The Importance of Teenage Voices |

Since its inception in 1972, DCTV has encouraged and fostered citizen journalism and youth media. We believe that storytelling enhances our society, and when we have as many people sharing their stories as possible, we will strengthen our democracy.

This is one of the reasons DCTV began our anti–gun violence media campaign, BeyondBullets.org. Considering the number of people affected by gun violence in our country, and the lack of comprehensive reporting on this issue, we decided to empower more people to share their perspectives and experiences with the public.

Last Thursday's screening of films from PRO-TV's 2010 Summer Media Intensive proved to us that youth media about gun violence can make a difference. We screened 6 short films about guns and gun violence, made by 40 first-time teenage filmmakers. The films were so impressive and moving, and the teens were eloquent and informed when speaking about the films and the issue of gun violence in NYC.

The students were given a 2-day workshop by New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, who gave them information about gun laws, illegal trafficking and the societal impact of gun violence on NYC communities. They took that information and created their own short films, tackling subjects of their choosing. The students made pieces about the "Iron Pipeline", the route along I-95 where most of NYC's illegal guns come from, and about the connection between violent video games and real-life violence. They also created some subtle, narrative examinations of the affects of gun culture on innocent people who are peripherally connected to people with guns, and the psychological impact of bullying on kids.

We would like to congratulate all of the students who made these films, and who gave such thoughtful answers to our audience about their experiences making them. And we would also like to encourage more people to consider picking up a camera and sharing their perspectives on this critical issue. The more people we have contributing to this cause, the more likely we are to make a change. Hopefully more youth will step up and share their stories, and get involved with anti–gun violence movements in their communities, because the teenage perspective is one of the most important perspectives out there.

If you would like to share your video on our website, go to Contribute Video and post your work on our site.

And if you're a teen who wants to get involved with an anti–gun violence movement in NYC, join Youth Against Illegal Guns

Thank you for your support!