Featured Story

(Please click on the link http://opentosolutions.com/poetry for the bigger version)

This multimedia story is an introduction to in-depth reporting about how mass incarceration affects young people growing up in Oakland. We have found that poetry can be a more creative and honest way to express some of the feelings young people have from having gone through or knowing people who have gone through the prison system.

This multimedia story was produced by Kash Gaines and Yoram Savion and their students in the Youth UpRising Multimedia Literacy & Production program:

Akeila Tolson, Cheyenne English, Shawn Hughes and Amore Love.

This story is part of the Oakland Tribune's 2007 Homicide Report.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandhomicides

(Please click on the link http://opentosolutions.com/turf for the bigger version)

Please click on one of the dancers in the image above.

This is a preview for an upcoming feature story about the Bay Area's newest dance form: TURF dancing. We will explore the origins, style and evolution of this mode of creative self-expression by sharing the lives of 4 young TURF dancers from Oakland: Looney, Chonkie, Eninja and NoNoise. This multimedia story is part of an ongoing citizen journalism project at the Youth UpRising community center in East Oakland. It is produced by Yoram Savion, Kash Gaines and their students in the Youth UpRising Multimedia Literacy and Production program (YU Media-LP). Spring 2008.

(Please click on the link http://opentosolutions.com/expression for the bigger version)

This feature story is a work in progress. We want to share some of the various modes of creative expression used by young people in Media and Performing Arts programs and activities at the Youth UpRising community center in East Oakland.

At Youth UpRising, we are currently training youth reporters to participate in this web-based citizen journalism project about youth violence reporting. This web feature called "Expression" was created as part of this ongoing training. We will be adding content to this feature story in the coming weeks so please make sure to visit this page again soon.

Also, please don't forget to comment and let us know what you thinkg about our efforts. Thank you.

Changing Men's Behavior in Violence

How a local non-profit is combating domestic violence within the deaf community.