PRODUCING A REALITY SHOW FEATURING BRILLIANT BLACK TEENS - Ep. 3

PRODUCING A REALITY SHOW FEATURING BRILLIANT BLACK TEENS

with founder of The Urban STEMulus Project, Ateya Ball-Lacy

Episode 003

Meet assistant principal Ateya Ball-Lacy, creator and executive producer of the HoodSmart Urban STEMulus Project reality show. The project shines a light on talented African American students that are excelling in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Using a reality TV format, the show aims to celebrate brilliant Black students, providing a factual basis for positive images and narratives about Black youth. In this episode, Sistah Doc Mwangaza Michael-Bandele speaks with Ateya Ball-Lacy as she explains the idea and purpose behind the HoodSmart project. Listen in to learn why using the media may be a smart way to showcase positive Black stories.

Takeaways

• How to inspire Black youth to achieve better academically


• One important purpose of teaching Black history is to help children better understand themselves.


• The power of the media and how it impacts Black self-perception.


• The importance of teaching young people to respect elders of the community.

Key Moments

[4:07] Ateya Ball-Lacy describes the HoodSmart Urban STEMulus Project and its intended outcomes.

[7:31] Ateya Ball-Lacy explains how the project offers a way to recognize high achieving Blackstudents by celebrating those who have done exceptionally well

[11:15] Ateya Ball-Lacy tells a story about young Black men who exposed their real desires to achieve highly when they were in a nurturing environment.

[16:18] The importance of having platforms that teach children history that helps them understand present-day occurrences and encourages them in a positive direction

[18:04] An explanation of reality show highlights and why Ball-Lacy chose to use a media platform

[20:13] The process by which the reality show was created and produced is explained, with updates about its current status.

[23:36] Why Ball-Lacy involved elders in the project as a way to teach intergenerational respect and cultural values

[26:25] Ball-Lacy describes the success of the first pop-up event.

References

HoodSmart Urban STEMulus Project Website: http://hoodsmarttv.com/

HoodSmart Urban STEMulus Project Email: [email protected]