Media Literacy

Advocacy Opportunities:

DemocracyReady NY is pursuing a broad advocacy strategy to advance access to media literacy education for all students throughout the state, building on our policy recommendations.

Coalition Advocacy in 2023:

Building on the success of Civic Learning Week, the Coalition hosted a successful virtual Lobby Day event on March 14, 2023 featuring Chris Sperry (Project Look Sharp), who presented some of the material featured in the Media Literacy CLW event, and Margo Cruz (Legislative Director for Asm. Danny O'Donnell).Some of the media literacy committee's requests, based on recommendations from Developing Digital Citizens, had been incorporated into a new bill, A5318. Combined with other elements from additional stakeholders, this bill was a revision to the Dignity for All Students Act, an important piece of school climate and safety legislation that was initially passed in 2010. Attached to the bill was a proposed $15 million appropriation that would fund professional development for library media specialists, the development and implementation of media literacy standards, and the development and implementation of policies and training related to suicide prevention. The March 14 event included a letter-writing session to legislators.

Webinars:

• TC Take Action: Civic Learning/Media Literacy 
  • As a part of NY Civic Learning Week 2023, this event aims to educate TC students and New York state residents on media literacy and how it can affect civic readiness.
• Decoding Democracy: Media Literacy for Civic Readiness (2023)
  • Join Christopher Sperry of Project Look Sharp and Arlene Laverde, president of the New York Library Association as they explore ways to bring media literacy into the classroom across subject areas and the ethical, safety, privacy, and technological challenges of the media literacy landscape. Jaclyn Siegel, New York State chapter leader of Media Literacy Now, discusses avenues for advocacy to expand media literacy instruction in New York.