WQED Multimedia

Television:love what you do: shy's story - Wqed presented this short, local documentary as part of pbs american masters becoming helen keller multi-station initiative that premiered during national disability employment awareness month in october 2021. Blind since birth and on the autism spectrum, shailen "shy" abram of pittsburgh is a self-taught pianist and vocalist. From the time his mother bought him a ten-dollar keyboard, to his aspirations of becoming a teacher and part of a symphony orchestra, shy's inspirational story is about overcoming obstacles. Continue on schedule o.love what you do: shy's story premiered online at www.wqed.org/shysstory and on wqed-tv (with audio descriptions) on october 18, 2021.in addition, Wqed education, with input from a local advisory board convened by Wqed to advise on ways to make Wqed content more accessible, hosted a virtual screening event to discuss both productions.a broken system: health care inequity - pittsburgh has long boasted its status as "america's most livable city." However, a closer examination reveals deep and troubling health disparities in marginalized communities. In this 30-minute documentary, Wqed explores the reasons behind the inequities faced by african americans; hispanic, immigrant and lbtqia+ residents; and for people living with disabilities, and introduces people working for positive change. A broken system: health care inequity premiered december 9, 2021 on wqed-tv.a force for change: esther bush and the urban league - when esther bush was a little girl, she saw the world as a place filled with possibilities. The way she saw it, we should all have the same rights and opportunities to be whom and what she wanted to be. It was that belief that inspired esther to join the urban league of greater pittsburgh and become a force for change. Wqed follows esther's journey from westinghouse high school to the urban league's national office and back again to pittsburgh. A force for change: esther bush and the urban league (broadcast premiere june 30, 2022, with companion website: www.wqed.org/estherbush) introduces viewers to some of the many people she's inspired and those who have inspired her. The program also explores the urban league of greater pittsburgh as it meets the challenges of a changing city.wqed digital docs are an ongoing series of documentary shorts that explore fascinating topics, diverse people and places. What follows are examples of how Wqed elevated the issues and stories of unserved or underserved audiences.a matter of trust - Wqed, in partnership with the poise foundation and the black equity coalition, has been helping to address questions and build trust in the covid-19 vaccine in the communities most impacted by the virus. Black residents comprise a disproportionate number of covid related hospitalizations, icu admissions and deaths, especially between the ages of 35 to 65, according to the allegheny county health department. Combining the skills and resources of doctors, teachers, community leaders, health experts, friends from the neighborhood and our award-winning production team, Wqed's "a matter of trust" has been broadcasting and streaming a series of short videos that speak directly to our communities to combat the virus and raise awareness. In fiscal year 2022, the following episodes were shared:our children: a conversation (episode 10, 10/15/21) - three local physicians discuss the covid-19 pandemic and its effects on children -- and particularly, theirs.by the numbers (episode 11, 11/03/21) - a look at some of the weekly covid statistics from the allegheny county health department shows disparities among different racial and ethnic groups.celebrating safely (episode 12, 11/23/21) - with the holiday season upon us, people will be gathering with family and friends. But with covid-19 still a serious concern, what are some of the ways we can celebrate safely?because we care (episode 13, 12/15/21) - members of the community share their reasons for getting the covid-19 vaccine, and urge others to follow their lead to help us all stay healthy.coping with covid (episode 14, 01/19/22) - long-time pittsburgh psychologist dr. walter smith discusses the emotional effects covid has had on the community as we enter the second full year of the pandemic.a beacon on the hill (episode 15, 02/22/22) - a new covid vaccination clinic has opened in the heart of pittsburgh's hill district. This upmc facility is staffed by physicians, nurses, pharmacists and health care professionals.children and choices (episode 16, 07/17/22) - young people share their thoughts on taking the vaccine. Parents talk about immunization decisions they made for their children.voices - Wqed's video documentary series hopes to create dialogue by sharing the thoughtfulvoicesof a diverse group different backgrounds, different ideas, and different goals - all working towards equity. Racism, police brutality, disparities in education, careers,health care,economic opportunity, business and housing these are just some of the issues that have long plagued pittsburgh'safrican american and other marginalized communities that are discussed. Gentrification & displacement (10/29/21) episode 7: as pittsburgh's cost of living continues to rise, we look at gentrification and its impact on the city's marginalized communities. When developers descend on pittsburgh's neighborhoods, who stands to gain and lose?the generational wealth gap (11/19/21) episode 8: the generational wealth gapit's a systemic inequity that dates back hundreds of years. A stark absence of generational wealth among african american families often leads to insurmountable obstacles, including debt and inability to own a home. This episode of voices explores the historic and present-day challenges, while introducing those working for positive change. Why words matter (01/22/22) episode 9: the english language remains filled with commonly-used words and idioms that began as slurs or insults to certain ethnic groups. This episode of voices explores how derogatory terms enter the lexicon, and why words matter.the prison system (04/25/22) episode 10: over two million americans are incarcerated in jails, prisons, and juvenile correction institutions. In this episode, formerly incarcerated local citizens reflect on their experiences, thoughts, and hopes for changing america's criminal justice system.created for digital viewing, the following digital docs explored diverse and memorable history, human interest stories, and more in the past year:wilkinsburg train station: back on track (11/12/21) - a beautiful, but neglected landmark has a new life again. Wqed followed the massive renovation of a treasured building that celebrates the community's past and present.keeping hope alice: sally's story, a blind children's author tells her story. (12/08/21) at age 24, sally hobart was living her dream life in California teaching elementary school when she started to lose her vision. Moving to pittsburgh to attend a training program for newly blind adults, she began to live independently when her hearing also began to falter. Yet sally continued to pursue her life's dreams. Now age 78, the author and educator reflects on how she turned a personal tragedy into a source of hope and inspiration for many.alma speed fox in memoriam: pittsburgh freedom fighter (01/27/22) alma speed fox dies at the age of 98. Alma speed fox was a leader in the civil, human and women's rights movements during her lifetime. Ms. fox was a mentor and role model who worked to better her community for over fifty years. In this segment from Wqed's 2006 documentary production "torchbearers" she recalls a defining day in the fight for equal rights for black pittsburghers.the photographers (04/07/22) this compilation of four short Wqed documentaries celebrates the accomplishments of pittsburgh area african american photographers. "family portraits" explores the career of groundbreaking corporate photographer fred kenderson; limitless" introduces mikael owunna, whose portraits of the black body are driven by his identity as a queer nigerian; "keep pittsburgh dope" is chancelor humphrey's social media platform showcasing his street photography; "service and sacrifice" documents the legendary charles "teenie" harris' photos of the african american experience during world war ii.gordon parks in pittsburgh (07/19/22) in 1944, a young african american photographer was sent on assignment to pittsburgh to capture workers at the penola, inc. Grease production plant in the city's strip district. Fifty of those photographs were on display at the carnegie museum of art through august 7, 2022 in an exhibition entitled "gordon parks in pittsburgh 1944/1946."

Radio:in the summer of 2022, Wqed Multimedia welcomed two fellows for the station's "lead with music" fellowship, a paid, six-month opportunity in which post-high school-aged students (age 18-25) gain on-the-job experience from mentors at the nation's first community-sponsored public broadcaster. The initiative centers around diversity and career development in media production and the arts, with a focus on classical music. Through an application process, Wqed invited two fellows to participate - native pittsburgher, kamera dorsey, and university of pittsburgh student, avery barrera, majoring in urban studies. Continue on schedule o.the fellows have been mentored by professionals at the station's all-classical radio station wqed-fm, by the station's tv and digital video production team, with additional guidance on community distribution of content by Wqed's education team. Fellows have also contributed new ideas and strategies for shining a spotlight on diverse and/or under-represented artists in the pittsburgh region.the fellowship has provided a professional portfolio of produced pieces by kamera and avery, including eight 30-minute podcasts (plus social media spots and on-air segments) featuring diverse artists; a filmed proof-of-performance piece spotlighting Wqed's lead with music camp at the latrobe arts center; and two Wqed "sessions" (highlighting pittsburgh's vibrant musical community) where they assisted with production. More information on their experience can be found at https://wqed.org/leadwithmusic. Kamera shared a bit about her fellowship experience: "i heard my voice on the radio for the first time ever and i was so excited about how quickly things i am creating are being aired on the radio. "wqed-fm's 50th anniversary in the coming fiscal year, pittsburgh's home for classical music will celebrate a half a century of service to the community as the "voice of the arts." Since signing on to the broadcast airwaves at 89.3 fm on january 25, 1973, wqed-fm's platform never changed and its role amplifying pittsburgh's rich, and diverse arts community will be honored. Wqed is often the primary, if not only, resource for the public to encounter local artists and performing groups, as well as the timeless masters of classical music. The listener-supported station delivers classical music 24 hours a day to nearly 100,000 listeners in the pittsburgh region, as well as around the world through streaming, smart devices and the wqed-fm app. Wqed-fm can be heard by travelers at the greater pittsburgh international airport and in the prt subway stations through q the music. Jim cunningham, wqed-fm artistic director, is also recognizing a milestone 45 years with the station.a 50th birthday celebration at the station on wednesday, january 25, 2023, will get the party started! Listeners will be treated to short performances by pittsburgh's finest musicians, live interviews with members of the arts community and community leaders will also fill the day.the first "q" award, which will be bestowed on individuals who have had a marked impact on wqed-fm during its esteemed half century, will be awarded. Throughout 2023, Wqed will mark this historic 50th year on and off the air through programming and events not to be missed.throughout the year, radio listeners and television viewers will learn from neighbors what wqed-fm means to them, and hear from the cultural community about the role that the station plays in the artistic world. Current as well as new members will be enticed to donate in support of the golden anniversary with special giveaways and membership gifts. A specially curated anniversary edition of the voice of the arts will be made available on the wqed-fm website (or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts). Also during this anniversary year, a new radio transmitter will be installed to replace 20-year old equipment that lately has been unreliable in carrying the wqed-fm signal to its loyal listeners. The radio transmitter has been funded through the allegheny regional asset district. The goal is to prepare the station for the next 50 years to serve as a megaphone for the arts community by showcasing the talent of yesterday and today, while showcasing pittsburgh artists to the world.celebrating pittsburgh - rick sebak's gumbands Wqed producer rick sebak is developing a podcast with video elements titled gumbands. Known for his distinctive narrative style and affection for the region, mr. sebak will host the podcast that highlights stories about pittsburgh, its people, its history, its neighborhoods, its small businesses, its food, its charms, and all of its surprises. Locals know the term gumband as "pittsburghese" for a rubber band. This project will celebrate the things that pittsburghers like and appreciate.each episode of gumbands may capture audio and video content. A total of 24 podcasts will be created in 2023 and available wherever you get your podcasts. Companion video pieces will be released concurrently via social media and a gumbands website. Shortly after the completion of the first year of gumbands, a special program for broadcast and streaming is planned.

Education:wqed is creating a robust ready to learn learning neighborhood with community organizations in Washington county, pa (southwest of pittsburgh), to support the early learning needs of children in under-resourced communities. Continue on schedule o.wqed has partnered with wylandville elementary school in the canon-mcmillan school district; city mission, which has sheltered, healed, and restored the homeless to independent living for 80 years; the frank sarris public library in canonsburg; and my blueprints, a non-profit organization that serves 20,000 residents in greene county, Washington county, and west Virginia, enabling families and individuals to attain the skills, knowledge, motivations, and opportunities to become self-sufficient; to develop new programs and host ready to learn events over the next five years. The university of pittsburgh is a fifth partner, providing evaluation for Wqed's work in order to create the most effective programming for the community.the project is funded by a cpb and pbs comprehensive multi-mediMultimediaia learning and station engagement initiative which connects children's media and their learning environments to build key skills for success. The grant provides resources to pbs stations, including Wqed, to implement learning neighborhood partnerships and build new pbs content to help young children build vital skills to succeed in school and life. These skills include functional literacy, critical thinking and collaboration, as well as age-appropriate exposure to career options. It is also meant to help parents, caregivers and communities support children's learning and growth, with a goal of putting children on a path to success in learning, work and life. The university of pittsburgh is evaluating Wqed's Washington county work to inform its development. Through this initiative, Wqed and its community partners are part of a national network devoted to meeting the learning goals of pre-k children in under-resourced communities. National partners include the national association for the education of young children (naeyc), the u.s. chamber of commerce foundation, and parents as teachers. The education development center (edc) is leading research to assess the success of the five-year initiative, with emphasis on the new content's ability to build key skills and inspire children to explore the "world of work." Project research will also provide new insights into the ways in which newer media and intergenerational engagement can support children's learning.to date, Wqed's "learning neighborhood" in Washington county has served 1,500 children and 220 educators. Families and community members were engaged via 27 community events, including four focused family & community learning workshops. Wqed education team members facilitated six professional development sessions to expand reach by "teaching the teacher." Leah dietrich, director of city mission has shared: "we are so grateful for the partnership we have with Wqed to be considered for great events [for] our community! "in january 2022, Wqed acquired steeltown film academy assets, and six months later launched Wqed film academy and Wqed filmmakers. The acquisition came from a place of alignment of missions and visions, as film academy and filmmakers are focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, serving both a student population, as well as aspiring and professional filmmakers. Bridging art and industry, the multi-tiered Wqed film academy program introduces middle and high school students to filmmaking as a career path. Under the direction of professional teaching artists, enhanced by award winning Wqed producers acting as advisors and mentors, students are immersed in the filmmaking experience. They progress from instruction to internship to working as paid content creators. In addition to the Wqed studio location, film academy on location offers educators and organizations in-school and after-school programming custom fit to their needs. All Wqed film academy programming is available virtually as well as in-person to give access to students, families, and educators anywhere.wqed filmmakers, which focuses on adults in the filmmaking community, presents enrichment opportunities from crew connects (quarterly events that link independent filmmakers looking for crews to individuals who are looking for on-set experience) to workshops for filmmakers. Wqed serves as a showcase of local talent on via its long-running filmmakers corner. Now in its 14th season, Wqed's filmmakers corner is a weekly anthology series (saturdays at 10pm) that highlights the work of local filmmakers. Hosted by Wqed producer minette seate since its inception, it features documentaries and films from local producers whose productions sometimes do not get the exposure they deserve.in february 2022, Wqed was selected by the joan ganz cooney center at sesame workshop and the corporation for public broadcasting as one of 12 public media stations to participate in the by/with/for youth: inspiring next gen public media audiences project. Wqed and Wqed film academy was awarded the grant to support new models for engaging young people (aged 10-18) in the communities, based on issues that they see as relevant to their lives. Wqed utilized the grant for its "building bridges and bridging the gap" project, which had film academy students working with Wqed staff to create two learning labs: master classes on creating content with a youth perspective.just six-months after Wqed's acquisition, Wqed film academy welcomed its largest class of high school students for in-person classes. Since then, available slots have continued to sell out. Wqed highlights film academy student work via its "the reel teens" youtube channel. Film academy students are also eligible for scholarships from Wqed partner point park university to its cinema & arts department.in the fall of 2022, Wqed film academy expanded its program offering by launching "Wqed film academy lite." This abbreviated version of the high school film academy program introduces middle school students to filmmaking. The after school program, offered several times a year to seventh and eighth graders, is held at the Wqed studios one day a week.with the addition of Wqed film academy and Wqed filmmakers, Wqed expands its education continuum, from serving early learners to those in high school. The impact of these programs was featured in a recent "from the source podcast" titled inside ja'nya's film lab: how a 10th grader is scripting her future, her way (february 1, 2023), s4, ep. 8, by jourdan hicks, httpswwwpublicsourceorgpodcasthig... this conversation, reach cyber charter school sophomore ja'nya coleman discusses how she views the paths to career success outside of attending college post-graduation, and how virtual learning, mentors and bad tv shows helped her realize her passion for storytelling and find a creative community. "ja'nya found out about the [Wqed] film academy through her school and first joined at what they call the learning level in 2021. Because of covid, the sessions were held virtually. After that, she went back as an intern in person where they jumped right into filming the first day. ""she's now a leader among the film academy students, as a paid member of the Wqed teen film crew. She and her colleagues pitch and produce their own work and take on client work. They've gotten super close over the years. ""ja'nya is looking at point park university and robert morris university, and she continues to work on her skills and portfolio through the film academy. She's even written her own short film. "future jobs working today in 2018, Wqed launched its future jobs workforce development initiative. Today, this issue is more top-of-mind than ever. Covid-19 acted as an accelerant on major trends that were already changing the employment landscape. Nationwide, as of november 2022 there were 1.7 job openings for every person looking for work, according to the u.s. bureau of labor statistics. In our region, the labor force remains stagnant while there are significantly fewer people seeking work. At the same time, many people struggle to find sustaining livelihoods, and economic disparities remain firmly entrenched. Because this is an issue that affects the well-being of people and communities that we serve, and is central to our region's overall vitality and prosperity, Wqed is committed to expanding the reach and impact of future jobs over the next three years. It is our organization's top-priority initiative. We are calling the next iteration of our initiative future jobs working today (fj-wt).