Dear LGBTQ+ Kids,
In the past few weeks, several states have introduced bills singling out LGBT and gender-diverse children. As a result of these bills, children and adolescents may be excluded from participation in school sports, banned from obtaining books and media that reflect their own lived experience, and restrict healthcare delivery for gender-diverse children and adolescents.
As a member of the education technology and children’s media communities, I have centered my professional life and career on children and teens' well-being. I have created media, lesson plans, and other kids' tween and teen content that encourages children to be inclusive, kind, and empathetic.
I Pledge To Fight For You.
To transgender, LGBTQ+, and gender-diverse kids: I have your back.
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There are 1.7 million youth who are homeless in the United States today. You make a difference, bring in a pair of your gently used jeans to Aéropostale, they'll collect them all and distribute them to local homeless shelters in your community.
Learn more over on the Do Something: Jeans for Teens website.
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One of the things I enjoy most about my work is having the opportunity to talk with parents, educators and brands to dispel some of the myths or fears around teen use of social media.
Tonight I’m going to be participating in a digital parenting Twitter chat hosted by Zabra that will be moderated by Josh Shipp.
The event starts at 7pm EST and you can participate through the hashtag #BeCyberAware. I hope you’ll join us for a lively and informative discussion.
No matter the audience, my message is pretty consistent: Don't panic! I'm frequently asked to share some of my favorite digital teens & parenting links, tips and other resources.
So here we go! I've sorted through my bookmarks and tweets and put together this (hopefully) handy handout. Feel free to tweet it or share it with anyone you think would find it helpful.
.:SOCIAL MEDIA & TEENS RESOURCES:.
Cyberbullying: A Sociological Approach http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/04/cyberbullying-a-sociological-approach.html
Young Adults Communication on Social Media
http://www.scribd.com/doc/31555455/Young-Adults-Communication-on-Social-Networking-Websites
INFOGRAPHIC: Golden Rules for Social Media Use by Teens http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/07/infographic-golden-rules-for-social-media-use-by-teens.html
INFOGRAPHIC: Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Snapchat –How Teens Use Social Media http://www.businessinsider.com/infographic-how-facebook-could-be-unraveled-by-mobile-first-teens-2013-4
Southern Poverty Law Center | There Are No Bullies http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-45-fall-2013/there-are-no-bullies
Southern Poverty Law Center | Bullying Quiz http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/bullying-quiz
Facebook Lets Teens Post Publicly: Why That's a Good Thing http://huff.to/19QNvvK
Digital Citizenship Includes Rights as Well as Responsibilities http://huff.to/9JoWlm
Beware of the Internet Safety Industrial Complex http://www.connectsafely.org/beware-internet-safety-industrial-complex/
INFOGRAPHIC: How Millennials Are Using Social Media for Good http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/10/infographic-millennials-use-social-media-for-good.html
INFOGRAPHIC: Teens, Social Media & Privacy http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/05/infographic-teens-social-media-and-privacy.html
Alert: Your SnapChat Photos Aren’t So Secret http://www.businessinsider.com/alert-your-secret-snapchat-relationships-arent-so-secret-2013-9
.: FACEBOOK RESOURCES:.
Facebook for Educators & Community Leaders Guide http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/10/facebook-for-educators-and-youth-community-workers-guide.html
Facebook for Educators Handouts
http://www.scribd.com/collections/2978485/Facebook-101
Facebook 101: Digital Citizenship
http://www.scribd.com/doc/66447985/Facebook-101-Digital-Citizenship
It’s Always Sunny on Facebook
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cat-del-valle-castellanos/its-always-sunny-on-faceb_b_4150090.html?
.: RESOURCES FOR YOUTH IN CRISIS:.
The CDC reports that 60 percent of high school students claim that they have though about committing suicide, and around nine percent of them say that they have tried killing themselves at least once.
Whatever the causes of teen suicide, it is important to note that the pressures of teenage living can lead to suicide. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL):
19.3 percent of high school students have seriously considered killing themselves.
14.5 percent of high school students made actual plans for committing suicide,
900,000 youth planned their suicides during an episode of major depression.
Many times parents may not know that their child is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. There are so many resources available for teens in crisis. Here are some organizations leading the charge to help teens in crisis.
It's important to have the discussion with your kids to let them know if they or one of their friends are suffering from depression or threatening to harm themselves they need to immediately tell an adult, teacher or direct them to one of these crisis providers. If they feel there is an eminent threat, call 911.
Facebook 101: How To Report Suicidal Intentions http://www.scribd.com/doc/75718714/Facebook-101-How-to-Report-Suicidal-Expressions
Crisis Text Line: Get Help Now http://www.crisistextline.org/get-help-now/
ReachOut USA http://us.reachout.com/
Trevor Project: Warning Signs of Suicide http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/warning-signs
Trevor Project: Get Help Now http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/get-help-nowTo Write Love on Her Arms: Get Help Now http://twloha.com/find-help
.: RESOURCES ON TV & OTHER MEDIA:.
Real to Me: Girls and Reality TV http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2011/11/real-to-me-girls-and-reality-tv.html
Reality TV Tip Sheet for Parents http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2011/11/real-to-me-reality-tv-tip-sheet-for-parents.html
What Pop Culture is Teaching Your Boys About Masculinity http://www.blogtalkradio.com/progressive-parenting/2011/04/19/what-pop-culture-is-teaching-your-boys-about-masculinity
Boys, the Media and Body Image: An Open Letter to The Ellen Show http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2011/04/media-boys-body-image-pop-culture-an-open-letter-to-the-ellen-show.html
.:DIGITAL PARENTING RESOURCES:.
Parents Guide to Facebook
http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/11/a-parents-guide-to-facebook.html
48% of Parents Believe the Internet is a Good Contribution to Their Children’s Lives http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2012/02/survey-48-of-parents-believe-the-internet-is-a-good-contribution-to-their-childrens-lives.html
Social Networking Tips for Parents http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/10/social-networking-facebook-privacy-tips-for-parents.html
Empowering Parents Through Technology http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/09/research-empowering-parents-through-technology.html
Facebook Security and Safety Resources for Parents http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/04/facebook-security-and-safety-resources-for-parents-teachers-teens.html
Facebook for Parents http://www.facebookforparents.org/
Connecting with the Facebook Parenting Duo
https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/connecting-with-bj-fogg-and-linda-fogg-phillips-the-facebook-parenting-duo/96616137130
Why Anti-Bullying Programs Are Failing http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2013/02/why-anti-bullying-programs-are-failing-brooks-gibbs.html
INFOGRAPHIC: School Bullying http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2012/01/infographic-school-bullying.html
What Parents Need to Know About Ask.fm & Kik http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/parents-know-ask-fm-kik-144900812.html
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The three ways a person can get resources on Facebook desktop are:
On mobile, people can also report suicidal content in a post directly from their phone.
The World Health Organization reports that every year almost one million people die from suicide. That is tragic. And the impact goes much further—studies show that each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people. That means that globally, the impact of suicide is felt deeply by many millions of people each year.
Please read and share this information with as many people as you can--you could literally save a life! You can also find a list of suicide prevention hotlines by clicking HERE.
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1,000,000 children experience homelessness every year. 100% of them have birthdays. Many of these teens spend their birthdays at homeless shelters -- you can make it a special day by creating and sending a homemade birthday card!
Make a difference and help them celebrate by joining the Do Something Birthday Mail campaign:
This is a great family/school/church/office/youth activity that can really make the difference in the life of a homeless teenager. Let's extend them a hand of kindness and grace.
Who's in?
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There are 1.7 million youth who are homeless in the United States. In San Francisco alone, social workers see some 6,000 cases of homeless teens a year.
By supporting the Do Something 'Jeans for Teens' program you can help make a difference in the lives of homeless teens.
Here's how to help: Bringing in a pair of
your gently used jeans to Aéropostale, they'll collect them all and distribute them to local homeless shelters in your community.
Find more info here: http://www.dosomething.org/teensforjeans
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Wayward Nation is a documentary series that follows Ethan and Mikey, an activist and a filmmaker, in a cross-country journey in search of stories that narrate how this generation is finding ways to rise to the challenge of becoming the next great generation.
By sharing these stories they hope to energize and invigorate others into being extraordinary.
Wayward Nation takes us on a journey in search of the American Dream as defined by Gen Y. In these 5-10 minute episodes they will profile resilient Gen Y members who have found their purpose, be they a ground-breaking non-profit organization or someone who is just starting out.
Wayward Nation Kickstarter Campaign
Wayward Nation plans to film 12 episodes for its first season, profiling people, for example: those who are trying to eradicate youth-homelessness, one backpack at a time or an open community that is restoring land and living sustainably. This is more than a web-series, it’s a movement that is trying to convert Gen Y’s cynicism into optimism.
They are the first to have the technology to change the world. They make up 30% of the US population and have been said to be influenced and motivated by their peers so, just maybe, Wayward Nation can excite and provoke others into doing something positive in their lives.
Wayward Nation is live on Kickstarter and is looking for backers who will help them get on the road and start getting the stories about these prodigious Gen Y individuals to motivate others to get off the couch and start being the best they can be.
By pledging as little as $15, you can get a downloadable HD version of all episodes and a special featurette for backers only with unreleased behind the scenes footage.
Gen Y and the New American Dream
The creators, as members of Gen Y, were motivated to do this project because they said, "We see the old notion of the American Dream as not only unattainable, but undesirable.
We believe there is a NEW version of the American Dream, and that there are plenty of people out there who have already figured out what that is.”
The pioneers of this New American Dream are normal people, just like us, who do what they love, and use that passion to make the world a better place. Wayward Nation is dedicated to telling their stories because to us, it's no longer about where we get to in life. It's about the roads we travel.
Follow Wayward Nation on Twitter
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At a press conference held after his teammate Jovan Belcher murdered his live-in girlfriend, and later committed suicide, Kansas City Chief quarterback Brady Quinn issued a poigiant reminder on the role that social networking and technology should play in our lives:
"We live in a society of social networks and Twitter pages and Facebook. That's fine and stuff, but you know, we have contact with our work associates, our family, our friends and it seems like half the time we're more preoccupied with our phone and other things going on instead of the actual relationships we have in front of us."
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A homeless 13-year-old boy wins $130,000 peace prize for helping other homeless kids. "You are wonderful," Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu told the young philanthropist at a ceremony at The Hague.
According to the KidsRights
Foundation, Cris has helped about 10,000 kids by distributing
flip-flops, toys, sweets and clothes in Cavite City, just 18 miles south
of the capital Manila.
Read More >>>
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When Nancy Lublin, CEO of the teen social change organization DoSomething.org, started texting teenagers to help with her social advocacy organization, what she found was shocking -- they started texting back about their own problems, from bullying to depression to abuse.
DoSomething.org is a charity that runs national campaigns impacting causes teens care about. For example, Teens for Jeans collected more than 1mil pairs of jeans for homeless youth. Give a Spit registered 15,000 new donors for the bone marrow registry--and has already saved 8 lives!
Her new project is a text-only crisis line, and the results might be even more important than she expected.
Take 5 minutes and watch this video. It will literally change the way you look at texting.
Here's How To Help
As a startup subsidiary of DoSomething.org, Nancy and her team be able to leverage both the technological ability and experience from DoSomething.org to help launch the Crisis Text Line.
The Crisis Text Line will use text messaging to connect teens with support and resources. The goal is to create a national (and ultimately international) infrastructure to ensure that teens can use SMS to get help 24/7.
By donating to this project, you will help that teen who is being bullied and feels they have no where to go. You will help the teen who is being sexually abused at home or the teen who has struggled with depression and is feeling suicidal. Your dollars could literally save lives.
Right now Crisis Text Line is crowdsourcing donations on Indiegogo. They are trying to raise funds to get the first phase of the project off the ground.
Please donate. $5, $25 or whatever you can to this cause. It doesn't matter how much. It just matters that YOU do something to help teens in crisis.
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In her 2012 commencement speech at Smith College, Glee's Jane Lynch discusses the entitlement she felt once she left graduate school and the transformative power that improv comedy and "yes and" had on her outlook.
About 10 minutes into the speech, she described what happened when the famed Second City sketch comedy group said "no." Her best piece of advice -- "If life gives you lemons, grab it by the horns and drive."
Who wants to make that into an inspirational poster?
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Cartoon Network continues to address the issue of bullying with its new original documentary Speak Up, debuting Sunday, March 18 at 5:30p, and airing again at 8pm. The commercial-free telecast of the half-hour documentary is part of Cartoon Network's ongoing pro-social initiative Stop Bullying: Speak Up, which is designed to empower kids to help end bullying.
Speak Up features interviews with kids, most 8-13 years old, talking about the issue from all sides some who have either been the target of bullies, bystanders in a bullying situation or, some who have been bullies themselves.
The special also features Cartoon Network's three hosts of Dude, What Would Happen, as well as Chris Webber (NBA All-Star), Matt Wilhelm (Pro BMX champion), and NASCAR drivers Trevor Bayne, Jeff Burton and Joey Logano all sharing their experiences about bullying and encouraging kids to find the best ways to reach out for help.
Before, during and immediately following the telecast, noted bullying prevention expert and author Rosalind Wiseman will provide further explanation of key bullying issues for kids and adults, answering viewer questions online at StopBullyingSpeakUp.com
Additionally, the entire Speak Up documentary will be posted the website for ongoing viewing by students, parents, educators and community leaders. Further viewing of Speak Up across multiple digital platforms will be made free of charge to customers through Comcast Xfinity, Facebook, iTunes, Xbox 360+Kinect and YouTube.com, each for at least two weeks following the premiere.
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Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet and the American Life Project, recently spoke at the annual conference of the National Religious Broadcasters.
This talk will focus on the media habits of Millennials and GenX and how their patterns of gathering and creating information are different in the digital age.
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In an interview this month with Fortune Magazine Ryan Seacrest talks about what he considers the exciting future of entertainment.
”We’re seeing platform, technology, and content all converging, and it’s happening quickly,” he says. “It’s exciting to me.
There’s an appetite for more original content than ever, and I have a company that creates content, whether it’s distributed in short form, reality form, live form, or game form.”
However, what stories might television viewers expect to see from the Emmy-award winning Jaime Oliver and record-breaking Kardashian’s producer?
However, what stories might television viewers expect to see from the Emmy-award winning Jaime Oliver 'Food Revolution' and record-breaking Kardashian’s producer?
Ryan reveals he desires: “to continue to produce shows that directly effect change. We’ve gone too long without addressing issues like child obesity, so to be able to tell those stories and help people through television is a powerful thing.”
You can read the entire piece in the January 2012 issue of Fortune Magazine.
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