Digital Diaries:

Plus Size Fairy-young girls body image issues

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 17:25:00 +0000

Sometimes in the blogosphere life goes on and you actually don't have anything to say.

Since I had nothing new to report in the world of digital storytelling- I didn't make anything up!

Today, a young colleague of mine, Joyce Kwon, sent me her new song and I thought: "ah, finally something radical worth sharing". It's a song called: "Plus Size Fairy". Need I say more?

Ok, you want more? Well, my partner and I, Gayle Nicholls, have been facilitating digital stories projects for non-profit youth organizations for many years now and we have done workshops focused on Young Girls with Body Image Issues.

Even though women have made some enormous strides in politics and the workplace, many young girls are still struggling with body image and self-esteem at a younger and younger age. There are so many stories about cyber-bullying around appearance. Much of these societal pressures come from mass media portrayals of a certain body image ideal that does not fit everyone.

-rasheed ali digitalrainfactory.org

Do We Change Our Story; So We Can Share It?

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:12:00 +0000

Rasheed Ali facilitates a digital storytelling workshop at continuation school

When DRF founder Gayle Nicholls began doing digital storytelling workshops 15 years ago, there was no infrastructure for what we now call Social Media. There was no Face Book, Twitter or Instagram and there were no handheld mobile devices that could instantaneously transmit and receive digital media. Everyone living today would have to agree that much has changed about how humans interact socially.

The desire to share meaningful information is as old as time itself but never in the history of the known world have there been so many available channels for disseminating information. We are no longer dependent upon commercial entities to deliver information en masse. Any of us can potentially become that lone voice that is heard in the wilderness of humanity. No longer must we solely rely upon the paid professional reporter for an eye witness account of an historic occurrence.

While there will always be a place for news agencies and savvy news reporters, there now exists this vast, unincorporated no man's land for information. It is a place where any random digital transmission can be elevated to the status of a news worthy item. Hopefully, there will be a preponderance of useful information that will pervade these digital information channels.

The world of media in which DRF resides has undergone an incredible transformation in 15 years. What began as a way for ordinary people to tell their uniquely personal stories has morphed in unexpected ways.

When we began doing digital stories, these personal narratives were seen as having a limited audience. This was truly personal media in the truest sense of the word. It wasn't easy to share your completed story beyond the handful of workshop attendees or interested friends and colleagues. Though these stories were inspiring and transformative, their limited reach often meant that only people in a particular organization or at a particular conference could be touched by them.

Let's fast-forward to 2014 where we now have this seemingly infinite potential to stream our message far and wide. Not only can we host our stories on our website; now we can potentially share our stories with countless strangers via social media channels.

So, the question arises: do we alter the content of our personal narratives when there is a possibility they might be shared beyond our perceived boundary of influence? Is there a subconscious effort to appear a bit more than we are? Do we touch up the blemishes and imperfections in our stories? Ultimately, maybe we're trying too hard to be clever and crafty, when all we need to do is find the universal truth at the core of our story. Even with all the increased channels, the mission remains the same-tell it like it is!

*Please check out our Companion Blog: http://digitalrainfactory.blogspot.com
*Visit: digitalrainfactory.org to watch digital stories from our workshop trainings.

ITFC (Intensive Treatment Foster Care) Event

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 21:53:00 +0000

California State Senator Carol Liu at ITFC event

Recently, we attended the ITFC (Intensive Treatment Foster Care) event at Los Angeles Trade Tech. This event was unique in that it was championed by a collaborative effort of several local Foster/ Adopt Family Agencies with support from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) here in Los Angeles County.

The event featured representatives from: Hathaway-Sycamores, Vista Del Mar, David and Margaret, Penny Lane, Olive Crest, Children's Institute, Aviva, Rosemary's Children, The Village, Childnet, Rise, DCFS and DMH. Led by Hathaway-Sycamores, these agencies are trying to change the face of foster care and adoption in LA County.

The ITFC model seeks to improve the outcomes for Foster youth by creating a one-to-one Foster care environment that will make obsolete the group home experience of traditional Foster care. This new model also seeks to educate and empower Foster parents with an extended Pre-Certification Training that centers around a therapeutic approach. Additionally, the ITFC program assigns a social worker, a support counselor and (if needed) a mental health provider to act as a specialized support team for each youth in ITFC care.

Events like these resonate with me on many different levels; as concerned citizen and executive director of DRF, and as someone who spent several years working directly with the youth in protective family services. It connects the dots between the years I put in working for others and the work I now direct as a consultant and owner of DRF.

The Conferences and seminars that Gayle and I attend are impassioned events organized by forward thinking community partners. These events serve us on two distinct levels; they provide us with new information and cause us to think but they are even better at re-energizing us for our mission as a social enterprise. There is an overwhelming feeling that we are not alone in our work for the betterment of healthy families and youth. Being in a room with people who really care, about children and families and health and human services, imparts an unparalleled sense of urgency to push our agenda forward-to get the stories out there that really matter the most.

What was said that I remember most? Two former foster youths put foster care in perspective.

"A group home is a program, not a home!"

Wayne Jackson: now a youth advocate at Hathaway-Sycamores.

"In foster care I felt like I was a pet!"

Regina King: now a youth advocate at AVIVA.

Rasheed Ali Executive Director DRF

Digital Rain Factory is a social enterprise providing digital storytelling training for health and human services agencies.

An Example of Good Storytelling: Adopting Older Teens

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Thu, 22 May 2014 16:44:00 +0000

Whenever I come across a good example of advocacy storytelling for youth I feel compelled to share.

This is what storytelling has evolved into: shareable social media!

I hope that the You Gotta Believe organization gets positive results from this digital story. I like it because it has more story than an "announcement", ironically I am pretty sure that most organization people who throw around the phrase 'PSA' fail to stop and think about what PSA means.

By definition, a PSA is a Public Service Announcement. As with all media, a certain methodology and language has evolved that defines this genre of advocacy message. Originally a PSA was media that was created in the public interest as a community service requirement for broadcasters. Since the adoption of the revised Telecommunication Act of 1996, PSAs are no longer a requirement for broadcasters though they persist on network television despite this deregulation.

These days most of what people refer to as PSAs exist on the Internet. The term PSA is bandied about rather indiscriminately as well and it's used to describe much of nonprofit organization messaging.

Originally, a PSA was a short radio or television spot and for me that definition still holds true. While a PSA was intended to be a short but informative piece of media with a call to action, a digital story should be more about connecting people to critical issues by way of highlighting real human lives and moments.

I always tell our community partners that they need not lecture, preach or plead with their community audience. They need only present a clear picture of an emotional truth and they will begin to garner true community support. This is why I do what I do.

Rasheed Ali, Executive Director DRF

So, What Brings You To This Conference?

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 12 May 2014 19:48:00 +0000

Monica Reyes of Learning Works' Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program

We've all been at that workshop, seminar or conference when somebody comes up to you and says: "So, what brings you to this...conference?"

For me, the answer is always the same: "Oh, I'm just here to learn more."

That always leads to the next question: "What do you do?"

My answer is usually something like: "I'm the Executive Director of DRF and we help government agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations train their staff in the use of digital stories that lend a humanizing voice to their community outreach, cause advocacy or research."

Sometimes their response is a puzzling look; if they do things the old-fashioned way or a knowing look that says: you work in the still-emerging field of sharable social media.

Those who allow me, with a knowing look, often appreciate my honest enthusiasm for the work of helping others refine their storytelling abilities. It's the rewarding work that always brings me to these seminars or conferences on tough issues like youth homelessness and improving outcomes for foster youth who are aging out of the CFS system.

Knowledge is power; so the old saying goes. Indeed, I am always empowered in my work after attending one of these conferences. To see a thing from different angles is certainly the key to acquiring wisdom of that thing. Presenters illuminate and explain the complex facets of social problems and issues. I also enjoy the chance to participate and employ my own experiential knowledge of working with disadvantaged or troubled youth. It feels good to add my voice to the seminar think tank or discussion. Working with our community partners in the Children & Family services sector has allowed me the opportunity to compile our own case studies and increase my knowledge base. This is what being a social enterprise is all about: we are on this cutting edge of working solely for the Social Good in the areas of Health and Human Services and it is inspiring.

I had formerly attended IPO meetings, as an investment banker, and I attended educational conferences, as an educator, but none compare to the sense of well-being I feel after attending a conference on serious issues with a room full of committed human services community members.

After attending the Learning Works Pregnant and Parenting Teen seminar I felt energized and ready to do my part to help their mission. That's the big take-away and that's what will bring me to the next conference.

Rasheed Ali Executive Director DRF

Epiphany of the Week: The Arc of Social Change?

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:34:00 +0000

DRF Director Rasheed Ali at EHS 2014 Meeting in Los Angeles

Yesterday I had an epiphany while preparing to attend the Environmental Health Sciences public forum held by USC Keck School of Medicine at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

When I think of an epiphany, I think of finally realizing an obvious intellectual thread that has been previously overlooked. It's that moment when a catalytic intellectual spark causes me to see the missing link in a big idea.

It was an innocuous email about Earth Day that provided me with the spark, allowing me to rearrange disparate idea threads into something more coherent.

Here's my epiphany: I can remember some years ago, when I was a teaching artist & elementary school art teacher, that several local museums and art organizations would always ask me to do an interesting educational project to promote Earth Day Awareness. A week ago, I noticed a pre-teen cousin scold his mom about recycling but it wasn't until I received the Earth Day email that these elements coalesced into my epiphany concerning the arc of social consciousness in a society.

I thought about how, as an educator, I had taken part in this reprogramming of socially conscious attitudes that has already taken hold with today's youth. The arc of social change has certainly shortened and the timeline that represents the adoption of a new idea has also shortened dramatically.

What is the significance of experiencing this epiphany prior to attending yesterday's conference?

Well, I was there to meet some new community partners who will use DRF to facilitate a digital storytelling component in a Social Justice academy experience that is centered on health and environmental community issues. I thought about how the same elementary school kids I served on Earth Days past were already the advocates of today! At the conference my epiphany came to life as I was surrounded by energetic, thoughtful young people who are leading the way towards another timeline of social change.

Nonprofits Can Be Heavy-Handed...

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:30:00 +0000

"Baseball been bery,bery good to me..."
-Chico Escuela

So, why am I posting this quote from Saturday Night Live's Garrett Morris as legendary Latino baseball player character Chico Escuela?

The answer to why I felt compelled to post this photo lies in Chico's now famous catchphrase captioned above. In the reoccurring skit, Chico was always gushing his gratitude for having the life of a professional ballplayer.

Well, these days I see many public service announcements that feature an at-risk youth delivering an equally gratuitous and expected punchline in praise of a nonprofit organization. As new media consultants and practitioners; my partner and I can predict and countdown to this moment when a grateful teen extols the praises of _______ organization. It is so predictable that, sadly, it becomes comical. Watching one of these stories with some teens recently, one said: "Oh-oh, here comes the commercial."

My last blog post was focused on cynicism but in this instance it may be a cynicism that is earned by many nonprofit organizations. Far too often, organizations attempt to graft their mission statement or organization-speak onto the end of a great personal narrative and it comes across as a not too subtle contrivance. The effect of which dampens the power of many compelling stories.

When DRF helps organizations tell their unique story, we will always fight 'tooth and nail' to preserve the authenticity of the storyteller's voice. We sometimes have to go 'toe to toe' with our community partners to insist that they not try to 'put words into the mouths' of young storytellers.

I always maintain that it is an issue of trust. Organizations must really trust that the story being told does not need any heavy-handed help to connect the audience to the value of their mission. If the story is told properly; an organization need only show their logo or motto at the end.

Organizations must give the audience a chance to form their own ideas and connect to a problem and its solution. The audience must be respected and allowed to feel, think and align with your advocacy of their own accord. This is our philosophy when we facilitate digital storytelling workshops here at Digital Rain Factory.

DRF Exec. Director Rasheed Ali ponders the universe of new media

*Digital Diaries focuses on our work with youth.

Please visit our main blog:digitalrainfactory.blogspot.com

Educating and Advocating: Not Selling an Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:28:00 +0000

A villain represents our biggest obstacle.

Happy New Year 2014 from Gayle Nicholls and Rasheed Ali of Digital Rain Factory! It's taken me several days into the new year to come up with something worth sharing. That was before I received a few disturbing emails that were a catalyst for speaking up anew.

I attend many webinars and conferences in my capacity as Executive Director of DRF. Since we are advocates for our work in digital storytelling, the scope of our community partners ranges from government agencies and universities to various nonprofit services and causes. Because of the diversity of our partnerships we are constantly learning and reflecting upon research data, expert opinion and community discourse surrounding many social issues. I leave every conference with the same positive energy and the same burning question: What can I do? What can DRF do to further the causes of our community partners in their quest for improved social outcomes?

The obvious answer is: DRF must do what we do best and digital storytelling is what we do for social change. Though digital storytelling is our contribution to the social change landscape, sometimes we have to convince our own allies in the battle, these same community partners, that we should be given a chance to fight alongside them. Isn't that a bit odd?

Being a service provider as a social enterprise does have it's disadvantages sometimes. The biggest disadvantage is that we are not a 501C3 nonprofit entity, so we are not directly entitled to potential grant support. We must be included in our community partner's grant requests before we can enter the fray. Unlike the nonprofit entities whom we provide for, we are not bound by a nonprofit charter and mission statement. We are bound by our own commitment to work for the greater social good and social change: by choice.

Both Gayle Nicholls, DRF founder, and myself are educators not sales persons. Yet, when it is a government supported project that is seeking funding; we are referred to as a vendor- a term that really makes me bristle. Isn't a vendor somebody who sells something? We are not trying to sell anybody on the idea of digital storytelling but we are indeed trying to educate and advocate for digital storytelling at their institutions and organizations. I think Gayle and I both know the difference between selling and serving: we both worked on Wall Street as stockbrokers once upon a time.

Do many organizations need help telling their unique story? Emphatically: Yes! The difference in effect between paying somebody to create a video for you, otherwise known as: old media, and a digital storytelling workshop is seismic. Why? Because a digital storytelling workshop is educational, you will learn something about your organization that was buried beneath the marketing jargon and nonprofit organization-speak.

So, what's the big take-away? If you think I'm selling something: then money matters. If you recognize you might not know everything there is to know about storytelling: then you will invest with educational dividends in mind. Happy New Year from Digital Rain Factory!

Rasheed at California Endowment

Gayle with California School Superintendent Tom Torlakson

3 Of Our Favorite Moments from 2013 (Storytelling With Youth).

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 16:25:00 +0000

This SKYPE recording has some wonky audio (ironically) on our end of Internet connection but what our guest, Dr. Greg Manning, has to say about storytelling with youth is crystal clear and cause for reflection!

SKYPE Chat: Gayle Nicholls & Dr.Greg Manning from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

SKYPE Chat: Part 2 Gayle Nicholls & Dr.Greg Manning from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

SKYPE Chat: Part 3 Gayle Nicholls & Dr.Greg Manning from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

Ending Child Poverty: GRACE Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 18:47:00 +0000

Marian Wright-Edelman speaking at GRACE on Monday

Marian Wright-Edelman is certainly a legendary activist, the type of human being whose accomplishments are so numerous that they can hardly be quantified. That she was chosen as the keynote speaker for the second GRACE conference of 2013 (Ending Child Poverty) speaks volumes for what GRACE is all about: excellence and action.

I have attended many conferences, seminars and lectures in my time but the two GRACE conferences (the first on Improving Outcomes for Foster Youth in California) have been truly phenomenal events. Gayle and I left both conferences inspired, better informed and totally energized.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti outlined exciting new policies

They say knowledge is power and there is a transcendent experience that one feels when you gather
in a room with so many socially conscious professionals who are all seeking to solve real social problems. GRACE conferences have definitely been a major highlight of 2013 for us because they have been all-comprehensive in their approach. No stone has been left unturned; relevant data and research has been disseminated along with ideas and opinions from leaders across many sectors of society. At these conferences, GRACE has assembled local, state and city officials along with legislators and cabinet officials from Washington, DC. The inter-connectedness of nonprofits, government agencies and social rights advocates has been featured in every panel that has sought consensus on problem solving serious societal issues. These conferences have not been canned speeches and talking heads, these conference panels are about formulating action plans, policy initiatives and appropriate legislative reforms.

Action has been a dominant theme at GRACE conferences, I just don't walk away with an empty euphoria after attending. Instead, I have become more aware of the rope that binds those of us who are working for the social good. I am heading into 2014 with a renewed vigor to help DRF become bigger and better in the fulfillment of our social enterprise mission: to help communicate the stories of the voiceless. I wish everyone who reads this: A Hopeful Future in 2014!

Rasheed Ali:Executive Director DRF & Gayle Nicholls: DRF Founder at GRACE

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRACE: VISIT: http://grace-inc.org

The Time is Now: #code.org

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 16:48:00 +0000

"An Hour of Code": A Launching Pad To The Future

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 23:58:00 +0000

DRF's Rasheed Ali with LAUSD's Todd Ullah (c) and David Azevedo

With 2013 coming to a close; I decided to reflect upon some super initiatives that DRF has been proud to take part in. Last week we took part in Code.org "Week of Code".

Code.org's push to get youth to learn the universal language of computer coding is an ambitious undertaking that can have far-reaching positive outcomes for tomorrow's innovators. DRF Director of Curriculum Gayle Nicholls galvanized the La Canada School District to action and the entire district participated. From 1st grade to 12th grade; parents, volunteers and the community was involved. Besides being DRF Director, Gayle is the award-winning Digital Media Arts instructor at La Canada High School. She brought in three guest speakers and coordinated a Google chat with Susan Wojcicki: Google's genius marketing person.

DRF has big plans to become a bigger part of this Code.org initiative by working with LAUSD administrator Todd Ullah; who has been the moving force behind LAUSD's efforts to bring the language of code and computer science to L.A.'s public schools.

To learn more about, visit: Code.org

Mark Zuckerberg is Teaching 3Million Students to Code!

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Since Gayle Nicholls and I are technology educators, DRF to be involved in this super project that will begin to teach young people the language of the future. The future is now! Code.org rocks!

Inspirational Story: Star Fish

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:09:00 +0000

Brandon Sundwall from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

Brandon Sundwall works at LearningWorks in Pasadena. Gayle and I really enjoyed returning to this great organization to help them fine tune their newest staff stories. LearningWorks does fantastic community work: helping truants and dropouts return to school.

Skype Chat on Storytelling with Foster Youth

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 17:21:00 +0000

SKYPE Chat: Part 3 Gayle Nicholls & Dr.Greg Manning from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

Skype Conversation: Gayle Nicholls DRF Founder and Dr.Greg Manning, PsyD from County of Orange Health Care Agency discuss digital storytelling with youth. This is part three in the discussion. To go back and hear parts one and two click here to visit our Main DRF Blog: Digital Rain Factory.

NBC Today Show: Opening Up About Foster Care

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:44:00 +0000

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I am overjoyed that NBC has devoted a week's worth of programming on the Today Show to confront issues of Adoption and Foster Kids. Bravo!

DRF is a social enterprise devoted to the mission of helping promote The Social Good using digital storytelling and shareable media. The wellness and welfare of children and young adults is a priority of our efforts to bring true stories to light.

DRF Executive Director Rasheed Ali

Sustainability in Action: Programs that Keep Growing

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:12:00 +0000

LearningWorks staff at DRF workshop in Pasadena

It's been several weeks since our last blog post on effective storytelling. Often times, our work and projects can be so engrossing that we can't easily find the time for reflection that this blog represents.

When we get a chance to appreciate the digital storytelling programs that we've set up at our community partner organizations; it is always a good feeling to see sustainability in action. A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of revisiting, debriefing and retraining staff at LearningWorks who have been doing digital storytelling for the past two years.

I love sharing our latest advancements and innovations in storytelling with those who we've previously trained. The truth is: New Media is still new enough that our knowledge base is constantly expanding.

My partner, Gayle Nicholls, and I have these lengthy dialogues that highlight how our storytelling praxis is constantly evolving. Like anything that you do all the time; the better you get-the easier it seems. Such is the case with our digital storytelling workshop facilitation: much less is a lot more. At DRF, we keep trying to simplify the process so that it is easier to create a culture of storytelling at organizations.

Here is a great story by LearningWorks staffer Susan Hoskins that amplifies the positives of our capacity-building program as it continues to grow at her organization.

Susan Hoskins from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

#Foster Youth: The Perilous Bridge from Foster Care to Adulthood

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 16:15:00 +0000

Chapin Hall Research-University of Chicago Study Results

Youth who age out of foster care face a number of challenges during the transition to adulthood. Among the greatest may be achieving housing stability. A number of studies published over the past two decades have found high rates of homelessness among former foster youth who aged out of care. Although this suggests that youth who age out of foster care are at high risk of becoming homeless, not much is known about which youth are most at risk.

Researchers at Chapin Hall recently used survey data from the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (the Midwest Study) to address this gap in the research.

-reprint from cahpinhall.org-

Of all the crucial storytelling projects that we are involved in, none is more heart-wrenching than the work we do gathering and documenting the stories of youth in the foster care and adoption systems. No project demands all of our best efforts at communicating like a project that advocates for the precious lives of disenfranchised youth. DRF is committed to whatever we must do to help in improving the outcomes for foster and adopted youth. If telling a story is only a small part of the healing process; then we are proud to provide what we can. If agencies and nonprofits need to share a success story like Jennifer's; then we are overjoyed that we facilitated the workshop that allowed her to dig deep.

Jennifer's Story: Beyond the Stereotype from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

This is why I do what I do!

Rasheed Ali-DRF Executive Director

Who is Prepared for Digital Change? #Education

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 16:02:00 +0000

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth...
while the learned find themselves
beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."
- Eric Hoffer

Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science

Rasheed Ali-DRF Executive Director

DRF is taking an active role in the implementation of this fantastic initiative here in Los Angeles County. We fully support the efforts of Code.Org and we hope you will to! #Code.org

#Storytelling: Is Your Organization Staff Happy?

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Staff Apprentice Facilitators Training from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

We always make the joke that a digital storytelling workshop is like a trip to Las Vegas: "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".

Of course, we are making a playful effort to get people to feel safe and secure that the intimacy of their private moments are sacrosanct.

What kind of a bond is forged when people open up and share their truths, apprehensions, vulnerabilities and hopes? I can unequivocally report that workshop participants walk away united in a familial way. I am always astounded because I have been privy to many corporate team-building exercises that produce lesser results. I participated in those "feel good" workshops only to see the happiness sheen fade quickly. By contrast, I've seen the afterglow of a digital stories workshop illuminate new paths like some dim eternal flame. Surely, it can seem like a small thing to share little stories among ourselves but it's like the little candle light that can save us from the dark.

A healthy, happy organization is a collection of vibrant cubicles that each frame a part of the mission and success story. Share your story, smile and be happy!

Rasheed Ali

Short Term 12 Shines Light On #Foster Youth.

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 19:54:00 +0000

Gayle Nicholls, DRF and myself have advocated for improved outcomes for the lives of Foster Youth
for many years. We have partnered with many different agencies, nonprofit organizations and care providers to document and harness the power of foster youth's personal narratives. While our intimate mini-documentaries provide a great learning tool for those involved in the system, the impact of our stories is limited in reach. Obviously, an indie movie has the potential to go beyond the reach of our digital stories and inform the greater public at large. Hopefully the film "Short Term 12" will help in the mission to bring a greater understanding to the complexities of the foster care system.

60% of Homeless Adults are Former Foster Youth!

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 21:21:00 +0000

Julie's Story from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

Digital Storytelling with Foster Youth is a major initiative for DRF.

40 Institutions Work to Break the Link
Between Foster Care and Homelessness

Two facts tell a tragic story. Sixty percent of chronically homeless adults are former foster youth. And foster youth now outnumber veterans as the largest group in California homeless shelters. To help address this problem, LA n Sync sent a letter to U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. The letter, from 40 institutions united under the LA n Sync banner, gave significant regional backing to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), which is competing for a $720,000 planning grant from the federal government. The 40 institutions signed on as “Knowledge Partners” to offer guidance and expertise to the LAHSA project.

These 40 partners come from academia, business, local government, nonprofit organizations and philanthropy. The two-year federal planning grant would fund the development of a coordinated engagement system for youth ages 14-25 who are homeless or at a high risk of experiencing homelessness. It would also identify strategies to address the needs of these young people early in their lives. If successful, the planning grant could lead to an implementation grant of $1 million per year over five years. We’ll hear the results of the application in September.

-This news is a reprint from LAnSync Collaborate, not compete

LA n Sync is a groundbreaking partnership that brings together the broad diversity of Greater Los Angeles – uniting our academic, civic, nonprofit, business and philanthropic sectors to pursue and win major funding opportunities. It’s a paradigm shift toward collective action -- a new way of thinking and leading -- to position Los Angeles as the nation’s most compelling destination for investment. Our purpose is to improve community life for all Angelenos – especially those in need.

Why I Told Tom Torlakson California Teachers Need Storytelling.

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 16:29:00 +0000

Ali with Tom Torlakson-California's School Superintendent

It was roughly a year ago, when Gayle Nicholls and I were traveling back to Los Angeles on a Southwest jet from our state's capitol, that we sat next to a smiling gentleman with kind eyes. Never shy about initiating conversations with strangers; Gayle and I were true to form. We explained to our fellow traveler that we had presented at a Foster Youth in Education Summit in Sacramento and we were disappointed. When we said the word education, his eyes came to life and he lifted his head from the pile of documents before him. We explained, and we vented, about how our breakout session on Digital Storytelling was well-attended by foster youth but many administrators had opted to attend a workshop next door that seemed pedestrian at best. I ranted about how admin people should have sought to attend our workshop that focused on the innovations and applications of digital storytelling. After all, the youth who are today's digital natives crowded into our room and pledged to advocate for digital stories but the decision makers were absent. Little did we know that our seat mate was the chief elected education official in the State of California.

Our conversation became fully engaged after I showed our neighbor a digital story made by a former foster youth who overcame the odds to be among the 2% of foster kids who graduate from college. When Gayle revealed that we had both spent the last 15 years as teachers our conversation became fully animated. I would share more digital stories on my iPad: this time they were stories created by teachers that illuminated their motivations and passions for teaching. As great as the conversation was: we had no idea we were talking to the California State School Superintendent!

"Can you imagine the possibilities? What if Mr. Perello played his digital story for his photography students on shadow by playing her digital story? When asked these provocative questions: the smiling gentleman smiled broadly and his kind eyes danced.
his first day of class?"What if Gina Woodruff introduced her unit on

I wasn't through yet, our seat mate now seemed so interested in talking about education that I told him about a project in Santa Monica, California that taught 3rd Grade students how to create digital stories.

"What was the result, how did they use the storytelling?" Now he was asking the question and I had plenty answers. I told him that kids took the initiative to use storytelling as a way of teaching fellow students how to solve difficult math problems! Their logic was: "we are the kids and we know how to speak to other kids".

I think it was then that the stranger gave us his business card that identified him as the Superintendent for all of California's schools! In the year that has passed we have since met with Tom Torlakson on several occasions and he was here in Pasadena last week. I'm still advocating for professional development for California teachers that includes digital storytelling taught by educators like us-not IT people who have never been in a classroom. If you're an educator or an advocate for education I hope you will collaborate with DRF on this initiative. Contact us to commiserate, strategize and find consensus on helping California teachers catch up to a changing #edtech world.

Rasheed Ali - Executive Director DRF

Bringing technology tools to youth who need them

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 16:05:00 +0000

11-year old Tyiana gets some help while writing her rough draft.

In the small ways that we can, Gayle and I have been striving to improve the lives of under-privileged and disenfranchised youth in Los Angeles County through the use of digital storytelling.

Since our mission is to document community and help create a storytelling culture, we have to strive to make it easier for the voiceless and powerless to tell their stories. Sometimes that means gracefully adapting to fiscal constraints that might threaten innovative projects in today's economic climate. Sometimes it means helping our community partners find grant opportunities to fund storytelling projects. Through it all, our goal is to uplift the lives of children in need and we let that be our guide and our motivator.

An additional benefit of digital storytelling projects has been exposing underserved youth to a digital technology skill set. By bringing technology tools to disadvantaged youth, we are doing our part to shrink the digital divide that separates the haves from the have-nots.

To help facilitate new digital opportunities for the uninitiated, Digital Rain Factory invested in our own mobile lab. It is very exciting when we can help bring youth a little joy in the form of a laptop computer. For 11-year old Tyiana Renee McDaniel, a digital storytelling workshop was a chance for her to share her unique neighborhood story while spending some quality time with a laptop computer for the first time in her life. For Tyiana this was certainly a winning combination, one that will inspire her for years to come. Watch her story so you can feel the magic of invention and self-expression she discovered in her first workshop.

Tyiana Renee McDaniel from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

Who is Most Likely To Face Youth Homelessness?

noreply@blogger.com (Rasheed Ali) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 02:37:00 +0000

Erick Villegas from Digital Rain Factory on Vimeo.

This digital story is a very simple little story with a big message. I love Erick's story because he is able to give us his realtime viewpoint of being an LGBTQ teen. Human Rights should be a given, no child should be a nobody.

When a family cannot cope with their child's sexuality they sometimes jettison their loved one into a vortex of confusion. To discover that your child's sexuality does not conform to your dream does not give you license to banish them to a nightmare. Youth homelessness is a real and growing tragedy.

The curated story by Bridgette P. LaVictoire is an indication that some elected officials are taking note of the nobodies.

*This Story is a Reprint:

Representatives Gwen Moore (D-WI 4) and Mark Pocan (D-WI 2) have introduced legislation which would reauthorize programs designed to help runaway and homeless LGBT youth. The legislation has been called the Runaway and Homeless Youth Inclusion Act (RHYIA). The RHYIA would “help ensure that LGBT youth are not discriminated against and that grant recipients have the cultural competency to effectively serve these youth.”

Protesters trying to call attention to Youth Homelessness

The legislation would also help to provide family support services for those who are struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity. Moore stated that “I ran away from home when I was an adolescent. It was the first and last time. Living on the streets is a difficult and dangerous experience – one that no child should have to endure. Unfortunately, homelessness is the reality for hundreds of thousands of youth each year. According to some studies, LGBT youth account for up to 40 percent of all homeless youth. LGBT homelessness is an issue that negatively impacts our children, our families and our communities. Omitting these young people from the RHYA sends a powerful message to this population: that addressing their trauma and fear is not a priority. The LGBT youth homelessness experience cannot be ignored.”

Pocan and Moore note that “LGBT youth are disproportionately represented in youth homelessness statistics. The Runaway and Homeless Youth Inclusion Act would require the Family and Youth Service Bureau to compile comprehensive data on the pervasiveness of LGBT youth homelessness.”

Pocan said that “Homelessness is one of the most pressing matters affecting LGBT youth. Young people in the LGBT community are disproportionately at-risk for homelessness, often as a result of the rejection, discrimination, or violence they face simply for being themselves. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that all of our youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, have access to life-saving services and safe, welcoming places to stay. By passing the reauthorization of an inclusive Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, we can begin to address this tragic problem and provide needed support to all of our young people in times of need.”

*This Story is a Reprint: by Bridgette P. LaVictoire*

Bridgette is the owner and Managing Editor of Lez Get Real