Youth, Media and Social Change Initiative

The Women’s Foundation of California program, Youth, Media and Social Change Initiative seeks to address the role that media and popular culture play in promoting gender stereotypes and normalizing gender-based violence. We believe that messages and images that position women as objects and men as hyper-masculine and violent can contribute to unhealthy ideas and behaviors around gender, gender roles and relationships.  

The major objectives of this work are:

To raise awareness of the proliferation of gender stereotypes and gender-based violence in the media and the impacts on young people.

To build the capacity of young people to think critically about the things they consume.  

To build movement among young people by creating opportunity for dialogue, resource sharing, education and tools for social change action as it relates to addressing gender-based stereotypes and violence.

Provide opportunities for young people to contribute to the creation of media content that is healthier, less violent and more balanced in its representations of gender, race and class and to use media (in all forms) as tools for social change.

To support young people as leaders and advocates and youth-led movements addressing critical issues impacting young people and their communities.

Follow this link for more information on the Youth, Media and Social Change Initiative or contact Senior Program Officer Maya Thornell-Sandifor, at mayat@womensfoundca.org or 415-321-2051.

Check out our new Youth, Media and Social Change Blog!