Rootz Washington, DCRadio Rootz began in DC in 2006! Expanding on the success of our program in New York City, we figured that youth in the nation's capital needed to learn the skills to make their voices heard!
In DC, our staff are journalists and media makers who believe everyone
should have a voice. To accomplish our goal, we teach others how to make media. From youth in public schools across the district, to youth participants at other community organizations, we have trained more than 50 youth on how to make media,
to have a voice in their community, and create media that will better the communities that we live in.
In just three years, Radio Rootz DC youth has reported more than a dozen stories from
their communities. From stories about dc's local music scene, go-go, to analysis on how society views youth social culture.
We were front and center during the 2008 Presidential Election with stories from the polls on Election Day. And our fingers were numb to the bone bringing you coverage from
President Barack Obama's Inauguration. Rootz's work is recognized and
aired across the nation on the Pacifica and NPR networks.
Jasmine Andrews
Jonathan Moore
Keniesha
Cristian Martinez
Chrishaunda
Anayochi
Dominic
Talent
Peace
Selina
This summer, Radio Rootz in DC is working with students from Bell Multicultural High School to produce two pieces about the politics of food in DC. Over the past two weeks, students have started to learn the basics of recording, editing, and interviewing. We’ve also begun to look more closely at media consolidation and the ways in which advertising affects our food choices.
To try to understand our topics for this summer on a national
level, Selina and I attended a press conference on Capital Hill on June 25th
for members of the Healthy School Food Brigade, a group made up of parents,
politicians, and others urging congress to eliminate junk food from our nations
schools. Frustrated by the mixed
message that students receive in schools about healthy eating choices in and
out of the classroom, this group is working hard to eliminate junk food from
vending machines. Check out this piece with audio from the conference and an
interview with one of the organizers that we put together for Free Speech Radio
News.
This is a picture from a community garden tour that our group took this summer for our radio piece. This takes place at Common Good City Farm.
More coming soon,
Melissa LangerMelissa Langer is a recent addition to Radio Rootz, but was born and raised in DC. I recently graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota where I studied history with a focus on colonial urban planning. I’m happy to be home working, learning and enjoying the city in the summer.
The end of this school year has left me with a mixed bag of feelings. On one hand, I am so excited that summer is here and the Rootz members at Bell Multicultural High School have completed our program. Edom, Dagime, Rose, Nancy, Jessenia, and Emanuel have left with basic production skills and media analysis tools that they can use in their everyday life. On the other hand, after spending months with these smart, funny, sweet, and sometimes sarcastic folks, I've developed a growing attachment to them so I'm sad to see them go (they are all graduating seniors).
This year's Rootz crew worked hard to complete their radio projects. Some did them alone, others worked collaboratively but in the end they all thoughtfully went through the production process from beginning to end. From stories about how the recession is impacting young people to stories on how teenagers view the police and if the police respond to those judgements, they covered the political by turning it into the personal. And you can check out their hard work below.
Peace,
Selina Musuta
Radio Rootz DC Program Director
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Washington, D.C. is well-known for being the nation's capitol and a place that's foundation was built by the city's majority African American community. But with time has come a demographic shift in the city. The city is seeing a growing number of african, carribean, latino, and asian residents as well as white call D.C. it's home. The NW DC neighborhood of Columbia Heights is at the center of this shift. And probably the best symbol of those many cultures interacting with each other on a daily basis is a small school located right in the heart of Columbia Heights, Bell Multicultural High School. Bell students, Dagime Sisay and Edom Amare report.
The school year is ending at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington DC with mixed feelings from parents and students. Many of the school's seniors are worried about high tuition prices and having money to even go to college. Rose Quispe looks at concerns and worries students have as they get ready to leave school.
The high profile shooting deaths of young men of color like Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell in the hands of police have further alienated young people from law enforcement. Many young people view the police as the problem and not the solution. Nancy Romero and Jessenia Maldonado talk to community leaders, youth, and police in the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Columbia Heights about young people’s views of the police.
Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez is a controversial figure not only in his country but internationally as well. Bell student and Venezuelan native, Emanuel Mendez explores his own beliefs on the Chavez administration through his family and other fellow Venezuelans.
More Articles...
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