Diversity is rooted in inclusivity and visibility. In order to teach diversity in the media, it is important for educators to communicate clearly and effectively with students so that they feel heard and seen. Brave spaces can foster an environment where students are actively engaged in all aspects of the lesson, and feel safe to share their personal stories. These tips aim to give youth the support they need as they journey through the content of the lesson. 

Consider the OCEEP (Oh-seep) method. 

1. Optimize Engagement: 

2. Cultivate a Supportive Environment

3. Enable Learning 

4. Encourage 

5. Practice What You Teach 

OPTIMIZE ENGAGEMENT

Use activities that provide students with a diverse range of engagement opportunities. Consider multi-sensory instruction such as textile methods of learning, dance, songs, and even tasting food. This is especially helpful for accommodating multiple types of learners, including but not limited to students who are deaf, blind, with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or ADHD. There’s more than one way to retain and apply information taught in class, so remember this rubix cube approach, and treat various learning styles as the different colors of a rubix cube. Don’t forget to be flexible in the curriculum as needed, as this is great for maintaining an equitable learning environment. 

CULTIVATE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Cultivate a supportive environment so that students feel they can express themselves–and their stories, with others in the classroom. Creating a list of “safe space” expectations is a great way to clearly establish how everyone in the room collectively wants the space to look and feel like. Respect is a necessary tool for emotionally conscious and productive conversation. Pool suggestions! Do youth feel more comfortable with beanbags, fidget toys, or the lights half on/half off? Don’t forget to keep the safe space list somewhere the students can view at all times, like the door or the wall.  

ENABLE LEARNING 

Enable learning by providing students with resources to carry with them beyond the classroom. This can take the form of material objects, such as games and worksheets, but they can also be immaterial experiences that hold a special place in the student’s heart. Education should not only “teach” but inspire growth in other aspects of life that are not traditionally categorized as “academic.” Encouragement is an effective way to build confidence in students and acts as a spark for launching positive mindsets both inside and outside the classroom. 

ENCOURAGE

As stated above, encouragement is a huge takeaway for students in the classroom. Encourage student leadership, initiative, social emotional practices and collaboration amongst their peers. Let them know they are utterly capable of creating change or achieving their goals, and celebrate them whenever you can! Even “small” victories are worth celebrating, because it could make all the difference to students who often feel as if their efforts go unrecognized. 

PRACTICE WHAT YOU TEACH

This is arguably the most important one on the list! 

Educators should actively utilize diverse media, tools, and teaching methods in the classroom. If you teach diversity, then your actions should reflect this mindset, especially since your students will pick up on nuances such as this, and may go on to question the lesson as a whole. “We never read books written by people who look like me, so why are we learning this? Will anything change?” It will be particularly helpful to utilize modern instructional or educational videos and media that the students can connect to. 

Students will also appreciate the effort being made to represent a wide spectrum of cultures, learning accommodations, and discussion topics when applied to time outside of the workshop/lesson as well. Make multi-faceted education an “often reality.” 

What is diversity, exactly?

As a Latina, it represents beauty to me since it symbolizes universal acceptance. All races and ethnic groups are included and have the opportunity to share the same spaces. Media can be a tool for the representation that everyone deserves because it enables visibility. Via diversity, we get the chance to see others that look like us on the screen. However, what if there is hardly any accurate representation in the media? In what ways does this affect minorities and how others view us? 

Big companies who assert themselves as allies have allegedly been "trying" to incorporate more diversity–but fail–as always, when they ignore community criticism on how they can do better. For these companies, their options include the following: either minorities aren't present, or we're placed into boxes. The phrase “placed into boxes” refers to every time we are seen as just a supporting character for the white character, regardless of whether or not we have an actual plot. Sadly, the same old stereotypes like the "Feisty Latina,” the “Angry Black Woman”, and the “Latino Drug Dealer” keep coming up. Some examples of this are Gloria Delgado in Modern family, shown as the “Sexy Latina” that lashes out and is uneducated, Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty, where she is presented as the “Angry Black Woman” that always is mean and hostile, and Cesar from On My Block. And while he is one of the lead roles, his story revolves around joining his brother’s gang and becoming the “Latino Drug Dealer.”

This situation has not changed much in recent years and erasure still occurs. Through erasure, minorities are ignored and our presence never being considered. We have many of our own stories to share–and they should be told to the world. This is not only frustrating but disheartening. We do not have to be a joke or a target of mockery in order to tell a story. Aren't we good enough to have our own moment in the spotlight?

Like many others, I have always found it challenging to find people in any media who are ethnically similar to me or I can relate to. Being raised in Puerto Rico was difficult because I had to regularly consume negative stereotypes in the media I watched because it’s all I had, even though I knew my community as a whole wasn't like that. My mother, grandmother, uncles, and cousins are not reflective of  not how they were portrayed on screen. These inaccurate depictions reinforce negative stereotypes that mostly paint them in a bad light--which in turn harms their safety. And you may think: “How does this harm their safety?” It spreads misinformation and false views that may cause bullying towards non-white kids, people wrongfully accuse minorities of crimes, and even sexual harassment.

Some may think one is "overreacting" when discussing this topic, but it is a harsh reality for minorities. The media has considerable power over how we feel about specific issues and how we interact with others. The erasure cycle will continue unless we continue working together to make a change. What does "making a change look like?" Hiring minorities for the leading role. Dismantling stereotypes in tv.  Ect.

Everybody has a right to be heard, seen, and accurately depicted on any screen. Minorities have historically been marginalized in these media spaces. And if we are not given a seat at the table, it is up to us to pave the way for the next generations–so they can have the opportunity to be included. 

Because we deserve it. 

In the big world of video games, a glaring issue persists in the limited diversity of black hairstyles available for character customization. This lack of representation is evident in various popular titles, such as "The Sims" series and "NBA 2K”. For instance, in "The Sims," one of the most iconic life simulation games, the range of hairstyles for black characters is notably restricted.

The available options often feature common styles like afros, braids, and fades, while overlooking the intricacies of black hair, such as twists, locs, and more. In the sports simulation game "NBA 2K," despite its extensive character customization, the variety of hairstyles for black athletes remains limited. Players can find only a few options that don't capture the full range of styles prevalent among real-life basketball players.

This issue goes beyond aesthetics; it's about looking at and celebrating the diversity and cultural significance of black hairstyles, not just dreads and twists and afros. I think that big game developers need to take a more inclusive approach and offer a broader selection of options to better reflect the deep, rich history of black hair.

This would enable players like me--young and old--to create characters that fit well with our identity and heritage. 

Black hairstyles are a rich and diverse collection of hair styles practiced by people of African descent. These styles have been shaped by cultural, social, and historical factors over time, and they also hold great importance in black communities. Such hairstyles can include braids, dreads, afros, twists, and many more. Each style has its own history and significance, and they represent important aspects of African culture and identity. These hairstyles often express cultural values, traditions, and aesthetics, and they can be a powerful way to assert pride and unity within the black community. Black hairstyles are a form of self-expression that portrays the rich cultural diversity within our community. Our many styles are often an adaptation of traditional African hairstyles, which have been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. 

Black hairstyles have historically been widely misrepresented in media. For a long time, natural hairstyles were considered unprofessional or unacceptable in certain environments. This has led to many Black people feeling pressured to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards by straightening or relaxing their hair which can be damaging. While there has been progress in recent years in terms of representation in the media, there is still a very long way to go. A lack of diversity in the representation of black hairstyles in the media can also contribute to the many negative and harsh attitudes and stereotyping towards black people and their culture. It is important to celebrate and promote the very unique beauty of Black hairstyles and to challenge both  stereotypes and bias around hair.

Our unique hair is a symbol of pride and ownership of our identity. It reflects the resilience and creativity of black people from around the world. From the natural hair movement, to the popularity of dreadlocks, braids and other hairstyles, today’s styles represent  the celebration of individual identity of each black person and the rejection of Western beauty standards. By celebrating black hairstyles, we honor the many generations of individuals before us along with their suffering, and as we continue to celebrate and honor the diversity of black hairstyles, we also continue to recognize black culture itself. With the rich history of the diaspora of Africans to other parts of the world such as the Americas and the Caribbean, to the fashion trends that have drawn inspiration from this heritage, black hair is an essential part of a larger narrative of our great community.

Ultimately, by celebrating black hair, we also acknowledge the diversity of human experience, the importance of a strong community, and the essential role of self-care and self-love in fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. As we continue to honor and preserve the various styles and expressions of black hair, we continue to contribute to a more just, exclusive, and colorful world.

In most of the modern media I consume, Black representation usually ranges from horrible to somewhat satisfactory. Modern is the keyword here. While our society has become much better in the way it celebrates Black history and attempts to sympathize with our experiences, I feel as though our representation in media has gone through a downward trajectory.

I think of the Black sitcoms of the '90s and early 2000s and how the representation felt authentic and real. We had the best of both worlds: stories that highlighted the beauty of the Black experience and our everyday lives. Looking on today, I can think of a few modern examples of Black representation that I love. Issa Rae’s Insecure gives a fresh take on Black relationships, friend groups, and the struggles we face in the professional world, while Jordan Peele’s terrifying array of horror movies take our experiences and culture into a realm of which we’ve been historically excluded - no longer delegated to the “magical Negro” trope, not serving as unimportant side characters only there to assist the white protagonist, but instead real characters on the forefront of the narrative. What do Issa Rae and Jordan Peele get right about writing Black stories? They certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel. There’s no secret well from which they draw their ideas. In fact, the answer lies in exactly what they don’t do.

Navigating how to portray the Black experience in America is tricky. The most common in my opinion is the Black experience as a means to educate. I feel the best example of this is the Civil Rights and Slavery narratives. These forms of media dig deeply into our past, attempting to relate untold generations of struggle to an audience. Then you have “those scenes” in TV shows. You know what I’m talking about. The scene where the Black character is wronged in some way. They react in a totally understandable manner but are told by other members of the cast that they are “overreacting” or “reading too much into it”. Then we get a monologue from the Black character, who tells the other characters(mostly always not Black) about how it feels to traverse American society as a Black person. Once this is done, our other characters have a change of heart.

I absolutely abhor these scenes.

I hate these scenes because they make it seem as though Black people have a responsibility to educate non-black people about our history and experiences. The mere inclination to treat our lived experiences with care, seriousness, and respect is something that we have to fight for, something that needs to be explained and clearly spelled out.

So what’s my problem?

I have the feeling that this is the direction in which Black characters are shifting. We’re slowly becoming poster boards for our Blackness, as though oppression and explaining that oppression is the only thing our characters are good for. We’re now here for “diversity points.” These ideas are becoming the outlines of our characters. I was just watching the Netflix show Partner Track the other month, and this exact thing happened. One of the main characters, Tyler Robinson, who had before been a character with a distinct personality and voice, had an incident where he became a spokesperson for injustice halfway through the season.

It’s in this that Black-ish fails, but Abbott Elementary succeeds. Black-ish felt like a show that was explaining the Black experience to an unfamiliar audience. The main character, Dre, literally does this several times throughout the show, even several times an episode. But Abbott Elementary, on the other hand, knows its audience. It’s not afraid to showcase the joys of being Black on full display. But just as meaningfully, it demonstrates how the older generation of Black people can be better role models for the younger generation and the importance of standing up for the education and prosperity of Black children.

Can representation ever be perfect? Of course not. But we can get pretty close. As Black media goes forward and more and more creatives come onto the scene, I feel it’s important to take a step back and closer look at the stories we’re looking to tell about ourselves. At the end of the day, we’re people. Is it wrong to use media to educate others about the Black experience? Of course it isn’t. But we have too many stories to tell and talents to share that go unheard of all the time.

I think it’s time we shift to a new approach. Black people have always been a diverse group. Our media should show all sides of us, not just one.

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time pretending all my favorite characters were actually Black like me. It didn’t matter how the book described their pale skin or what they looked like on screen, if I liked them, I believed with my whole heart that I could be them. And this took little to no effort for me. I lived in a world surrounded by Blackness. My neighborhood was beautifully Black with only the statue of Martin Luther—of 95 Thesis—hinting at its demographics before white flight. My elementary school had two white students in a population of hundreds and numerous Black teachers, staff, and administrators. I grew up believing Baltimore, Maryland to be a city of only Black people, so even if I didn’t see myself reflected in books or on screen, I could look around and feel possibilities within my reach.

I didn’t believe any differently until high school. I found myself surrounded by whiteness and, for the first time in my life, separated from my few Black peers by my nerdy interests. I ended up with two groups of friends for those four years: the white geeks who loved musicals, fantasy novels, and anime alongside the Black students who shared my culture and experienced the world the same way I did. It was those days, finally in unfamiliar territory during some of my most foundational years, where I was forced to confront the idea of being separate from the characters and stories I loved because they didn’t look like me. It was jarring to say the least and a lesson I haven’t been allowed to leave behind. That became the truth of the world, no matter how I bucked it. And, the more I moved into traditional nerdy spaces like conventions and clubs, chat forums and fanfiction archives, the more I felt pushed to the sidelines.

This is the feeling that I and countless other Black creatives are fighting to erase. We strive to tell the stories that we needed as children with the hope that those coming behind us won’t feel forced to enter fandom spaces from some back alley door. It’s a struggle at times as our work is held to often impossible standards or picked apart for weaknesses that are forgiven in others who don’t share our Blackness. But, if even one young nerd gets to look at fantasy, at science fiction, at books, or films and see themselves reflected back with infinite possibilities, then I will ride into this battle a million times over with my words in my sword.

You might not hear the term “media literacy” in everyday chats, but it’s a crucial concept. Media literacy is all about being able to analyze and evaluate various forms of information. We use critical thinking skills to make judgments and communicate with others based on what we consume. Often, when we consume media, we don’t pay close attention and react quickly without thinking about what we’re about to say. It's important to take a step back and carefully evaluate the media we consume, as well as our emotional reactions to it. By doing so, we can gain a better understanding of why certain media affects us the way it does. This allows us to maintain a balanced approach and not simply react emotionally, but rather consider things logically as well. 

This lack of scrutiny can lead to misinformation and misunderstandings. Media literacy is crucial, especially in a child’s development. By focusing on media literacy education, we can give the next generation the tools they need to thrive in the digital age. They’ll be able to make informed decisions and contribute positively to society. Our future depends on our ability to understand and critically engage with the media that shapes our world.

Teaching kids media literacy is vital because it can broaden their understanding of the world around them, and encourage them to employ an open mindset. While it might seem harmful to expose children to some problematic topics, it can sometimes be equally as harmful to completely censor media that reflects different cultural views.  Media literacy not only encourages kids to consume diverse information, but to do so with care, empathy, and an astute awareness of myriad perspectives. This fosters curiosity, emotional intelligence, and respectful interactions with those who share identities different from their own. Parents should have open conversations with their children about the media they consume, encouraging them to ask questions and think critically. When children work alongside adults to navigate the media landscape together, this allows them to establish healthy habits that will assist them in adulthood.

Take social media apps and chat rooms, for example. It's important to recognize that conversations on social media platforms, video game chat rooms, and literature can rapidly intensify due to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Users often express strong emotions and even hostility because they may lack the critical analysis skills necessary to navigate the content they encounter. This absence of media literacy can result in one-sided perspectives and emotional reactions, which ultimately impede meaningful dialogue. This example serves as a clear illustration of the repercussions of not being taught media literacy from a young age.

As we grow older, making uninformed decisions or judgments can lead to conflict resolution skills and overall decision-making abilities. It can also hinder our ability to understand different perspectives and contribute positively to society. Additionally, making decisions without being properly informed can lead to personal and professional setbacks, as well as strained relationships with others. This emphasizes the importance of media literacy in developing critical thinking skills and making informed decisions. To prevent misinformation and promote truthful discussions, critically assessing opposing views is essential. 

In today’s digital world, media literacy is more important than ever. With social media, information spreads quickly, whether it’s accurate or not. Kids, who are digital natives, are constantly exposed to vast amounts of information from a young age. Without proper guidance, they can easily fall prey to misinformation– such as fake news, clickbait, scams, or illegal websites. Schools should include media literacy programs in their curriculum, teaching students to evaluate sources, understand messages, and recognize bias critically. Parents should have open conversations with their children about the media they consume, encouraging them to ask questions and think critically.

By creating an environment where both the young and old can analyze media together, communities can build stronger bonds and form mutual understanding.

In the end, teaching media literacy from a young age is super important. It helps kids develop critical thinking skills and promotes healthy, informed communication in our media-heavy world. With media literacy, people can better navigate the complex media landscape, understand different viewpoints, and have meaningful discussions.