F R A N K L Y S P E A K IN G
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A L IZ H A
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KA Y A
Frankly. is a podcast that explores the health and wellbeing of adolescents from the perspectives and lived experiences of young people on Chicago’s South and West sides. Co-produced by Chicago youth Kaya Thomas and Alizha Vernon and Ci3 at the University of Chicago, Frankly. is a seven-episode series that builds on the findings from Ci3’s Adolescent X study, a research project that uses narrative methods to explore the messages that young people receive about their bodies, identities, and sexual health. Frankly. centers the voices of young people marginalized by race, gender, and/or sexual orientation as they navigate various social environments, develop their identities, and understand the world around them. Frankly. contextualizes the stories of young people by examining the ways in which structural barriers and institutions impede their health and wellbeing.
The Frankly. Podcast Mixtape is a discussion guide that accompanies the podcast. It is a compilation of links to articles, archival and audio-visual materials, films and documentaries, research institutions, related Adolescent X research findings, and resources that provide more insights into the topics explored in each episode. It will also highlight Chicago-based community spaces that uplift the brilliance and diversity of Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods.
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Episode Summary When we began the production of Frankly. In January 2020, we planned to produce six episodes. When the pandemic began in March, like much of the world, our lives changed dramatically. This initial shift was followed by the social unrest sparked by the murders of Ahmad Aurbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Experiencing all of these things at one time was emotionally taxing for most adults. That’s why we thought it important to hear from young people and learn more about what they were feeling and thinking during this time. In the bonus episode of Frankly., Alizha Vernon and Kaya Thomas sit down on July 4, 2020, to reflect on a myriad of social issues. First, they discuss the their experiences with sex education. What it will mean to go to college during a pandemic. As Kaya enters her first year at Northeastern University, she shares her apprehensions about attending a predominantly white institution in Boston. Their conversation shifted into reflecting on the production of Frankly. Podcast. They shared their favorite parts of shaping and building the podcast, from constructing the brand identity and episode guides to interviewing folks. They talk about the challenges that came with shifting from in-person to virtual interviews and the impact that had on their fellowship with Ci3. Finally, they talked about their hopes for the podcast. "The thing I like about this podcast is it's young people telling older people what we want. So, it's not older people speaking over us. I think adults usually tend to think 'Oh, this is what I needed when I was a kid' but ignore how times change and how society and social standards change. So, I think it's nice to have young people saying 'This is what we're asking for, this is what we're looking for' rather than adults saying 'This is what you need.' all the time." - Alizha “Of course we don’t know how far this podcast can go right now, or will go, but hopefully it is able to reach people younger than us. Because I do think that’s, honestly, most important.” - Kaya Thomas
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Creating Frankly. At Ci3, when we co-create with young people, we trust and prioritize their thoughts, ideas, and experiences. One of the biggest challenges of academic research is that it often ends up in an academic journal, behind a paywall and inaccessible to many of the people who the findings could directly impact. When we conducted the Adolescent X study from 2018 through 2019, we found that we only touched the surface of understanding young people’s experiences regarding sexual health, identity, and so much more. So, we decided to deepen our understanding by creating a podcast that would feature young people’s experiences in their own words. This podcast became a way for young people to also engage with our research findings and take part in how and by whom the research is communicated. In other words, this podcast was our way of asking young people to lead the conversations about their realities, relationships, and how they are developing their identities. In 2019, Kaya and Alizha joined Ci3 as Podcast Production Fellows, along with multimedia producer and one of our Story editors, Erisa Apantaku. They worked with us to: 1) Create the narrative arc of each episode 2) Guide us through the topics most relevant to young people today, and 3) Conduct interviews with other young people and adult experts. They were also central to the naming and branding process as well as mapping out the communications plan for the podcast. When the pandemic hit, our bi-weekly team meetings to discuss all things Frankly. transformed into virtual meetings where we adapted quickly to our “new normal.” Here is a brief timeline of milestones that allowed us to complete Frankly. during a pandemic. April - August: Ci3 and Podcast Fellows planned and conducted interviews with Dr. Darnell Motley, Dr. Candice Norcott, Eva Sweeney, Angela Townsend, Cat Cienfuegos, and others for the podcast episodes. During this time, they prepared their own questions to ask as well as related some of their personal stories with these experts. September - November: As the production came to an end, our team began the scripting process for each episode. This required extensive research on episode subjects, listening to the recorded interviews, and contextualizing the stories shared in our current moment in history. We also began the recording for episode voiceovers with hosts Kaya Thomas and Ireashia Bennett. We finalized scripts and began post-production editing. December - February: Once scripts, voiceovers, and interviews were finalized, we began editing them together to complete Frankly.!
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Production Team Melissa Gilliam MD, MPH Ireashia Bennett Valerie Reynolds Kaya Thomas Erisa Apantaku Liz Futrell Alizha Vernon Robin Cogdell Crystal Tyler Erin Garcia Soo Young Lee Adriana Brodyn Melissa Sherwin
Creator, Ci3 Founder and Director Co-Host, Executive Producer, Sound Engineer Senior Producer, Story Editor Co-Host, Ci3 Fellow, Producer Story Editor, Podcast Consultant Project Manager, Producer Ci3 Fellow, Producer Lead Graphic Designer Story Editor Story Editor Story Editor, Researcher Story Editor, Researcher Story Editor
Back Cover Frankly. is a seven-episode podcast that explores the health, wellbeing and lived experiences of Black and Latinx young people on Chicago’s South and West sides. Frankly. centers the voices of young people who have been marginalized due to their race, gender, and/or sexual orientation as they navigate various social environments, develop their identities, and understand the world around them. The podcast engages young people in conversations about their unique experiences with consent, healthy relationships, over-policing, sexual harassment, sex ed, and health equity. Additionally, Frankly. aims to contextualize these stories by examining the ways in which structural barriers and institutions impede young people’s overall health and wellbeing.
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The Frankly. podcast a Ci3 initiative. Ci3 is a research center at the University of Chicago, addressing the social and structural determinants of adolescent sexual and reproductive health. At Ci3, we envision a world in which all youth emerge into adulthood with agency over their bodies and futures. Ci3 is committed to empowering young people, conducting innovative research, and uncovering opportunities for policy and systemic change. For more information visit: ci3.uchicago.edu
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