The Representation Project’s Youth Media Academy students will work with older adults from GenSpace on The Wisdom Series – a series of short films to spotlight their stories in the context of modern-day issues. The Wisdom Series encapsulates core aspects of the Youth Media Academy’s mission to explore and examine social justice issues, including ageism – which fits squarely into the GenSpace’s programmatic themes of “Storytelling – Social Connection” and emphasis on Intergenerational Connection.
TRP and their students, ages 13-19, use documentary films, education, and activism to shift the public’s attitudes and behavior around key social justice concepts. These conversations are vital to increasing intergenerational communication and will contribute to public awareness of the issues that older adults face and their amazing resilience.
Furthermore, this partnership will not only benefit the public’s perception of modern-day issues, but also will benefit the students who will be making and reporting on these projects. According to the TRP annual impact report, participating students acquire significant knowledge of the social issues on which they report, including issues surrounding intersectionality and community. The report also found that students improved their technical skills and gained personal empowerment.
Later this year, the series’ final documentary films will premiere at GenSpace. We are looking forward to this partnership and the impact these stories have to offer.
