Reel Grrls & Media Concentration

Reel Grrls  (http://www.reelgrrls.org/) is a non-for-profit that provides media literacy for young girls ages 13-19 based in Seattle.  Reel Grrl's mission is to "empower young women from diverse communities to realize their power, talent and influence through media production[...] to cultivate voice and leadership in girls at a vulnerable age in their development".  Reel Grrls teaches young women "specific skills including animation, cinematography, script writing and more." Their programming is divided into different meeting times whether after school, on the weekend, or during day or summer camps.  Current programming includes a graphic design class, a short film class based on disability justice and breaking down representations of persons with disabilities in the media, and their general class for young women to tell their own stories through video.  Currently, Reel Grrl's general video editing programming appears to cost 275 dollars.  However, participants unable to pay that fund are never turned away, they are asked to pay what they can and scholarships are available.  Reel Grrl's staff includes women with real professional experience in the media world.  Reel Grrl's programming puts an emphasis on understanding and deconstructing representations of people in the media, whether it be women, young people, racial groups, or as mentioned above, people with disabilities.  Thus, it provides young people with valuable skills in literacy and critical awareness of media.

Reel Grrl's represents a particular community that has a voice pertinent to the issue of media concentration.  One student film, Generation of Consolidation (discussed in another post here), specifically addresses the issue.  Because one of the effects of corporate media control is a lack of diverse voices, particular those of women or minorities, Reel Grrl's is working in direct opposition to concentration through empowering young women to create independent films.  Reel Grrls also gives young people professional opportunities and skills that can be used to change the media landscape and create the independent programming that challenges big media.  As I continue my project, I hope to look at how Reel Grrls and other youth media empowerment programs across the nation challenge media concentration.