Community Partner: Wide Angle Youth Media
Peer Mentor: Darius Thompson
Site Supervisor: Sheila Wells
What is Wide Angle Youth Media?
Wide Angle Youth Media is a 501(c)3 non‐profit organization that provides Baltimore youth with media education
to tell their own stories and become engaged with their communities. Through quality after‐school programming,
in‐school opportunities, summer workshops, community events, and an annual Youth Media Festival, Wide Angle
supports young people making a difference through media.
Working with Wide Angle Youth Media (WAYM)
was a blast! Each day brought new, unpredictable,
and exciting challenges. On Monday I was
programming robots, making buttons, and
critiquing youth produced films. On Tuesday I was
submitting student projects to film festivals, scoring
music for videos, and installing a photography
exhibit at a local cafe. I learned how to be an
adaptable and efficient worker as I developed a
diverse range of useful skills. I also learned a lot
about my community of Baltimore, the power of
youth voice, and the impact of media on public
perception. I commend WAYM for portraying such a
genuine, positive, and uplifting view of Baltimore
and it's youth in such a time when our city is often
associated with the terms “riot” and “The Wire”. It
has been a pleasure and honor to contribute to
WAYM's work. Check out their videos!‐ Darius
Tasks:
● Administrative tasks such as maintaining spreadsheets,
answering and making phone calls, drafting emails and
submitting to film festivals.
● Exhibiting youth photography at schools, cafes, formers
markets, and other venues throughout the city
● Helping run photography workshops for youth at local
libraries and facilitating the summer video and robotics
workshop
53