Post by Okwes on Apr 18, 2007 14:19:40 GMT -5
Native American Youth Share Dreams Online
Native American young people have a place on the Internet where they can
communicate with their peers, share information about their communities
and culture, and inspire each other to pursue their dreams. The Web site
Native Youth Magazine.com <http://magazine.com/> (NYM)
[http:llwwwnativeyouthmagazine.com <http://veyouthmagazine.com/> ] was
launched July 1, 2005, and six months later was logging about 2 million
hits per month.
The brainchild of television news reporter Mary Kim Titla, NYM clearly
is fulfilling the need she saw for an online magazine that showcases the
talents, ideas, and lifestyles of Native American youth. The Web site
invites young people between age 12 and 25 to submit articles, poetry,
photographs, and artwork. The magazine is a vehicle for sharing
information, but also for developing the talents of its readers.
Native youth from across the United States and Canada have responded,
and their stories appear in the magazine's Profiles section. A
23-year-old Choctaw Indian from Mississippi writes, "I am proud that we
still have our Choctaw language and heritage. My tribe is doing its very
best to keep it alive!" A 14-year-old Navajo from Arizona describes his
land: "The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona, and
New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles [about 70,000 square
kilometers] of unparalleled beauty." An 18-year-old from Wisconsin says,
"I'm a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe. My
goal for the future is to play college basketball."
Under Native Youth News, readers find a variety of topics, including a
Native American youth art exhibit, a college course in Native American
culture, a university program that offers free tuition to students from
low income families, and a story about the naming of a new director for
the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities. NYM also
devotes pages to sports, photographs, a calendar, and a message board.
Mary Kim Titla, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, spent 18 years
as a television news reporter in Arizona. Interest in her people and in
the concerns of Native American youth in particular led Titla to develop
Native Youth Magazine. com <http://magazine.com/> . To find out what
young readers wanted to see on a Web site, she conducted online surveys
and consulted with her three sons (ages 10, 15, and 19), as well as with
nieces, nephews, and other young Native people, who continue to advise
her. "Native American youth from all over serve as consultants," she
said, "because this Web site is for them."
In December 2005, Titla resigned from television news to devote her
efforts to NYM full time. "I've enjoyed being a TV news journalist," she
said, "but I believe my calling is now about molding young Native
storytellers, and through the magazine I can help showcase their talents
and lifestyles."
Native American young people have a place on the Internet where they can
communicate with their peers, share information about their communities
and culture, and inspire each other to pursue their dreams. The Web site
Native Youth Magazine.com <http://magazine.com/> (NYM)
[http:llwwwnativeyouthmagazine.com <http://veyouthmagazine.com/> ] was
launched July 1, 2005, and six months later was logging about 2 million
hits per month.
The brainchild of television news reporter Mary Kim Titla, NYM clearly
is fulfilling the need she saw for an online magazine that showcases the
talents, ideas, and lifestyles of Native American youth. The Web site
invites young people between age 12 and 25 to submit articles, poetry,
photographs, and artwork. The magazine is a vehicle for sharing
information, but also for developing the talents of its readers.
Native youth from across the United States and Canada have responded,
and their stories appear in the magazine's Profiles section. A
23-year-old Choctaw Indian from Mississippi writes, "I am proud that we
still have our Choctaw language and heritage. My tribe is doing its very
best to keep it alive!" A 14-year-old Navajo from Arizona describes his
land: "The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona, and
New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles [about 70,000 square
kilometers] of unparalleled beauty." An 18-year-old from Wisconsin says,
"I'm a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe. My
goal for the future is to play college basketball."
Under Native Youth News, readers find a variety of topics, including a
Native American youth art exhibit, a college course in Native American
culture, a university program that offers free tuition to students from
low income families, and a story about the naming of a new director for
the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities. NYM also
devotes pages to sports, photographs, a calendar, and a message board.
Mary Kim Titla, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, spent 18 years
as a television news reporter in Arizona. Interest in her people and in
the concerns of Native American youth in particular led Titla to develop
Native Youth Magazine. com <http://magazine.com/> . To find out what
young readers wanted to see on a Web site, she conducted online surveys
and consulted with her three sons (ages 10, 15, and 19), as well as with
nieces, nephews, and other young Native people, who continue to advise
her. "Native American youth from all over serve as consultants," she
said, "because this Web site is for them."
In December 2005, Titla resigned from television news to devote her
efforts to NYM full time. "I've enjoyed being a TV news journalist," she
said, "but I believe my calling is now about molding young Native
storytellers, and through the magazine I can help showcase their talents
and lifestyles."