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YMP Student Voices

Hear from our current class of 2017 Youth Media Project participants in their own words.

An Open Discussion on Racism and Diversity

6/22/2016

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by Zipporah Jones

​One Friday, June 3, we had a workshop on racism and diversity. Many people were nervous going into this workshop because they had never had an open discussion on the subject. I was hit with hard questions that made me think, and while I would give one answer, another person would give a completely different answer. This experience became a learning process where in the end everyone knew more about a different person's situation. During this workshop, Youth Media Project members learned to be more sensitive and aware about the things they would say to each other and other people they may meet in life. 


Discussions like these help us to be better people, and make the society better as a whole. This discussion really helped me examine myself as a person; I never would have thought that the decisions I made would affect others. Some of the things I say may be offensive to others, and in order to preserve other people's feelings, I must think about what I say before I say it. Words are very powerful tools; you have to make sure you use them in positive ways. Using my words correctly and in the right manner can help me go far in the world.  

During the workshop, I also learned that my actions also affect other people. If I can stop others from discriminating against or hurting people of a different background than them, then I will have made the world a better place for someone else to live in. Sometimes I must ask people why they say the hurtful things they say; these people saying the the things they say might not even understand why they are saying it. Often times people say offensive or derogatory things because they have been around others who use these terms. In their everyday home environments, saying these things may be acceptable. By sitting someone down and asking why they feel a certain way, that person has a chance to think about what they actually said. Maybe this person will have a new outlook and never say that thing again, or this person may tell you why they feel this way.  

This eye-opening experience taught me a valuable lesson—get to know people before you judge them just solely off of their outer appearance. This is a lesson that we all must learn if we want to be progressive in a world full of different people. ​​
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Major Sponsors and Supporters of YMP

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Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) is a leader in informational broadcasting. MPB has exhibited a commitment to educating and informing Mississippians. MPB has partnered with YMP to lend tech equipment and provide youth engagement and media specialists to train students. 
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E3, a project of Parents of Public Schools of Jackson (now Ask for More), supported YMP in summers 2016 and 2017 with stipends for students, and other  resources.
The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson (now The Community Foundation of Mississippi) is the
​fiscal sponsor for E3.
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Podastery Studios in downtown Jackson offers a network of locally produced podcasts. Beau York, founder of Podastery, has generously donated his time to train YMP students in podcasting skills and allowed Youth Media Project students to borrow professional podcasting equipment to learn
​production skills.
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Dialogue Jackson, formerly Jackson 2000 Inc., is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to fostering understanding and building harmony between people of different races, ethnicities and backgrounds. The group became YMP's fiscal sponsor in 2017 and hosts youth dialogues for teens.. 

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Choice Printing in downtown Jackson is an in-kind sponsor of YMP offering YMP copying and printing services from its Capitol Towers location.

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Good Design & Code >>

Good Design & Co offers high-end UI/UX, web development, app development and branding services. Principal J.C. Hiatt is helping YMP students publish their own website for stories, video, podcasts and more.
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Jackson-based Workplace Solutions by Barefield is a Steelcase authorized dealer offering high-end office furniture and technology solutions. Workplace Solutions has loaned chairs, mobile desks and mobile whiteboards to create a collaborative office for YMP participants.

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Jackson-based Fuse.cloud (formerly Broadband Voice) offers Voice-over-IP phone systems, fiber Internet connections and technical services. Fuse.cloud has sponsored phones, VoIP phone service and technical assistance for YMP.

SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. GEORGE SCHIMMEL and NATALIE IRBY FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATIONS OF PRODUCTION IMACS FOR THE YOUTH MEDIA PROJECT.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO YMP.
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