#BKAmplified will tackle youth violence through the use of digital-storytelling app
Brooklyn, NY – HITN, the largest non-commercial Hispanic network in the United States that offers educational and entertainment content to more than 44 million households across the country, is partnering with Brooklyn District Attorney’s Bureau of Youth Diversion and Initiatives to create #BKAmplified – a digital storytelling and social media literacy initiative designed to address the negative effects of cyber-bullying.
The goal of this #BKAmplified campaign is to tackle cyber-bullying by assisting teenagers in creating short films that share their individual experiences and those of their peers. At the center of this initiative is an app designed to produce short videos and allows them to be shared via social media with peers, educators, and family members to help make their voices heard and promote powerful, real world impact. The app was created by DIYdoc, a smartphone app production company with a mission to enable young teens to create high quality films through the ease of inexpensive smartphones.
On Wednesday, February 7th, the #BKAmplified initiative will be hosting a video screening and workshop featuring videos produced by local high school students from several Brooklyn-based after-school programs. The screening and workshop session will take place from, 6:00-8:00pm at HITN’s studios located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Participants will receive greetings and opening remarks by HITN’s President and CEO Mike Nieves, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, and John Carlin, co-creator of the DIYdoc app. The screening and workshop will feature videos and a moderated panel discussion led by the students. This educational, digital storytelling initiative uses project-based learning and peer tutoring to reach the HITN and the DA’s goal of educating at-risk teens on this challenging and sensitive topic.
“By partnering with the Brooklyn District Attorney to tackle cyber-bullying, we send a message to young victims that lets them know they’re not alone, ” says Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN. “We want to demonstrate that through the use of technology, young people have an outlet to express their stories. Through the #BKAmplify campaign, we can collectively pursue the goal of creating a community driven focus toward the positive engagement that aims to target cyber-bullying.”
“The world is changing because almost everyone has a powerful video camera in their hands in the form of a smartphone,” says DIYdoc producer David Grandison, Jr. “It’s time we use these smartphones and all the other social media apps for something good.”
Brooklyn District Attorney’s Bureau of Youth Initiatives creates and manages programs and initiatives designed to meet the Office’s overall mission to keep Brooklyn residents safe through the prevention of crime and delinquency. The Bureau fulfills this mission through educational programming, recreational activities, mentorships, internships, and career readiness initiatives that provide an in-depth understanding of the District Attorney’s role in the criminal justice system. To that end, the Office aims to build a well-informed citizenry that will contribute to the creation of a safer Brooklyn for generations to come.
DIYdoc is a technology company made up of app and media producers with a mission to enable young people to use inexpensive smartphones, that are widely available, to understand film-making better and create high quality films that matter. www.diydoc.tv
