Big Brothers Big Sisters Joins Forces with The Representation Project to Educate 1 Million Youth About the Power of Media Messages

Big Brothers Big Sisters Joins Forces with The Representation Project to Educate 1 Million Youth About the Power of Media Messages

Screenings of the Documentary, Miss Representation to be offered to Big Brothers Big Sisters

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Nov. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay is proud to announce a partnership with Jennifer Siebel Newsom and her organization, The Representation Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. The announcement will be made during an event on November 15, 2013 at the Mill Valley Community Center at 180 Camino Alto in Mill Valley at 8:30 a.m. Both The Representation Projectand Big Brothers Big Sisters are national organizations dedicated to ensuring that young people reach their full potential. The crux of this partnership will be screening events that will introduce new youth audiences to Siebel Newsom's seminal film, Miss Representation. These events will also serve as recruitment and fundraising events for Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies. Siebel Newsom recently went before the UN General Assembly and committed to ensuring 1 Million young people see the film during the next three years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110613/PH17540LOGO)

The Representation Project offers the film Miss Representation as an educational tool to help young people more fully understand the power of media and specifically, its negative influence on young women and men. Through mentorship programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters engages communities and helps at-risk youth break through cycles of addiction and poverty that riddle our nation. The joint screening events will spark conversation and serve as a call to action to encourage investment in the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters and encourage young men and women to participate in formal mentorship and leadership development programs.

Key Facts

Big Brothers Big Sisters is 109 years old and the nation's largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network.

Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 630,000 children, volunteers and families through approximately 340 agencies.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is committed to measurable outcomes through the Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcome Survey which substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

The Representation Project is participating in the global Equal Futures Partnership with TheWhite House Council on Women & Girls. On September 24, 2012 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the Equal Futures Partnership. Each of the 12 founding member countries made national commitments to policy, legal and regulatory reforms to promote two mutually reinforcing goals: expanded economic opportunity for women and increased political and civic participation by women at all levels.

The Representation Project made a formal commitment at the UN General Assembly on September 23, 2013 to bring Miss Representation and its message to more than 1M plus young people across the country by 2016, with a focus on at-risk communities.

The Representation Project is partnering with community-based organizations that share our goals and can facilitate access into the target communities. Big Brothers Big Sisters was publically recognized as a partner in this UN Commitment.

Quotes

Charles Pierson, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America said: "Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Jennifer Siebel Newsom share a common vision: that all children are successful. In this case the focus is girls. Any tools, opportunities, education or guidance that helps our young people make wise decisions is an effort Big Brothers Big Sisters wholeheartedly supports. We are honored to be part of Ms. Siebel Newsom's efforts."

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, The Representation Project said: "We are ecstatic to be partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, who have been providing essential mentorship to boys and girls in the U.S. for over 100 years. We made Miss Representation to awaken people's consciousness to destructive cultural norms and inspire transformative action. Together, The Representation Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters will bring the film to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable youth, empowering them to be architects of change in their communities."

Lauren Grayman, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay said: "As a local affiliate of our national organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay is very pleased to be involved with the partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and The Representation Project. The Representation Project's films include powerful messages about self-esteem and inclusiveness that are altogether aligned with our organization's mission. Locally, we plan to screen the films for the youth in our service area and to follow with discussion groups in order to reinforce each movie's key message. We are dedicated to helping Jennifer and her team spread their important and culturally timely message, 'You can't be what you can't see' into our community."

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children ("Littles") with screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization's 100-year history. With about 340 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 630,000 children, volunteers and families. The organization is engaged in a nationwide search to reunite with alumni mentors, mentees, donors, and family, staff and board members. Learn more at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

About The Representation Project

The Representation Project's sole mission is to inspire individuals and communities to challenge the status quo and ultimately transform culture, so everyone, regardless of gender, race, class, age, or circumstance can fulfill his or her potential.

The Representation Project uses feature length films and media content to expose destructive cultural and societal norms and shift people's consciousness towards action. As a movement, The Representation Project gives voice and visibility to injustices through interactive social media campaigns, strategic partnerships, and education initiatives. It is increasingly clear that to create a healthier society we must achieve gender parity and expose how our current society is as harmful to our boys and men as it is to our girls and women. In fact, compared to girls, research shows that boys in the U.S. are more likely to be diagnosed with a behavior disorder, prescribed stimulant medications, fail out of school, binge drink, commit a violent crime, and/or take their own lives. To address these issues, Newsom is in production on a series of films that explore how America's narrow definition of masculinity is harming our boys, men, and society at large.

About Miss Representation

In 2011, Jennifer Siebel Newsom brought attention to media injustices, by writing, producing, and directing the critically acclaimed Sundance documentary Miss Representation. The film challenges the media's limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman or girl to feel powerful herself.

Miss Representation's viewership includes millions of people in over 72 countries and across all 50 states.Thousands of schools and universities use the film and gendered media literacy curriculum.

According to a recent REACT to FILM survey, 73% of students said watching Miss Representation changed their opinion about the way in which women are represented in the media. After seeing the film, 61% of students reported speaking up when seeing or hearing something derogatory towards women.

In conjunction with the release of Miss Representation the film, Newsom launched MissRepresentation.org, an organization renamed this fall to The Representation Project.

Who: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay and Jennifer Siebel Newsom

What: Partnership to screen Miss Representationand serve as recruitment and fundraising events for Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies. Siebel Newsom went before the UN General Assembly and committed to ensuring 1Million young people see the film.

When: Friday, November 15, 2013 8:30 a.m.

Where: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110613/PH17540LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Bay

CONTACT: Erin Leidy, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay, P: 415-233-3023, E: eleidy@bbbsnorthbay.org

Web Site: http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org


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