Genesis The Podcast

Building an Equitable Future: Empowering Youth to Shape a World of Equality for All

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The episode explores the vital role of youth in achieving gender equity through empowerment and education, focusing on the GET Project led by Ariella Neckritz, Director of Youth Programs at The Representation Project. It discusses the importance of addressing systemic issues and stereotypes while fostering an inclusive dialogue that equips future leaders with necessary tools for change. Our conversation is an essential primer on the topic of equality that includes key films and curriculum that empower youth. Through the lens of influential documentaries like "Misrepresentation" and "The Mask You Live In," Arielle offers an inside look at how media representation shapes societal perceptions and the critical mission of the Representation Project, founded by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, in combating sexism with compelling narratives and educational campaigns.


Speaker 1:

Today we'll discuss gender equity and the empowerment of students and young people so they can shape the future they envision. Our guest, arielle Annette Kreetz, is the Director of Youth Programs at the Representation Project. I'm Maria McMullin and this is Genesis the Podcast. Arielle Annette Kreetz pronouns they. She is the Director of Youth Programs at the Representation Project, where they lead initiatives to foster gender equity and empower young changemakers. Ariella developed Gender Equity Training the project also known as GET the project and oversees the Youth Advisory Council. She was also featured in the Representation Project's documentary Misrepresentation. They hold a BA in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies in Human Services and Social Justice from GWU.

Speaker 1:

Ariella was a previous guest on Genesis the Podcast during their time as Director of Violence Prevention and Training at Jewish Women International. In that role, they helped launch the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community and led trauma-informed intersectional initiatives, delivering over 100 workshops to 6,000 students across 20 universities. They also managed the National Alliance to End Domestic Abuse, organizing 80 webinars for 8,000 professionals in the sexual and domestic violence prevention field. She joins us today to discuss her role at the Representation Project and about the GET Project. Ariella, welcome to the podcast, hi. Thanks so much for having me. Thanks so much for coming back and talking with us again. I believe just a few years ago you were on when you worked at the Jewish Women's International. Is that correct? Yes, it is, and so now you're working with the Representation Project. What is that project? What is that organization?

Speaker 2:

Yes, so we are a nonprofit organization founded by Jennifer Sebel Newsom and we're dedicated to using films, education and campaigns to fight sexism and challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes. Our films and curricula have reached nearly 30 million individuals globally, which is just mind-blowing amazing including over 2.6 million youth, and our social media impressions have exceeded 1.86 billion. We're a documentary impact film organization, so our films include Misrepresentation, which exposes how mainstream media and culture contribute to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power. The Mask you Live In, which follows boys and young men as they navigate America's narrow definition of masculinity. And the Great American Lie, examining the roots of systemic inequalities amid growing economic disparities. And our last film, fair Play, which you can watch on Hulu, takes a deep look at domestic inequality and invisible care work deep look at domestic inequality and invisible care work.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, those are all really important topics and I'd love to be able to learn more about each one of those films. I'd also love to know more about the history of the Representation Project and how it seeks to empower individuals and communities.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so we've been around for 13 years and again, as I mentioned, the organization was started by our founder, jennifer Sebel Newsome, who came to this work as someone who had been in the media industry as an actress, you know, experiencing challenges in the narrow roles that women were receiving, and then also, you know, seeing the parallels in terms of underrepresentation of women in government and corporations, and she wanted to really highlight and talk about this problem, and so she created misrepresentation, which was viewed, you know, by millions globally and really started a conversation about media representation and also the way that, you know, women are treated in politics and how women and, I would say, gender expansive folks and people of color are underrepresented in positions of power.

Speaker 2:

And so from there, you know, conversations bloomed. Then she filmed the Mask you Live In, which started a, you know, a huge conversation about healthy masculinity and what does masculinity look like in America, and so that is kind of the origin story of our organization. We also started doing reports to have the data to talk about what are we seeing in terms of representation? We started campaigns addressing sexism in Super Bowl ads and really calling out when we're seeing companies and corporations further harmful sexist narratives and tropes, and so that created a toolbox for us to really advocate for a more equitable world, and that's kind of the origin story of our organization.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a great yet brief, very brief history of a really serious project. So, just for folks who are listening, because we don't have anything you know up on a screen that you can look at misrepresentation. The film is actually two words, right, so it's mis M-I-S-S as in the feminine representation. So I just wanted to make that clear in case people go looking for the film and they're typing it all as one word. And I also want to learn about the new project that you launched in September called Get G-E-T the project. What is that? What are its components?

Speaker 2:

So first I'll just share you know I have the pleasure of being the director of youth programs at the Representation Project, where I get to lead initiatives that foster gender equity and empower young changemakers, and I had the great honor to develop the Gender Equity Training Project along with overseeing our Youth Advisory Council.

Speaker 2:

So I really get to be a part of our youth work as someone who was a youth impacted by this organization, and I was actually featured in the documentary you just mentioned Misrepresentation. So it's been this really beautiful opportunity to come back to the organization and help create tools to support young people, as a young person who was served by this organization. So Get the Project is a new bold initiative from the Representation Project, designed to empower youth as the next generation of gender justice leaders, and it's a full suite of free offerings that includes a curriculum, an online hub and youth clubs, and they're each aimed at fostering gender equity and inspiring action. So the curriculum is a free eight-module curriculum for high school and college students that tackles key issues such as media literacy, gender norms, healthy masculinity, body image, mental health, social media consent, healthy relationships and sexual misconduct. And what's great is these workshops can be delivered as a series or individually. So they're set up and ready for teachers, parents, youth leaders to present them and have something ready to go.

Speaker 1:

So let me just ask a question about that. So just give us an example of what one of the modules might look like.

Speaker 2:

So I just had the great opportunity of co-facilitating a module with one of our youth and it's about social media and mental health, and so we open it up by kind of talking to young people about social media you know, what platforms do they use, how often do they use them and then from there, we really dive into what is digital well-being and talking about building habits to support our mental health. We talk about, you know, what we're witnessing with a youth mental health crisis right now in America. We think about cyber bullying and how do we support friends who are experiencing cyber bullying, whether that's connected to gender-based violence or just, you know, bullying itself. And then we close out by really thinking about, you know, what can we do to support our wellness and our well-being, where we think about self-care, but also how do we share these practices of, maybe you know, taking a digital detox or, you know, encouraging friends to connect in person. How do we share these tools with our community?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so it sounds very interactive. Yes, very interactive. We incorporate videos from our films. There's lots of space for youth to really share and connect with one another. We use TikTok videos, so really highlighting youth-centric media, and we also have, you know different worksheets and activities that allow people space to reflect, connect and share.

Speaker 1:

How long does it take to implement one module?

Speaker 2:

Each modules are set up to be, you know, an hour to 45 minutes, so the hope is they could work for a class period, but I think it would be super easy to you know take out some of the activities or maybe some of the discussion questions. So if you have more limited time, there's still ways to integrate the content and if you wanted to expand on it, there's lots of ways that you could, you know, make these sessions longer and add additional material.

Speaker 1:

It's great to hear that there are some other options to extend the learning. Let's talk about the other elements of Get the Project.

Speaker 2:

So we also created an online hub. We really saw a need. We know that young people are connecting online and we wanted to create a safe space where young people can learn. We have courses where they can learn about event planning, social media for social change, community organizing and activism, alongside creating you know, creating a space for youth changemakers to connect with each other and ask for support, ask for help, create more community, because we know this work can be lonely, it can be hard, it can be challenging, and so we wanted to offer a space for young people to connect and share, but also it's a great place to share resources.

Speaker 2:

That's where I'll post about, you know, different opportunities through some of our partners, so that hopefully, it's kind of a space for lots of different youth opportunity and connection. And, additionally, we're starting a clubs program and this gives youth the opportunity to bring those modules that we were just discussing to their school, to their community. All of the modules were created in connection with youth. We worked with our youth leaders to develop these materials, so the hope is that young people can facilitate them themselves for their community, them themselves for their community, and so we hope that the clubs give them a way to kind of bridge our mission with making that direct impact in their area.

Speaker 1:

That's outstanding. So when we opened the show, we were talking about the Representation Project as an organization that produces films, and so now we're talking about curriculum and getting right down into the classroom with the young people who really need this supplementary education. So how did that come together and what role did young people play in creating it?

Speaker 2:

So I'll mention that all of our films include free curriculum. We've always believed that it is so important to offer tools to educate and empower young people and the folks that serve them. So you know if, based on this podcast, you learn about the mask you live in or misrepresentation or fair play. All of these films have free curriculum and that's something that we've always been committed to and think is really critical.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's great. I didn't realize all of that, so that's great to know that.

Speaker 2:

So we've been in the in the curriculum space and the prevention and gestation space for a while and you know why we thought, you know, developing this curriculum especially was really important is because we're seeing all these conversations about all these different critical issues and we wanted to create a comprehensive resource that brings those conversations together.

Speaker 2:

We know that prevention education is so essential because it equips young people with the knowledge and skills to really recognize these harmful behaviors, challenge stereotypes and advocate for themselves before issues escalate.

Speaker 2:

I'll just share some statistics to try to help us understand the world young people are living in right now. But nearly half of high school students are experiencing sexual harassment, one in five have seriously considered suicide in the past year, and social media is only further exacerbating these issues, with one in four teens reporting a negative impact on their well-being and 46% feeling bad about their bodies. And we're also seeing that impact around eating disorders, with 50% of teenage girls and 30% of teenage boys engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors. So these statistics really illustrate why we need to address these issues, and especially right now, and so in creating the curriculum for me, I really developed tools that I wished I'd had workshops about healthy body image, digital well-being, healthy relationships, and so this was the opportunity for us to build the toolbox for the next generation of youth leaders, an opportunity to create a program that addresses media literacy, implicit bias, mental health, consent together, because these issues are interconnected how we see ourselves, how we interact with others and how we engage with society all influence one another.

Speaker 1:

So let's talk about that interconnection. How is the fight for gender equity and preventing dating and sexual violence interconnected?

Speaker 2:

The fight for gender equity and the prevention of dating and sexual violence is rooted in shared underlying causes harmful gender norms, power disparities and societal attitudes that devalue individuals based on identity. Gender equity seeks to create an environment where people of all gender identities have equal rights, opportunities and are treated with respect. Dating and sexual violence frequently emerge from systemic inequalities that perpetuate dominance and control. Promoting gender equity allows us to confront and dismantle the gender stereotypes and expectations that fuel violence. For instance, restrictive definitions of masculinity can promote aggressive behavior. By tackling these harmful norms through education and advocacy, we can cultivate a culture that prioritizes and values consent, respect and healthy relationships.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I couldn't agree more and, as a parent of teenagers, I do think that all of this can be true at some point for kids in high school. But I have to wonder how kids in high school are actually thinking about, if they're actually thinking about gender roles and, if they do, how critically they go through that process.

Speaker 2:

I think that's such a good question. I know that young people are being bombarded with so much information as they're, you know, receiving. You know so much through TikTok and social media, through their schools, through their communities. There's so much messaging and, whether they're realizing it or not, they're absorbing some of that information and I think it's really critical that we create a space for young people to think about that information that they're absorbing and really talk about gender norms and stereotypes, because they influence so much of how we show up in the world.

Speaker 2:

Stereotypes, because they influence so much of how we show up in the world. Restrictive gendered roles contribute to harmful gender stereotypes, body image issues and unique power dynamics. So encouraging thinking about these roles empower youth to challenge those norms and achieve their full potential. And I think what we really want to focus on is how do we create a world where youth can become who they want to be, rather than conforming to who society tells them they need to be? So how do we create that space for them to be their authentic selves outside of these restrictive norms or stereotypes? And whether they're realizing those norms or stereotypes impact them. I think that can vary from youth to youth and that's why we want to bring Get the Project to more communities so that we can create a space for young people to talk about it and really think about who they want to be, versus conforming to these norms and stereotypes.

Speaker 1:

I think that's a great question how do we create that world, how do we create that space? And I bet that kids today would have a lot of really insightful answers to that and what they see the future as for their generation. This show right how we create that world because we could theorize and we could look at the feedback from the curriculum, but it's going to be up to the youth of today to decide if they want to take that on, take on gender roles and gender equity and just fairness about how those roles are seen in society. What kind of feedback have you gotten specifically from Going?

Speaker 2:

back to your last point. You know, something that was really powerful about, you know, thinking about that world that young people want to create is finishing our Youth Advisory Council experience. We had the youth create a intersectional feminist zine, honoring, you know, homage to magazines, their self-published magazines, and we had each of the youth, you know, submit different art and stories and different pieces just to share and kind of reflect on their experience and think about, you know, what did they want to share with the world? And I was really moved. One of our youth, you know, created a piece talking about like, what does the future of this work look like? And it just made me so excited to see that there are so many young people who, you know, see the world today and really want to make that impact.

Speaker 2:

And I think our role as adults is to continue to lift up those voices, to celebrate those voices and to support those voices. And I feel really lucky, as a young person who was supported by an organization, to get to come back to that organization and support more young people, you know, and feeling like their voice matters, that their voice is heard, but also really equipping them with the tools to make an impact. And so, you know, thanks for mentioning that, and I also want to just shout you out as a parent. You know, I think so many parents play a critical role in bringing these conversations to the home, and thank you for mentioning, you know, your kids and you know thank you to all the parents who are also, you know, committing to bringing these conversations to their home space.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and there's certainly there's education that can happen at school and through a curriculum like the one that you've developed, and home is a big part of that as well. If it's not getting reinforced at home, then it may not really stick. So it's important for parents to be very engaged in their children's lives as well. I understand that you were intentional about trying to make this project engaging for boys and men. Why was that so important to you?

Speaker 2:

We really wanted to ensure that the materials were engaging for everyone, whether that's boys, girls or gender expansive youth, because everyone is impacted by harmful and restrictive gender norms and stereotypes. Our module on healthy masculinities specifically addresses the effects of norms on men and boys, but the curriculum as a whole was designed to include all young people in the conversation. We know that progress can only be made when everyone is a part of the solution. Everyone has a seat at the table table, so encouraging all youth to embrace empathy, vulnerability and respect is critical to creating a more equitable world and an equitable future.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think that's the perfect premise for what you're trying to achieve. I know this is a curriculum that can be used in schools, so how would you like to see the project used in other schools or in the wider community?

Speaker 2:

I'd love to see the gender equity training curriculum used as kind of a foundational tool by schools, community centers and youth-serving organization and prevention nonprofits. It can be implemented in a classroom setting, but also with an after-school program or by a peer-led group. These multimedia workshops can be delivered as a series or individually, so I think they would be a great fit for school assemblies, advisory groups, freshman orientations, dormitory workshops, affinity cohorts, leadership councils, student organization or community outreach efforts. So you know, we hope that this tool could be used in a variety of settings to support, you know, professionals, young people, in creating space to have these critical conversations and build you know, more supportive, more respectful, more equitable communities.

Speaker 1:

And the curriculum is no cost correct For schools, For schools.

Speaker 2:

It's completely free for anyone. So anyone can download this curriculum. If you're a parent, if you're a coach, if you're a sibling, if you're a student activist, it's completely free for anyone to use, and we welcome people using these resources in whatever ways can serve you know their communities. So completely free. And so is the hub, our youth online space, so is the clubs and so is all of our curriculum. So if you download our curriculum for misrepresentation, the mask, you live in fair play, great American lie. All of these resources are free.

Speaker 1:

Excellent. Let's talk about results. What results have you seen from people who piloted this curriculum?

Speaker 2:

So the results from our pilot, which we conducted in two schools and an after-school youth program, have been really promising. College students facilitated the workshops for high school students, so it was peer-led, peer-driven and evaluating their experiences. Before and after participating in the gender equity program. We saw students report, you know, 25.8% increase in their understanding of healthy masculinities, a 24.4% increase in knowledge around the history of gender justice activism, which, I'll add. I think it's so important that we honor the people who have brought us to this moment, to all the trailblazers to all the people who have done so much work to build this movement, and so I'm really grateful.

Speaker 2:

We have a workshop about the history of gender justice activism, and I think that's so important because we know women's history is often not lifted up, but also the history of this movement is not often lifted up as we think about US history, but it's so critical that we honor and celebrate those trailblazers.

Speaker 2:

Additionally, there was a 14.3% increase about gender justice issues and a 9.9% increase in healthy social media use, which is great to see. As we know, a lot of young people are struggling and building that balance with social media use, and we also saw a 7.3% increase in their ability to effectively advocate for themselves. We think advocating for yourself is such a critical tool it is, it's an important skill for yourself is such a critical tool it is, it's an important skill. But most notably, there was a significant reduction in overall sexism scores, dropping from 52.5 out of 60 to 38.5. So these measurable improvements really demonstrate that the curriculum is not only resonating with students, but making a real impact in shifting their perspectives and behaviors. And I'll just add since election day, researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue have tracked a 4,600% increase in misogynistic hate speech online, including phrases like your body, my choice, and so it is so critical, especially in this moment, that we offer tools to reduce the rise of sexism.

Speaker 1:

I couldn't agree more with everything that you just said, and I did want to ask a question about the data and the outcomes that you reported. So was that done through a survey of participants or some other method?

Speaker 2:

Yes, we did a pre-test and a post-test, and then we had the data analyzed by researchers and then, additionally, like I did, interviews with some of our youth participants to better understand their experiences and the impact of the curriculum.

Speaker 1:

So cause I'm just trying to get an idea of how it was compiled and how people who might want to use this curriculum in their classroom or for their workshop how they could. Is that tool given to them as well? How to collect that kind of information.

Speaker 2:

Yes, everything is set up and ready to go. So we have a pre-test and post-test survey and anyone who chooses to you know facilitate these workshops in their community, we're happy to share that data with you as we ask students you know where are like, what school are they at or what area they're in. Easily share that data for schools to be able to, or community centers or organizations to be able to talk about the impact of facilitating this program on the youth in their community.

Speaker 1:

That sounds great. So, beyond the curriculum and film and following the representation project on social media and just really learning about all of these issues, what are some ways listeners can advocate for gender justice?

Speaker 2:

Some ways that listeners can advocate for gender justice is to be an upstander and intervene when you witness sexism. With the holidays coming up, you know thinking about the conversations that might happen. It's a great opportunity for us to show support to those in our family, our loved ones, when we witness sexism and call in loved ones to really talk about these critical issues. Read books and learn more about gender justice issues and the trailblazers who advanced this movement. There's so many wonderful books and resources, so I highly encourage folks to dive in, engage in conversations with your friends, colleagues and family members about gender justice. So much of how we can create a change is by connecting and sharing with one another, especially those who we're close to and connected to, because that can make a huge impact.

Speaker 2:

Share educational resources within your community impact. Share educational resources within your community. Get is a great resource. There's also many other wonderful resources out there and I highly encourage you to share those resources. Create and repost gender justice content on social media. Volunteer for organizations or political campaigns that advocate for gender equity. You can start a petition or campaign for causes that promote gender justice. Write your political representatives or vote to support gender justice policies. Donate or fundraise for gender justice related causes, such as domestic violence, shelters or menstrual product drives, and continue to listen to Genesis, the podcast supporting media that shatters the silence on domestic violence and issues impacting women and girls.

Speaker 1:

Well, that last one, though I mean that's the important one, right? Thank you for mentioning that, Ariella. I think that all of those points are super important and great ways to just begin your journey. If you're interested in advocating for gender justice, Tell us where people can learn more about the Representation Project.

Speaker 2:

So you can find us at our website, which is thereprojectorg, and if you wanna learn more information about Get the Project, the gender equity training, you can go to thereprojectorg slash education slash get. You can find us on Facebook and TikTok under the Rep Project, and then YouTube, instagram and threads. We're at misrepresentation and, as you pointed out at the beginning, it's M-I-S-S misrepresentation. And then at LinkedIn you can find us as the Representation Project.

Speaker 1:

So there's no excuse for not being able to find you guys, because you're everywhere, right? This is fantastic, ariella. I really learned a lot about the project and about how the work you're doing is changing the lives and hopefully shaping the future for our next generation of leaders in this country. Thank you for being with me and best of luck in the continuation of this work.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for having me on the podcast. I really appreciate the space that you're creating within our movement to spotlight new ideas, important initiatives and critical work. So thank you so much for having me on again. It's been an honor and so much gratitude for what you are doing.

Speaker 1:

My pleasure. Genesis Women's Shelter and Support exists to give women in abusive situations a way out. We are committed to our mission of providing safety, shelter and support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence, and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence and impact. Join us in creating a societal shift on how people think about domestic violence. You can learn more at GenesisShelterorg and when you follow us on social media on Facebook and Instagram at Genesis Women's Shelter, and on X at Genesis Shelter. The Genesis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by call or text at 214-946-HELP 214-946-4357.