Over President’s Day Weekend (Feb 16-17, 2019) in Oakland, youth journalists from across California who are part of the California Youth Media Network came together. The network gathered to expand their multimedia and journalism skills, have conversations about pressing issues they are covering (from immigration to climate change), and to work on collaborative storytelling.

The goals of the conference were to 1) create connections between youth journalists around the state, 2) build skills and capacity, and 3) drive collective impact.

100+ participants joined the gathering, which featured:

• Keynote speaker Adizah Eghan, producer at Snap Judgment who talked about her project Counted: An Oakland Story tracking the personal stories behind Oakland homicides
• Keynote speaker Sayre Quevedo, producer at Latino USA who has worked in the US and El Salvador on multimedia projects (including an award-winning personal story The Quevedos), and is an alum of YR Media and also OutLoud, a youth media program for LGBTQ youth that is now a brand of YR Media
• Youth-led panel featuring media projects from the network
• Writing workshops from YouthSpeaks
• A variety of skills workshops including: photography, illustration, social media design software, documentary production, social media best practices, interviewing, public records requests, arts/culture journalism, mental health support for student journalists

Adizah Eghan with students

Sayre Quevedo, Latino USA

Shooting Better Photos workshop

Full Speakers List:

Adizah Eghan, Audio Producer, Snap Judgment

Noé  Montes, Photographer

Alex Espinoza, Social Media Producer/ YR Media

Jarvis Subia, Poet/ Youth Speaks

Tiffani Parrish, Case Manager/ YR Media

Erika Aguilar, Podcast Host, Reporter, Producer/ KQED

Bryan Mendez & Olivia Rodriguez/ Coachella Unincorporated

Catherine Madden, Designer & Illustrator

Pendarvis Harshaw, Journalist, Arts Columnist/ KQED

Sayre Quevedo, Producer/ Latino USA

Kody Stoebig & Zyanna Maynard/ the kNOw

Azucena Rasilla, Arts/Culture Reporter

Full Workshop list:

Shooting Better Photos

15-Second Storytelling: How to Cover Live Events

I Live Here (writing workshop)

Supporting Youth as a Caring Adult

Meet the Makers: Youth Journalists share their work

My Ears Are For Interviewing

Turning News Stories Into Documentary Film

Visual Stories: Exploring Illustration and Graphic Journalism

I’m Not Who You Think I Am (writing workshop)

Storytelling for Change

Tips and Tricks on How to Cover Arts and Culture