For us (Rei and Ramona) Cosmin (our long time staff member) was the revelation of the year. He had not only the initiative to start the Media Safe Homes program, but to run it very professionally. Based on the success of last year, we decided to take it to the next level. Last year, our Media Safe Conferences were designed to reveal the dark side of media and teach parents (who are immigrants in this media world) how to protect their children (who are the natives) while they take their steps into this attractive yet dangerous territory. Our guest media professionals brought some light on various topics like Social Media and Facebook, Internet and mobile devices, Music and MTV, Video Games, Movies, and TV.
This year, we’re narrowing the topics in a series of Workshops. Every workshop will have two sections: a practical tech teaching time and a content analysis of media stories, movies, commercials, music videos etc. Again, Cosmin is running the “show” with great skills in a very welcoming atmosphere. Until now we have looked and analyzed those viral videos which are creating a youth “culture” – gangam style, planking, owling, milking – and also we’ve stepped into the “harmless” cartoon world – filled with violence, sexuality, and a materialistic worldview.
Besides Media Safe Homes workshops, in March we had the privilege to be invited to a regional youth conference in Petrosani (a well known mining area in Romania) to speak on the topic of Media influence. The mining industry has been in huge decline for years, so the entire region is suffering from great unemployment and overwhelming poverty. Yet, media seems to claim its “victims” as long as cable TV and Internet are present in almost every home.
The Media Safe journey doesn’t stop here. In the next months there are other speaking engagements we have accepted to speak at. So, please, keep us in your prayers.
