The Cool Aid » Media

South African Girls Changing the Face of Journalism

TheCoolAid — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:43:37 +0000

Journalism is powerful. Having the freedom, resources, and outlets to tell your own story and control your own image is a basic human right that so many of us—even here in the United States—aren’t empowered to exercise. Not to mention, men still significantly outnumber women in the newsroom. According the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), in the United States, women make up only about 37 percent of news media workers.

Global Girl Media is hoping to change that. An article published in The Atlanta Post details the work of this new non-profit initiative that will give 20 South African teenagers the skills to report on the upcoming World Cup tournament.

The project, called “Kick it Up!” will introduce the girls, ages 15 to 20, to local trained media professionals, teaching them online reporting through blogging, filming, and video editing.

As stated on their website, GlobalGirlMedia.org:

“The perspectives of many poor girls the world over remain marginalized and their voices are often silent. Without access to training and equipment, and computers they can’t share their ideas and communicate with each other. At the same time many girls’ real-life experiences are often absent from larger mainstream news and entertainment outlets, and when they do portray girls, these images often misrepresent their varied worldviews and their real lives and struggles.”

Global Girl Media was created to give underserved young women around the world the confidence and the tools to participate in online media, and to share both their joys and their struggles. Pilot projects are in the works to bring media training to girls in Thailand, India, Mexico, and Kenya.

Visit the Global Girl Media website to find out more about the project, and to learn how you can help change the face of journalism.

The Story of Stuff

TheCoolAid — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:08:07 +0000

It’s officially Holiday Season 2009.

Before you go out and contribute more crap to your household, and before you’re swayed by catalogs and commercials to spend your hard-earned cash, check out this video.

You just might rethink the stuff you want, and even better–stop believing the hype.

The Story of Stuff

Wise Intelligent on Hip Hop’s Oppression

PRE459 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:53:59 +0000

The revolution will not be televised, but the revolting will be idolized.

Mother Hip Hop is calling for her children, but something has rendered their screaming voices speechless. In this video, Wise Intelligent of the ’90s hip hop trio, Poor Righteous Teachers, schools us on the music industry’s exploitation of the African-American experience.

Martha Cooper’s “The Hip Hop Files”

dre3k — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:16:47 +0000

As fate would have it, New York Post photographer Martha Cooper stumbled upon a young artist in the late ’70s who opened her eyes to a stunning new form of expression. What began as simple curiosity evolved into the extensive documentation of a global phenomenon. Here, Current TV user ThomasGreen tells the story of how Cooper’s lens captured the beginnings of graffiti writing and hip hop culture.

This year, Cooper and fellow collaborator, Henry Chalfant, celebrate the 25th anniversary of the bestseller, Subway Art, a book widely considered to be “the Bible of the graffiti movement.” Check out Cooper and Chalfant as they recount their experiences and discuss what to expect with the latest edition.