YR Celebrates 30 Years with “30 + Beyond Media” Initiative
YR Media, an award-winning youth media organization looks to the future of journalism, music and design as it expands its national footprint, adds platforms and deepens its support for underrepresented storytellers
Oakland, CA, Nov. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What would the news industry look like if media and entertainment organizations actually matched the demographics of America? That’s the question YR Media has answered for the past three decades by providing America’s underrepresented youth, ages 14 to 24, a platform to share their powerful perspective and stories that all too often go untold.
Starting this month, YR Media will launch a celebration of its 30 years of dedication to diversifying the playing field and giving underrepresented voices a platform to be heard. From unveiling new merchandise to welcoming the first cohort of Media Education students to its new brick-and-mortar Chicago hub, the YR Media calendar includes a variety of events, that will culminate with a summer party in 2024.
YR Media has long been a driving force in helping Oakland's youth find meaningful careers in the media industry. In addition to platforms, the award-winning nonprofit media organization has provided young people with support– from mental health counseling to hot healthy food and academic counseling– a unique, but necessary part of their media mission. Now, as the organization celebrates its 30-year-legacy, YR Media aims to make an even bigger impact nationally by expanding its physical locations and range of platforms, in order to meet a shifting media landscape.
In this milestone year the organization has:
· Provided nearly 200 paid positions to Oakland residents
· Unveiled the YR Music licensing library, an initiative that seeks to disrupt the status quo of the music industry, and combat a history of creative exploitation, by championing inclusivity and empowerment
· Launched a new stipend for students enrolled in the Media Education program in response to Covid-19 and rising cost of living increases
· Expanded its podcast capabilities and increased audience reach, with its Adult ISH podcast surpassing 1M downloads
· Opened a Midwest hub in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood that supports YR.Media contributors in cities including Detroit and Kansas City, and welcomed the fall 2023 Chicago Media Education cohort
· Received one of the largest unrestricted grants in its history, following another unprecedented, transformative grant from The MacKenzie Scott Foundation in 2021
Founded as Youth Radio in 1993, YR Media began as a storefront operation in Berkeley, amplifying the voices of underrepresented BIPOC youth through partnerships with public radio.
The alumni of the nonprofit’s programs have gone on to work for a number of high-profile media and entertainment brands, including The Washington Post, NPR, Vox, Latino USA, and FX, among others, and have been awarded Pulitzer Prizes for their work.
“The legacy of YR Media is undeniable,” said Kyra Kyles, CEO, YR Media and a longtime multimedia journalist who has personally witnessed the glaring lack of diversity in the media industry throughout her roles as a TV reporter; Tribune Company columnist/reporter; and Editor-in-Chief of EBONY and JET. “Our founder laid this blueprint and built it up over decades with a dynamic team who invested in future generations by championing diverse perspectives and building critical skills in journalism, design, STEAM, music, and more. As we look to the future, we are excited to continue that powerful legacy. Our deepest gratitude goes out to all of our partners and donors, past, present, and future, whose generosity has made our growth and evolution possible.”
*About YR Media*
YR Media is an award-winning leading media, technology, and music training center and platform for emerging BIPOC content creators, who use their voices to change the world. Headquartered in downtown Oakland, California, with a Midwest hub in Chicago, Illinois, the nonprofit has invested 30 years in helping future generations build foundational skills in journalism and multimedia content creation. They produce journalism, music, graphic design, podcasts, and documentaries that disrupt and shape the mainstream narrative. For more information on YR Media, visit yrmedia.org.
*Attachments*
· 30 + Beyond Media
· Go 30+ and Beyond with YR Media
CONTACT: Jazmyn Burton
YR Media
510-251-1101
jazmyn.burton@yrmedia.org