The –ISM Youth Files
The ISM Youth Files is a youth project focusing on writings and interviews about mental health. The e-book collection of monologues, personal essays, poetry and short graphic novelettes will be available in Fall 2022. MediaRites is also producing four 30-minute podcasts of youth stories, interviews and performances and possibly 2-3 minute films of performed poetry with movement. The e-book, podcast and films will be distributed on all platforms and nationally through PRX.org (Public Radio Exchange) and our website.
Two rounds of submissions were held with 40 young writers sending in their work from across the country and internationally. We selected 22 mostly BIPOC writers from Oregon, Washington, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Connecticut and one selection from Kolkata, India. Each writer received an honorarium payment.
Two decades earlier, MediaRites produced a book and CD series called “Sorting Through Shadows: Youth Speak Out on Mental Health.” MediaRites selected essays from more than 25 contributors from all over country and the world.
The ISM Youth Files project is led by Dmae Lo Roberts, a two-time Peabody award-winning documentary producer, filmmaker and writer and the executive producer of MediaRites. Samson Syharath, a Portland theater artist, playwright is the associate producer, Amanda Vander Hyde is production manager. Also working on the project are Clark Salisbury, podcast engineer and Sandra de Helen, co-editor. Our mental health consultant is Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara of Luminosa Psychological Services. Oregon Children’s Theater’s Nick Condon is collaborating on a youth mental health toolkit to also be distributed to families, schools and organizations and Blake Wales, OCT’s education director is co-producing a live event in Portland’s Curious Comedy Theatre on August 27, 2022.
“Wellness is not a state of being but a state of action. It is the freedom to move fluidly… through the experiences of being human.” (Nagoski & Nagoski, 2020).
Meet some of our new youth writers for The –Ism Youth Files >
The –ISM Youth Files News
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The –ISM Youth Files Panel Discussion
The Panelists Joseph Barron Ph.D, Children’s Program, is a licensed psychologist, he draws from these interpersonal-process and cognitive-behavioral frames when conducting assessment, providing treatment, and advocating/interfacing psychologically…
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The –ISM Youth Files Live Event
The –ISM Youth Files is a youth project focusing on writings and interviews about mental health. The e-book collection of monologues, personal essays, poetry and…
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Meet the writers of the –ISM Youth Files at Our Event, August 27 at 2 PM
Join us August 27th at 2pm at Curious Comedy in Portland (or at home via live-streaming) to meet our 20 youth writers in Portland and from around the country and…
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Meet our first round of winners for The Ism Youth Files
MediaRites presents our first round of submissions, we’ve selected the first five winners chosen for The -Ism Youth Files, a new project of mental health…
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The -Ism Youth Files Second Round of Submissions
THE ISM YOUTH FILES SECOND ROUND OF WRITING CONTEST SUBMISSIONS – DUE MARCH 15TH! All youth will be paid! Send in your youth writing for a new project…
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ANNOUNCING THE ISM YOUTH FILES
A new project of mental health stories by youth includes an e-book and resource toolkit and four nationally distributed 30-minute podcasts and short form films…