzweig on Twitter @AllAboutRace

Please visit the work of our very first Black Leadership in the Digital Age award recipient, Sekou Andrews, athttp://TheSekouEffect.com and http://BlindFaithRecords.com

Lastly, call us at 323-708-2526 to schedule your Message Media Ed orientation!  

We love you all! Much respect and see you soon! 

-> The Goofy Team at Message Media Ed lol

Grand Opening Highlights:

Lady Walquer & Najite Agindotan led our participants in a Ceremonial Blessing of the new building of Message Media Ed!

LA County Supervisor, Mark Ridley-Thomas stopped by to wish us much success! 

Our Keynote Speaker, Mrs. Carmen Dixon Rosenweig, led the charge for the Black community to increase meaningful participation in the digital landscape. "I encourage each of you to use the tools of technology to make your lives and the lives of others around you better," says Carmen. "The news for today, is that wise or not, here in the 21st Century, leaders and the rest of us have access to more information in less time, than in any other time in the history of mankind. Think about that for a moment... So if you know how to work this tool, this tool called technology, you can figure out how to do anything and everything else, and I do mean anything."

The infamous Sekou Andrews received the Black Leadership in the Digital Age Award and performed for all attendees!!! 

Our honorees Mrs. Vivian Atmore received the Digital Elder Social Media Maker Award and Ms. Lisa Berry received the Diversity Leaders Media Literacy Award, presented by Dr. Shani and her mother, fellow Digital Elder Grad, Judith Byard!

A candid shot of Founder/Executive Director of Message Media Ed, Dr. Shani, with Message Media Ed's fiscal sponsor, Executive Director of the Village Health Foundation, Jewel Thais-Williams, and Founding Board Member of Message Media Ed, Brother J of X Clan!

It was a beautiful festival and program! Thank you!!!

Rise Above the Noise (for Educators of European Descent)

RISE ABOVE THE NOISE < - ADVANCE THOUGHT™

Rise Above the Noise (for Educators/Counselors of European Descent)
Saturday, January 21, 2012, 3-7:30pm @Message Media Ed


Lead Facilitator: Dr. Shani

AN OVERVIEW:
Rise Above the Noise is a culturally relevant, staff development training designed to expose participants to the realities of the African American experience in relationship to media influence and education. The purpose of the training is to improve the learning experiences of African American youth.

This is an innovative, research-based, cultural sensitivity training in PEDAGOGY for educators and counselors of European descent working with African American students. It is also a cultural awareness training in attaining MENTAL LIBERATION for families and educators of African descent. All of our curricula are rooted in the Afro-Media Literacy Educational Framework.

OUTCOMES:-Exposure to public/private education through an African American lens
-Learn how media influence and media stereotypes can impact an educator's or counselor's pedagogy (or approach toward teaching/advising African American students)
-Become aware of white privilege and the role white educators can play in either sustaining injustice or advocating for social justice in the classroom and school environments
-Learn why seeing race and ethnicity is an asset to the learning experience for both teacher and student
-Participants will be invited back to participate in a focus group to assess learning and implementation of new knowledge

The best part of our trainings is the fact that they are essentially culture-specific.  This component of the curriculum design relates to creating a safe and supportive space for  people from similar backgrounds to freely express their process of self-discovery or transformation,  as they explore tough issues related to race, racism, the influence of negative media stereotypes  and white privilege in learning environments, without offending someone from another race or  ethnic background. We are meeting a critical and complicated need related to an unpopular,  yet tangible threat to the learning experiences of African American youth.

Investment: $30 donation, Seating is limited. Pre-Registration is required. Pre-reading is assigned once registration is completed. Allow time to complete reading. Refreshments provided. Please contact us for more info at 323-708-2526 or email info@messagemediaed.org. Message Media Ed is located at 4923 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016. Participants will be invited to a follow-up focus group to assess newly acquired cultural understandings and implementation in relative learning or counseling environments.

All types of educators of European descent are welcome! Credentialed and Non-Credentialed educators, faculty and administrators are encouraged to attend. Student teachers/counselors are encouraged to attend as well. K-12 & Higher Ed.

Become a part of the solution. Help improve the learning experiences for African American youth! 

****ALSO PLEASE SHARE: 

Rise Above the Noise (for Families & Educators of African Descent)
Saturday, January 21, 2012, 9:30am-1:30pm @ Message Media Ed
Lead Facilitator: Dr. Shani http://www.messagemediaed.org/#!rise-above-the-noise

---
Dr. Shani is the Founder/Executive Director of Message Media Ed, a native of Leimert Park, Los Angeles, and is an Artist, Educator and Social Justice Advocate. Rise Above the Noise is implemented as part of the teacher training and professional development service component of Message Media Ed (http://MessageMediaEd.org/).

Healing From Domestic Violence - An Author's Spotlight

Message Media Ed Monthly Lecture Series presents...

**AUTHOR'S SPOTLIGHT**

Shaunelle Curry's, "Shairi's Journey: Through Darkness Into Light", featuring Kelley Nicole!
A multi-media exploration of healing from domestic violence.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 6-8:30PM
@ MESSAGE MEDIA ED
4923 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca 90016
Investment: Free (members), $5 (non-members), light refreshments served

Call to RSVP by Wednesday, 9/21/11, 323-708-2526 or info@messagemediaed.org


Become a Member of Message Media Ed!

AUTHOR'S SPOTLIGHT: SHAUNELLE CURRY!
feat. KELLEY NICOLE!

Join author, Shaunelle Curry, and singer/songwriter, Kelley Nicole, as they share select poetic narratives from Shairi’s Journey Through Darkness Into Light and original music from Introducing... The Kelley Nicole EP. Enjoy a question and answer session and purchase copies of Shaunelle’s book and Kelley’s EP** to be autographed after the presentation.

SHATTERED GLASS ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR
Shattered Glass on the Kitchen Floor is a multi-media presentation of hope and transcendence. It tells the story of a woman named *Shairi who disentangles herself from a toxic relationship in order to rediscover, in her words, “the smile of that girl in those pictures they say is me.” The story unfolds as Shairi awakens to her Divine Ancestral Muse whose inspirational words, “sung in my ear like a precious tune—musical, melodious,” send her on a journey of penning poetry and song. This discovery of gifts, birthed from her soul, evokes a personal and spiritual transcendence that helps heal Shairi’s wounds and introduces her to her True Divine Self for the very first time.

Journey with them and you may even hear the faint whispers of your own Creative Muse.

Journey.Discover.
Transcend.


*Shairi is Ki-Swahili and means “a line of poetry” or “a line of song”


**Purchase a book and EP package for $20 at the event only. Books individually priced at $21, EP individually priced at $5.



**This lecture series is a component of the Message Media Ed Community Bridge Initiative, designed to utilize community, media and higher ed resources to engage and empower the African American community of South Los Angeles.  <- ADVANCE COMMUNITY

Message Media Ed - School of Black Leadership in the Digital Age is an education and professional development organization. Our vision is to close the digital divide and increase leadership and innovation in the African American community of South Los Angeles. We do this by providing workshops for youth, adults and seniors, designed to increase cultural awareness while practicing media literacy, and building skills in computer operation, internet navigation, social media knowledge sharing.

Counting Down to the Grand Opening of Message Media Ed!

I am 37 years old. I was born and raised in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. I am a culturally conscious African American woman who just became a doctor. I am the daughter of a single mom and elementary school educator. I am the product of the hip hop generation. I am the founder of Message Media Ed. 

My name is Dr. Shani and YOU are invited to my 
Grand Opening, Saturday, September 17th, 3-8pm!

http://MMEGrandOpening.eventbrite.com

featuring...

Keynote Speaker: Carmen Dixon Rosenzweig

Media Consultant & Founder, AllAboutRace.com

Also honoring Sekou Andrews, Vivian Atmore & Lisa Berry

Ceremonial Blessing of our Center: Lady Walquer

Special Drum Procession: Najite Agindotan

FREE ADMISSION!! VENDORS! FAMILY FUN!

Village Festival begins at 3pm! Ceremony & Program begins at 6pm!

Watch fun Countdown to the Grand Opening videos from the MME Team!

**GUEST LIST ONLY EVENT**

Please visit the official event page here http://MMEGrandOpening.eventbrite.com 

for all details and to RSVP by WED, SEPTEMBER 14TH!

SEE YOU THERE!