This month I thought I was going to rant about The Social Dilemma (I was disappointed to say the least.*) or discuss the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (devastating to say the least). Then last night, I sat through the 90 minute train wreck that was the presidential debate and now I can't get it out of my mind. I knew it was going to be ridiculous. It certainly met those expectations. In fact, it was worse than I thought it would be. (Why do I keep thinking we have hit rock bottom when clearly we are still falling?) I was completely appalled by what I witnessed.

I try not to get too political in these newsletters although the topics that relate to media literacy, education, social justice, and democracy are inherently and obviously political. Is it political to express my utter dismay at the lack of civil discourse that was present on the stage last night? Is it political to say that the entire event was a complete joke that did nothing but reiterate what we already knew about both candidates? Is it political to be incredibly embarrassed for our country right now and to be terrified about what comes next? Well, then I guess I'm feeling a little political right now.

Here are some words used to describe last night: chaotic, dumpster fire, terrible, brutal and shit show. Towards the end of this morning's The Daily episode (aptly title "Chaos and Contempt"), Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for the NY Times says, "This debate was a fiasco. I've never seen anything like it in a general election and neither has anybody else. I am not sure that there's an argument to be made that the debate really served the interest of the American voter." I just spent a good hour scrolling #debates2020 on Twitter. The polarizing rhetoric on the stage last night made it's way into our social media feeds as we have now come to expect. Are we all even living in the same world any more?

What I long for is civility and respect. What I want is to observe professionalism and maturity. At this point, I’d be thrilled if we could stop screaming at each other. I'd be thrilled if we could actually debate.

Media Literacy Week (October 26-30): Media Literacy Week is less than a month away! We have great events in development and we know lots of our members are working on their own activities. We currently have participation from 35 states around the country. Members from Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, what are you waiting for!??!?! Sign up today! We have curated free resources to make participation easy. Also check out our theme information that breaks down the definition of media literacy education. Just click on a day and learn more.

This year's efforts are so important given MLW's proximity to Election Day. Let's show the world what we can do if we work together!

If you have any questions about Media Literacy Week, please email us at medialiteracyweek@namle.net.

NAMLE Conference ((July 16-18, 2021): I am absolutely thrilled to announce the theme for our 2021 conference: Media Literacy and Social Justice. There was very little debate about the theme this year because it is so incredibly clear that this is the topic we need to be discussing as a community. We can't wait to develop the programming. I'm also beyond excited to announce our incredible conference leadership team. Stephanie Flores-Khoulish will act as conference chair. Emily Bailin Wells is our research chair. Michael Anderson and Azsanee Truss are our assistant research chairs. We couldn't be more honored that all of them have joined the team. We are incredibly excited to start planning and will share updates as we have them.

Grant and Project Work: I'm proud to announce that NAMLE is a recipient of a Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund Media Literacy Award through the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). NAMLE has been engaging in a series of webinars with a group of 70 participants (representing 49 countries) of various DOS exchange programs who are educators, journalists, and community leaders. Next week will be participating in the first Global Alumni Thematic International Group (TIES) seminar with the focus on "Shaping the Global Narrative on Media Literacy.” 

Research Project Update: The Mapping Impactful Media Literacy Practice Research Project is underway. The project led by Paul Mihailidis, Srivi Ramasubramanian and Melissa Tully, explores how impact in media literacy interventions is understood, develops indicators for impactful practice, and offers education across formal and informal learning ecosystems the opportunity to align their work within a responsive guide that facilitates alignment with indicators for impact. Please check out the project website here. Please take a look at the full team here including an incredible advisory council who will be working with the core research team.

ONE LAST THING: Stay tuned for some exciting changes coming to NAMLE soon. Make sure to follow us on social media to be the first to know:)

OK, ONE MORE ONE LAST THING: I got a dog! His name is Auggie and he's incredibly cute. We rescued him but he's already rescued us a bit more. It's amazing what a furry friend can do to keep you grounded especially during a contentious presidential debate. Thought you deserved a cute dog picture in your email inbox. You're welcome.

*Check out this article and this one that sum up how I felt about The Social Dilemma much more eloquently than I could myself.

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