10 Shifting Stereotypes and Storylines: The Personal and Political Impact of Youth Media Barbara Ferman and Natalia Smirnov Young people of color are forced to navigate a complex system of inequities in their schools, communities, and the larger society (see Warren & Kupscznk, this volume). Compounding these injustices, mainstream media often por- trays these individuals in extremely negative and demeaning ways, such as criminals and underachievers (Goodman & Greene, 2003). Under these conditions, media production can be one powerful tool to support youth as they negotiate the larger institutions and systems that shape their lives and opportunities. Youth-produced media includes video, print, audio, and inter- active work such as documentaries, journalism, radio storytelling, websites, and creative iction made by young people. Cultural production is a critical site for challenging dominant narratives and articulating alternative identi- ties and forms of social relations. As such, youth media can be a form of cul- tural activism, enabling youth to visibly “put forth critique and analysis of urban social inequality, as well as posit potential solutions to these problems” (Duncan-Andrade, 2007, p. 26). Media making is also an important source of empowerment through skill building in collaboration, planning, technology, and argumentation, creating “pathways to the development of student agency against conditions of social inequality” (Duncan-Andrade, 2007, p. 26). While the legitimacy of youth- produced critiques can be easily dismissed by key stakeholders because of the age of the creators, style of delivery, and limited distribution (Hobbs & Moore, 2014; Levine, 2008), strategic production and circulation practices can effectively channel youth voice into larger public conversations and cat- alyze social change. The experience of POPPYN ( Presenting Our Perspective on Philly Youth News) illustrates how youth media can be transformed from a tool for youth engagement and empowerment, to a tool that also includes larger societal change. A4986C_Conner.indd 185 A4986C_Conner.indd 185 18/06/16 4:55 PM 18/06/16 4:55 PM