Letter from the Editor
Welcome to March 2007 (Volume 1: Issue 3) of Youth Media Reporter (YMR).
I had the fortune to travel to the Portland, OR and San Francisco, CA the last week of February to meet several key figures in the youth media field—all of whom are exceptional, unique, and radical people—and to perform at Noise Pop with my band Boyskout. My time out west was truly inspirational and I would like to thank everyone I met for their time, insights, and shared dialogue.
Based on the success of this trip, YMR will visit several other cities to meet youth media professionals: New York City (our own backyard) in April, Baltimore, MD & Washington, D.C. in May, and Chicago, IL in the summer. If you would like to meet up for coffee and discuss your work, youth leaders, and organization, feel free to contact me directly.
After meeting over twenty diverse youth media professionals on the west coast, I realized that each of us has our own radiant, brilliant, and almost humorous stories about ourselves, and how we entered this field. These are stories that would be of interest and value to current or future colleagues. As a resource that serves professionals and leaders in the youth media field, YMR will now feature a spotlight on a professional’s life every month. Along with a photo, individuals will explain what they were doing before their youth media profession, their inspiration or motivation to join the youth media community as well as short facts about their life and experiences.
Taking time out of our busy lives to learn about our shared and different pathways to this field can not only put the faces to names, but also build bonds we may not otherwise discover. Let us know if you or someone you know should be a featured youth media professional.
In our next YMR issue, I will write a reflection piece on the youth media professionals I met in the bay area. Many are also future contributors to YMR: stay tuned.
It is our hope that as a youth media professional, you will find the perspectives and learned outcomes in each article refreshing, enlightening, and resourceful. As a field-building initiative, we hope to continue serving the youth media field, expand its’ audience, and make a difference as we go.
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy this month’s issue.
Warmly,
Ingrid Hu Dahl
Editor, YMR
Report from the field and make a difference!