New Lens Productions – The Power of the Media in the Hands of Baltimore Youth

To promote social change through the use of art and media.

 

The above audio is an interview of New Lens, recorded for This Light Sounds for Social Change, a Washington, D.C. based radio series featuring activist artists from across the globe.

New Lens is a youth driven social justice organization working to assist youth in making art and media about often-underrepresented perspectives. The work is used to address systemic problems, facilitate dialogue, shift perspectives and stimulate action. New Lens believes that a youth perspective can inspire change. U should love us because… WE SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

This interview features Executive Director Rebecca Yenawine and youth leader Chelsea. For more information go to http://www.newlens.info/

 

This Light: Sounds for Social Change Interviews Mazi Mutafa of Words, Beats, Life

This Light: Sounds for Social Change Interviews Mazi Mutafa –

Words Beats and Life was founded as a hip-hop conference at the University of Maryland, College Park in the fall of 2000. The brainchild of Mazi Mutafa, Executive Director, WBL was developed and researched at the University of Maryland with two fellow students who wanted to continue the hip-hop conference after graduation. When the Black Student Union decided they could manage the conference without the help of alumni, Words Beats and Life was faced with the option of dissolving or moving in a new direction. More than anything, the founders wanted Words Beats and Life to be a vehicle to transform individual lives and communities through hip-hop. In 2003, WBL was officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization with 501c3 status in the District of Columbia and began developing its first program, The Urban Arts Academy

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This LIght: Sounds For Social Change Talks With Dr. Jared A. Ball

Jared Ball Interview

Dr. Jared A. Ball is the father of two brilliant and adorable daughters, Maisi (7) and Marley (5), and the fortunate husband of Nelisbeth Yariani Ball. After that he is an associate professor of communication studies at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. Ball is the author of I MiX What I Like: A MiXtape Manifesto (AK Press, 2011) and co-editor of A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable’s Malcolm X (Black Classic Press, 2012). He can be found online at IMIXWHATILIKE.ORG.

THIS LIGHT: SOUNDS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE INTERVIEWS LIFELONG ARTIST/ACTIVIST LUCI MURPHY

Longtime artists/activists, cultural worker, teacher, Luci Murphy joined us on her birthday by Brenda Hayes on Mixcloud

Living Wage Bill Mixtape

By now we’ve told you how the bill made its way through Council, the heavy-duty organizing and coalition-building that’s taken place over the summer, and even how you can get involved — no matter how you feel about the bill.

We’ve heard strong opinions for and against the bill in Council, hints from the Mayor on how he’ll vote, and continued threats from Walmart to leave DC and drop development if the Large Retailer Accountability Act (i.e. the LRAA or “Living Wage” bill) were signed into law. In other words, we know pretty well how the politicians and corporate executives feel. But what about those most impacted by the bill, like DC residents and retail employees themselves?

GrassrootsDC brings you this mixtape of voices collected from actions in support of the Living Wage bill across the District. We hope you enjoy!

Living Wage Bill Mixtape

Mixed with Head Roc’s 2012 track “Keep DC Walmart Free,” these are the voices of:

Reverend Virginia Williams (native Washingtonian, Ward 7 resident), Kimberly Mitchell (Macy’s employee, UFCW Local400 member, lifelong Ward 7 resident,), Tonya C. (former Walmart employee, fired from a Laural, MD location), Cindy Murray (13 year Walmart associate at Hyattsville, MD store, member of OUR Walmart), Mike Wilson (organizer with RespectDC), and Inocencio Quinones (Ward 7 resident and organizer with OurDC)

We thank everyone who contributed to this mixtape, including all the speakers listed above, Head Roc for the musical element, and the folks that live-streamed a protest from a Hyattsville, MD location on September 5th, 2013.

Audio download available here (Living Wage Bill Mixtape), please share freely!