The Scholars & Storytellers Podcast

Authentic and Inclusive Representation Summit Learnings: Storytelling for Gen Z and Gen Alpha

This episode is adapted from the Storytelling for Gen Z and Gen Alpha panel at the Authentic and Inclusive Representation Summit that took place in October 2021. Our moderator is Dr. Gerald Higginbotham, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Our guests are Joy Gorman, Partner and Producer at Anonymous Content focused on Youth Impact content and known for the hit Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, Steve Tao, Senior Vice President of Current Programming at the CW Network and co-founder/co-chair of the CAPE New Writers Fellowship, Stephanie Allain, founder of film, television, and digital production company, Homegrown Pictures, and producer of Dear White People, Beyond the Lights, and Oscars 2020, and Erica Oyama, creator and executive producer of Emmy award nominated web series Burning Love and co-executive producer of the acclaimed Netflix series, Never Have I Ever. For related content, check out the Reframing Adolescence blog series.

Authentic and Inclusive Representation Summit Learnings: The Importance of Allies

This episode contains clips from The Importance of Allies panel at the Authentic and Inclusive Representation Summit that took place in October 2021. Our moderator is Dr. Maytha Alhassen, a social justice artist, journalist, and historian, as well as a writer for the Emmy Award-winning Hulu series, Ramy. Our guests are Alison Hoffman, the president of Domestic Networks at Starz and the former key architect of award-winning marketing campaigns for Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Rose Catherine Pinkney, the SVP of Scripted Programming at BET overseeing critically-acclaimed shows Twenties, The First Wives Club, and American Soul, Glen Mazzara, a television writer, creator, and showrunner known for The Walking Dead, The Shield, and Damien and the co-chair of the WGA’s Inclusion & Equity Group, and Sascha Paladino, an Emmy-nominated writer and producer known for the hit Disney series Miles from Tomorrowland and Mira, Royal Detective.

Authentically Representing Disability in Media

This episode, recorded on August 26, 2021, is a discussion about how we portray (or don't portray) disability in media. Our guests are: Tatiana Lee and Michelle Leccese. Tatiana Lee is a disabled actress, model, and lifestyle influencer who, amongst other roles, works with RespectAbility as an entertainment media consultant on various TV and film projects. Michelle Leccese is a CSS Research Assistant with a background in psychology and disability studies who is currently working on several projects with CSS regarding disability, teens, and media. Our moderator, Sheena Brevig (she/her), is a CSS Junior Fellow and a filmmaker who is passionate about using storytelling as advocacy for mental health and disability awareness, particularly in her LGBTQ+ and Asian communities.

Teens Are Watching: Positive Masculinity in Media

This is the third episode in our series, Teens Are Watching, where real teens talk about media-related topics that matter to them. This episode deals with the representation of masculinity in media. Our panelists are five US teens: Gael and Thomas from the podcast Teenager Therapy, Lalith Gudi, Shania Kohli, and our moderator, Ellie Langdon. 

Masculinity, Mental Health, and Gaming

This episode covers masculinity, mental health, and gaming. Our guests are Dr. Gary Barker, the founder and CEO of Promundo, co-founder of MenCare, and co-author of numerous studies on men and masculinities, Dr. Michael Kaufman, a longtime advisor, activist, and writer engaging men to support women’s rights, end violence against women, and positively transform the lives of men, and Dr. Wizdom Powell, a tenured professor at UConn and a nationally recognized expert and thought leader on masculinities and male health. Our moderator, Sheena Brevig (she/her), is a CSS Junior Fellow and a filmmaker who is passionate about using storytelling as advocacy for mental health and disability awareness, particularly in her LGBTQ+ and Asian communities.

Teens Are Watching: Queer Representation in Media

This is the second episode of our new series, Teens Are Watching, where real teens talk about media-related topics that matter to them. This episode deals with queer representation in media. Our panelists are five US teens: Ellie Langdon, Ranier Bissell, Alexis Shim, Ela, and our moderator, Paige Snepp. 

Why Queer Media is Important for Everyone

This episode covers the importance of queer media for everyone. Our guests are Lindz Amer (they/them), the founder and CEO of digital edutainment company Queer Kid Creative and writer, producer, and co-host of the web series Queer Kid Stuff, Michelle Denise Jackson (she/her), writer and producer known for HBO Max’s Generation, OWN’s Queen Sugar, and the upcoming Netflix series Maid and Pieces of Her, and Kim Wilson (she/her), the director and co-founder of the children’s media-focused OneFish TwoFish Consulting team and a CSS Senior Fellow. Our moderator, Sheena Brevig (she/her), is a CSS Junior Fellow and a filmmaker who is passionate about using storytelling as advocacy for mental health and disability awareness, particularly in her LGBTQ+ and Asian communities.

Teens Are Watching: Mental Health in Media

This is the first episode of our new series, Teens Are Watching, where real teens talk about media-related topics that matter to them. This episode deals with mental health in media. Our panelists are three US teens: Paige Snepp, Lalith Gudi, and Ellie Langdon. Our moderator is Navia Robinson, a teen actress known for Disney Channel’s “Raven’s Home” and Netflix’s “Free Rein.”

The Social Dilemma: What Does it Mean for Kids?

This episode comes from a conversation on Clubhouse about The Social Dilemma and how social media affects youth. It features Dr. Adriana Manago, an assistant professor in the psychology department at UC Santa Cruz who studies adolescence and the transition to adulthood, Caroline Beaton, a freelance writer, producer, and the Manager of Impact Operations at Exposure Labs (The Social Dilemma), and moderator, Sheena Brevig, a CSS Junior Fellow and filmmaker who is passionate about using storytelling as advocacy for mental health and disability awareness, particularly in her LGBTQ+ and Asian communities.

The Social Impact of Social Media: How Can We Support Youth in the Digital Age?

This episode about the impact that social media has on youth features a conversation with Dr. Candice Odgers, Jeff Orlowski, and Larissa Rhodes, moderated by Dr. Yalda T. Uhls. Dr. Candice Odgers is a Professor of Psychological Science and Informatics at UC Irvine and an expert on adolescent mental health and child development in the digital age. Jeff Orlowski is the founder of Exposure Labs and the director, producer, and cinematographer of “The Social Dilemma.” Larissa Rhodes is a filmmaker and the Head of Creative Development at Exposure Labs and a producer of “The Social Dilemma.” Our moderator, Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers, Author of Media Moms & Digital Dads, and a former movie executive.