Hi Reader,

18 years ago, I had this idea to tackle injustice in media.

Black women were proliferated as sex objects in mainstream music videos, and in my daily world of teaching and life skills training, Black girls were being sexually assaulted and raped.
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The messages in media confirmed they didn't have a voice in the matter.
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A seed of an idea in my mind became MDR- then called Mother's Day Radio- a youth-led advocacy campaign to challenge denigrating music and increase positive representation of women of color in media to reflect their humanity.
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Increasing youth voice caused us to expand our content and our focus and MDR became Media Done Responsibly. We developed peer-mentor programs at universities in media literacy, addressing legacy media and a new media that was forming called social media.
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30 plus school partners, 25,000 plus impacted youth, and several years later, there's been a convergence of media and technology that changed the game. MDR is meeting the times and the needs of young people who are struggling to find safe spaces online in a new age of algorithms and AI.

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We have developed an online community called the MDR Resource Hub & Innovation Center. It is a youth-led, community-first focused app that embodies safety, wellbeing, and the interactive practice of media literacy.

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Young people are not just learning what it means to be media literate, they are engaged with it by practicing the art of good digital citizenship, metacognition (thinking about your thinking) and self-reflection, and building community with others that prioritizes their wellbeing and authentic sharing.
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It is safe space to bravely discuss the issues that matter to them, while practicing methods of engaging with digital media that support their mental health, social-emotional wellbeing, and validates their voices.
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We built the app this summer, and this Fall nearly 200 college students have been testing it.
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We're now opening a part of this app to you, our trusted community of educators, students, alumni, and media literacy practitioners, for U.S. Media Literacy week.

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U.S. Media Literacy Week Oct 27-31st

In honor of U.S. Media Literacy Week, MDR is opening our community space with a 30-day guest pass to the Kindness In Connection (KIC) Portal, a youth-powered campaign to help us practice how we show up online.
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Each day, participants use the T.H.I.N.K. framework to share or reflect on a piece of media that’s True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, or Kind, building habits of intention, empathy, and digital responsibility.

You’ll also find simple pulse check polls. These are quick reflection moments that help us notice our own digital habits and spark meaningful conversations about what helps us feel safe, seen, and grounded online. These are great for classrooms, peer groups, and facilitated dialogue.
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This 30-day experience is open for free access to youth, educators, families, and community allies during Media Literacy Week.

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See you in the Hub!

In Service and Community,

Shaunelle Curry

CEO, Media Done Responsibly