Today, October 20th, is Community Media Day: an annual celebration of voices that bring awareness to the importance of free speech and accessible media that gives everyone a platform to have their voices heard. Midpen Media has been providing community media and free speech opportunities to Midpeninsula communities for 30 years, and we are so proud of the amazing experiences we’ve been able to provide. From media-making workshops to public access television production opportunities and beyond, community media has touched the lives of so many in our community. It is an honor to have played a part in each and every one of those stories.
Longtime Midpen Media producer of Veterans Helping Veterans, Sheryl Staffer, sent us this message:
“We are forever grateful to the Midpen Media Center for allowing us the opportunity to create content that encourages us all to live a life of service. These are our stories, authentic and impactful . . . This is what the Midpen Media Center gave to me: now I have become an independent filmmaker and truly love to collaborate with others and can’t wait for the time when we can return to the studio in person. I miss the creative energy with the crew, staff, and guests when we are all in the studio!”
Sheryl is just one of the thousands of volunteers and producers who become part of the Midpen Media community. These are the storytellers and students and activists and artists who give meaning to the opportunities we provide.
Community Media Day is not about celebrating community media centers. We are not celebrating the cameras or the classes or the computers on which we edit shows. Instead, the purpose of Community Media Day is to celebrate YOU and the wider media-making community that we are so grateful to bring together. Whether you have walked through our doors one or one hundred times, you are an integral part of our story, and we are lucky to have you.
Happy Community Media Day.
