South LA Digital Literacy Program Presents Digital Content on Civic Engagement

June 2, 2014 - PRLog -- Los Angeles, CA, June 2, 2014 – Sanctuary of Hope’s College I Can Digital Literacy Program will present youth-developed digital media on “What’s Your Civic Duty?” on Saturday, June 7th, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (doors open at 9:30 a.m.), at Holman United Methodist Church (Bowick Music Room), 3320 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, 90018.  The purpose of the event is to have students of the College I Can program display their digital content creations on civic engagement. Program activities include an unveiling of a website and podcast, a civic journalism demonstration on social issues, and certificate and scholarship presentations.

The College I Can Digital Literacy Program motivates young adults in South Los Angeles to address issues associated with their academic achievement.  Over 12 weeks of instruction and application, program participants research, produce, and distribute their own media content and narratives on specific topics to help them understand the role of media and creative expression.

The goal of the digital literacy program is for participants to gain valuable skills in digital media and to learn social responsibility, especially in an era of digital information saturation.  "If utilized in a skillful way, digital literacy can be the source of cultural, social and economic mobility. Therefore, participants learn to utilize social media as a critical tool in civic engagement, providing a platform for their voices, research and commitments to social change," said program facilitator Dr. Shani Byard, owner/instructor of Message Media Education.

“We see digital literacy as a tool for transformation and empowerment.  Our students walk away knowing how to be exceptional digital citizens and to improve their local community through digital communication,” Janet Denise Kelly, Executive Director of Sanctuary of Hope shared.

The College I Can Digital Literacy Program is funded by the California Community Foundation, Crail-Johnson Foundation, The Gas Company of Southern California, Southern California Edison, and Union Bank of California.

About Sanctuary of Hope
Sanctuary of Hope’s (SOH) mission to provide a caring and multi-cultural approach to services that will help young adults become self-sufficient and lead prosperous lives. SOH provides housing and education stabilization services for transition age youth, ages 16-25, who are foster care, homeless, or at-risk in South Los Angeles.

Contact Information:
Janet Denise Kelly, Sanctuary of Hope, Janet.kelly@thesoh.org, www.thesoh.org, 323-786-2413