Welcome to the Fall 2009 Newsletter!

Press Pass TV’s Mr. President featured in Film Festivals:

Press Pass TV joined forces with Dongoson Productions to create this powerful video, featuring some of Boston’s top talent and an important message for the President. It has been featured this month in the United Nations Film Festival, at the NEMPAC Film Festival at the Hard Rock Cafe, and this week at the Do it Your Damn Self Festival!

Dear Friends,

We believe that our work is unique, because our impact does not end with the incredible young people we work with. These youth reporters are making a real difference in their communities. This year alone, Press Pass TV has produced over 30 news stories, ranging from protests against home foreclosures to interviewing candidates for Senator Edward Kennedy’s seat. Currently, we’re working on exciting projects that will bring media that moves far beyond Boston and bring together youth reporters from all over the country to tell the untold stories of their communities.

It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago we were hosting our Launch Party and starting our new programs. So much has happened in this one year, and we couldn’t have done it without you- our community. It’s been so rewarding to get stopped at events by community members letting us know how important Press Pass TV is to them, and to get phone calls from organizations like the T-Rider’s Union and Critical Breakdown asking us to cover their events. We feel so honored and blessed to be a part of this incredible community and to nurture such talented young people. Check out what we’ve done, and read on to find out how you can get involved in making media that moves!

Warm wishes (literally),

Joanna Marinova, Cara Lisa Berg Powers, and Gabriel Mugar

Co-Directors

In this issue:

1. Press Pass TV Live! Coming to you from the campaign trail and more…
2. Program Updates: Find out what Press Pass TV has been up to!
3. Miriam Ryden makes media that moves: Meet our newest Team Member
4. Make Media That Moves! Find out what everyone’s talking about and how you can help Press Pass TV make media that moves today!

Press Pass TV Live!

Press Pass TV has been busy since our last Newsletter! At the end of the summer, we released nearly an entire season of new content, including partnerships with the ACLU of Massachusetts and Reflect and Strengthen. We’ve also been on the campaign trail. Check out our report from the Youth Candidate’s Forum at English High School on October 8th, and visit Press Pass TV Live for more news!

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Program Updates

Site Based Program

We have had some really great Site Based partners this year. This Summer and Fall we’ve worked with the Roslindale Community Center, BELL National, the Greater Boston Nazarene Compassion Center, and are currently planning our next session at Project MOVE in Cambridge.

Our Site Based Programs are partnerships with community organizations, where we work within your budget and your goals to produce exciting, relevant, and community based media projects that empower and educate the youth in your programs. If you’re interested in learning more about opportunities to work with us, please email Cara at cara (at) presspasstv (dot) org.

Community Connect

This Fall we’ve worked with many community organizations to produce news stories about their important work. We’re currently producing a series of short videos about the Juvenile Justice Task Force on Racial Disparities (Da Force)’s fight for accurate reporting in our youth detention centers. We produced a story with the ACLU of Massachusetts about the Police and the Civilian Review Board, speaking to young people about their concerns and ideas for solutions. We also covered two City Council forums: one hosted by Open Media Boston, and another co-hosted at English High by a coalition of youth organizations (see above), including REEP, Sociedad Latina, and Hyde Square Task Force. You can check out these stories and more at our Press Pass TV Live page, and stay tuned for collaborations with REEP, the T-Rider’s Union and Critical Breakdown.

Other News

Here’s some other news you don’t want to lose (yes, we’re aware we didn’t come up with that on our own):

1. We have some pretty awesome interns working with us this semester, Miram Ryden (who you can hear more from in the next section) is our Marketing Coordinator and Jesse Calderon is our Distribution Coordinator. We’re excited to have them both on board!
2. In addition to what was produced in our Community Connect Program, PPTV’s Lab Programs for experienced youth have yielded tons of new stories in the last few months, including a story on Streetworkers and their role in the Boston Miracle, the quarrel between Mayor Menino and the Firefighters, and the role of Philanthropic Institutions in this trying time.
3. We were asked last month to present our first ever Teaching and Action Guide for the Aobe Youth Voices award-winning Standardized Failure, a collaboration with the City School. We presented the guide at the Community Church of Boston, and it’s now available in our Resources section.
4. We screened Student Rights, and ACLU collaboration at the Boston Public Library as part of Constitution Day on September 17.
5. We have presented two workshops to Third Sector New England on production, and we’re looking forward to expanding those offerings in the community.

Thank You!

We wanted to extend a special Thank You to the Foley Hoag Foundation and GMA for hosting a special lunch on Youth Media and inviting us to present. We learned so much from the other presenters, and are always happy for an opportunity to discuss the amazing work of our youth.

We also could not do this work without our funders: the Foley Hoag Foundation, The Hyams Foundation, the Boston Foundation, Boston ROCKS, the Haymarket People’s Fund’s Media Justice Fund, the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation, the Eveillard Charitable Trust, the Public Freedom Fund and viewers like you!

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Miriam Ryden Makes Media that Moves!

Introduce Yourself!
My name is Miriam Ryden, I am 20 years old from Los Angeles and I currently attend Emerson College.

What is your role at Press Pass TV?
Marketing Coordinator; I am an intern, specifically for marketing.

What have you learned so far working with Press Pass TV?
I have already learned many valuable things about the unfairness that exists in our media and justice system. These issues need to be addressed and PPTV is working on it which makes me feel better.
How did you get involved with Press Pass TV?
Emerson offers service learning courses. I signed up for the Writing for Marketing one and I was partnered with PPTV to help with their marketing materials.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done while working with Press Pass TV?
Last week I rushed to the courthouse with a small video camera to film members of the community testifying for minorities in our juvenile system with one of our state representatives. I’d never experienced a courtroom experience like that. I thought it was very exciting and interesting.

What would you tell someone who would like to join the Press Pass TV Team?
Do it! Help change the world for the better. If we all did just a bit more we could create a movement.

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Make Media that Moves!

At Press Pass TV, we make media that moves, but what does that really mean? Media that moves is a call to action, a promise to our community.

Press Pass TV media builds movement toward change, it stimulates new thoughts, ideas and solutions.

To us, media is a beacon of light, illuminating the powerful truths and strong will of our community to overcome any odds. In times like this, media has the power to inform, inspire and activate people to be our brothers and sisters keepers, to join together for the greater good.

What does it mean to make media that moves? For many Boston youth, it means a lot. Not only is it a check in their pocket, but it’s the power to know that they can make a difference. Press Pass TV youth reporters get the training and skills necessary to be media makers, but they also gain the access and power to become change makers, and to work with other youth to build the world they want to lead.

How can you make media that moves? Well that is simple, join us! There are many ways to make media that moves. It can mean mentoring a team of youth reporters through their first news story, or becoming a sustaining supporter at just $25 a month. $25 a month may not sound like a lot to you, it’s probably what you spend on coffee. But it adds up, to $300 a year, which covers the cost of one field report. Your sustaining gift could give Press Pass TV youth reporters the opportunity to cover a story that no one will see otherwise.

Philanthropy means love of human kind. It means giving your time, treasure, and talent to empower the humanity in us all, and bring everyone together for the greater good. Please consider giving your time, treasure or talent, and make media that moves today!

Visit our Support page to find out how!

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