Media has gone so far beyond newspaper, radio, and television. There are so many ways to produce and consume what is now considered media, and it can be hard to keep up. The Grand Rapids Public Library and GRTV want to help everyone understand the growing world of media a bit better by inviting the community to the first Media Literacy Summit on May 13.
From 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., the community is invited to come to Wealthy Theatre to enjoy a day of workshops, panel discussions, and a documentary screening.
The summit will feature four different immersive workshops that educate participants about the media creation process. These workshops include podcasting, stop motion animation, video production, and zine making.
Attendees will also be able to listen to three-panel discussions from a diverse group of media professionals. Panel topics include:
- News deserts and the importance of local news at 10 a.m. with Elizabeth Drouillard, Candor Media, Grand Rapids reporter; Sam Easter, freelance reporter; John Hair, former CNN producer and Denavvia Mojet, local political reporter.
- Media Literacy 101 at 11:30 a.m. with keynote speaker Sue Ellen Christian, a professor of communication at Western Michigan University and author of “Everyday Media Literacy: An Analog Guide for Your Digital Life.”
- Diversity and representation in the media at 2:30 p.m. with Tommy Allen, Rapid Growth Media lifestyle editor; Kylie Ambu, WGVU inclusion reporter; Phil Tower, WYCE director and Victor Williams, GR MiFi CEO.
- Grassroots and DIY media at 4 p.m. with Sean Kenny of Pickle Fort; Linda Otterbridge, Hook A Sista Up podcast creator; Joshua Sikkema, Black Pigeon Studios owner and George Wietor, printmaker.
The event is free to attend.
For more information, visit grpl.org.
