As a writer and a teacher, my goal is to inspire my readers and students. I have always had the ultimate belief in the importance of journalism and its role in protecting the First Amendment and empowering inner city and students of color to use this power to positively change their communities.
In these last seven months, all of us have experienced seismic shifts in every facet of our lives. But the ground beneath us holds firm, and we now have a unique and unprecedented opportunity to use our voices to Speak The Truth during this crucial time in our country.
The UMP’s Speak The Truth town halls are unique in that students are answering as well as asking the questions and sharing media from their perspectives. All participants will be integral parts of creating media that matters for their school and surrounding communities.
SPECIAL OFFER: Speak the Truth town halls: grades 5-12
The first teacher, after school program or youth organization to SIGN UP for a Speak the Truth event by Nov. 1 will receive a FREE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL* thanks to a grant from Indiana Humanities and the Indiana Newspapers in Education Foundation.
Teachers, don’t forget this Free program comes just in time to celebrate the ratification of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights on Dec. 15, 1791.
*(Virtual town halls include lesson plans and 20 copies of The Birth of the First Amendment along with participation prizes! $500 value)
Register by Nov. 1 for your students to host their virtual Speak The Truth town hall. We’ll bring the local and/or national journalists to answer your questions and discuss the First Amendment and the role of journalists in America today.
• If you are a media organization, please let us know if you can have a reporter/editor/producer who can attend (full or part of the time) one or more of the Zoom meetings (40 minutes max) to support young journalists in your coverage area.
• Even if you can’t attend, you can still help by promoting/covering the event(s) or helping with printing and/or production of student media.
Register here or contact Donna Griffin at donna.griffin@griffinmediaandpublishing.com or 317-640-4430 for more information.
Listen to one participant of our Speak the Truth session at last November’s National High School Journalism Convention about the role of journalists in today’s society.
