FOR20YEARS,ONEORGANIZATION H A S E M P O W E R E D T E E NAG E R S TO BECOMEBETTERLEADERS,TOEXPRESS T H E M S E LV E S E F F E C T I V E LYA N D B U I L DA STRONGERCOMMUNITYBYUSINGTHE TOOLSOFJOURNALISMANDWRITING. THISISTHE20-YEAREVOLUTIONOF
TEEN COMMUNICATIONS
A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY PUBLICATION
VOX’s beginnings through the eyes of the founding teens and adults who supported them
PAGES 4 - 9
VOX at 20
A timeline spanning 1993 - present day, with voices from teens, staff, and board members — with memories of the ‘90s to boot
Founder’s Reflection
PAGES 12 - 39
Kilpatrick Townsend’s Gifts that Keep Giving
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Spotlight of KT’s longstanding financial and human support of VOX
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While the VOX culture of teens first remains the same, many pieces of the VOX fabric have changed
PAGES 10 - 11
Founder Rachel Alterman Wallack remembers 20 years of service to teens in Atlanta and the unique model VOX operates
That ‘90s Fashion
PAGES 22 - 23
Current teen staffers play dress up in some of the 1990s’ most memorable fashion hits and misses
Homecoming Dance 2013
Pictures from our inaugural homecoming dance-themed awards dinner, including our reigning royal court
Spotlight of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s enduring support through printing (this publication even!) and volunteers
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Teens First
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The AJC’s Helping Hand
Turner’s Enduring Support Spotlight of Turner Broadcasting’s varied supports of VOX programming through present-day
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A look at Executive Director Jeff Romig’s vision for the next 20 years of VOX, keeping the initial VOX concept front and center: teens first
r Summe ! 2014 Campn back Info o page!
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VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
CONTRIBUTORS
CONTENTS
Youth-Driven Evolution
Giving VOX Voice
Hank Klibanoff is the director of journalism at Emory University and former Board Chair of VOX. He won the Pulitzer Prize in History for his book “The Race Beat,” in 2007.
Pete Corson is an Audience Specialist for myajc.com. Since high school, he has been an illustrator, cartoonist, graphic designer, programmer, digital producer and VOX volunteer. Lindsey Knox is a writer/producer at CNN. She’s a board member and volunteer for VOX. She won Volunteer Queen at VOX’s Homecoming. She has worked at CNN and HLN for four years. Marc Rice is an Executive Speechwriter at Southern Company, where he’s worked since 1996. He was a journalist for the AP and for newspapers in Georgia and South Carolina. Raisa Habersham is a freelance journalist in Atlanta. She is VOX alumna and has written for her college newspaper, The Red & Black, and interned at The Atlanta JournalConstitution. Lindy Settevendemie is a teacher of 8th grade Humanities at Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School. She worked at VOX as a Program Manager and wrote for The Laureate at at Lassiter High School.
Jeff Romig is the Executive Director at VOX. He was a teen journalist for The Viking Shield from 1994-96 in Columbia, S.C., before writing professionally for several newspapers between 1998 - 2006. Rachel Alterman Wallack founded VOX with a group of teens and adult volunteers in 1993 and has worked as a nonprofit exec, journalist, social worker and champion of youth voice ever since. Richard L. Eldredge is VOX’s associate editor and a columnist and contributing editor at Atlanta magazine. He began his news career for the Parkview Pantera at Parkview High in Gwinnett. Alexandria Wilson is a teen Board Member at VOX and a sophomore at North Atlanta High School. When she was 12, she fudged her VOX application and said she was 13 so she could join teen staff. Katie Vesser Strangis is VOX’s Director of Media and Programs. She combines her areas of interest in journalism, social work and graphic design to help teens from all over Atlanta.
CONTRIBUTORS
Randy Trammell is a graphic designer and freelance writer whose work has appeared in Vice, Creative Loafing, Pine Magazine and The Nation newspaper in Bangkok, Thailand.
20 Years of Voice
VOX means voice in Latin. It was a deliberate decision by the teens who created this publication to represent the uncensored voices of a diverse group of metro Atlanta teens. The ways that this concept of voice have played out in our organization since 1993 are numerous and breathtaking. We see it every day in our teen newsroom as new teens blossom into leaders in front of our eyes, but we wanted you to experience it through their words. That’s why, as we created a year-long celebration of VOX’s 20th anniversary, we knew it was critical to tell the stories of 20 years and share all the different ways teens have used their voices to strengthen our community. In this special issue of the VOX Teen Newspaper, you will find profiles of and reflections by teen alumni from every VOX era. You will read about VOX’s creation, VOX’s evolution and VOX’s future. And you will meet adult supporters through their reflections, learn about VOX’s summer program and read stories about our corporate supporters. We’ve provided timelines of key VOX events — and key events in Atlanta and the world — during the past 20 years. And you can enjoy VOX-style top-20 lists and tons of nostalgic information about VOX. You’ll also hear from Rachel Alterman Wallack, our founder. Her voice is found throughout this issue, from her personal reflection on the past 20 years to quotes from her in many of the stories written throughout these 44 pages. VOX will always be infused with the voices of Atlanta teens as well as with Rachel’s voice through the legacy she has created around the concepts of teen leadership. The blood, sweat and tears of so many amazing people have seeped into the fabric of VOX to enable our organization to thrive since 1993 — and well into the future. You will meet these people in these pages. You will not forget them, and VOX will not forget their legacies.
THE 2013-14 VOX TEEN STAFF Caro Addams, Howard Damola Adebola-Wilson, Elite Scholars Vanessa Alva, Cross Keys Ilana Ander, Paideia India Anderson, Lakeside Courtney Atkinson, DeKalb School of the Arts Deja Brown, Harper-Archer Jolisa Brown, Westminster Aliya Carrington, North Atlanta Sania Chandrani, Parkview Jenny Changnon, Paideia Morgan Copeland, Chattahoochee Daysha Corzine, Decatur Edith Courtney, Elite Scholars Brianna Curtis, Washington Vaughn Cyrus, North Springs Andrea Echols, Agnes Scott Divanna Eckels, Riverwood Jade Eckels, Riverwood Aspen Evans, SCAD Courtney Farmer, Hollins University Sharmaine Fisher, Lovejoy Chad Gordon, Hapeville Charter Dallas Gordon, KIPP Anna Hall, Banneker Alexes Harris, South Atlanta Alyssa Harris, Homeschool Jelani Harris, Riverdale Hallie Hartley, North Atlanta Crystal Hodge, Cedar Grove Josh Hollis, North Atlanta Kenny Hurd, Norcross Deja Hutcherson, Washington Naya James, DeKalb School of the Arts Kelsey Johnson, Riverwood Morgan Johnson, Decatur Curtis Jones, Oglethorpe Danielle Kreger, Woodward Shalom Lane, Cedar Grove Karestiah Lawson, Chattahoochee Simone Lewis, River Ridge Lisa Liu, Georgia Tech Deja Mack, Druid Hills Clarke Martin, Riverdale Lydia Mathis,Tri-Cities Arlena McClenton, DeKalb School of the Arts Quinci McDowell, North Springs Naima McHardy, KIPP
Tricia Merlino, Westminster Safiya Miller, North Atlanta Derrione Mobley, Westlake Assata Muhammad, Wesley International Eric Murphy, Arabia Mountain Rashah Neason, Woodland Kiana Nelson, Georgia State Zani Nobles, Riverwood Christina Onuoha, Lovejoy Amy Pan, Parkview Danielle Patrick, Southwest DeKalb Erica Peek, Mays Lauren Polk, Arabia Mountain Manuel Portillo, North Atlanta Jamaya Powell, Coretta Scott King Nancy Ramirez, Cross Keys Sarah Richard, Westminster Sia’ Richards, Stone Mountain Lucy Rodriguez, North Atlanta Mac Rowe, Academe of the Oaks Dominique Sabir, Coretta Scott King Jalil Shareef, Collins Hill Tru Spann, Grady Elodie St. Louis, Harrison Christian Stallworth, North Springs Cole Sullivan, Paideia Tyler Sutton, Arabia Mountain Sachin Swami, Woodward Austin Thomas, Woodward Tajah Thomas, North Atlanta Mahmood Thompson, Atlanta Tech Alex Tonico, Grady Dawit Trench, Wheeler Mikael Trench, Wheeler Miles Turner, St. Andrews Noni Warren, Hillgrove Alexandria Wilson, North Atlanta Sara Wren, Atlanta International School Nicole Zhu, Brandon Hall VOX is an independent newspaper and website produced by and about Atlanta-area teenagers. VOX is distributed by VOX Teen Communications, Inc., a nonprofit youthdevelopment organization. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect VOX Teen Communications, its Board of Directors, Staff or Supporters.
VOXTeenCommunications.org
VOX BOARD OF DIRECTORS Todd Cregar, Consultant Matt Crenshaw, Mother Nature Network Brianna Curtis, Booker T. Washington High School Whitney Deal, Kilpatrick Townsend Elizabeth Faist, Sutherland Andrew B. Flake, Arnall Golden Gregory Sharina Harris, Hilton Worldwide Mary Hinkel, Coxe Curry & Associates Alcide Honore, Hooper & Honore, LLC Catherine Jefferson, InterContinental Hotels Group LaTonya Keaton, VOX Parent, PNC Financial Group Lindsey Knox, Turner Broadcasting System Karestiah Lawson, Chattahoochee High School Clarke Martin, Riverdale High School Ellen Mendehsohn, CohnReznick Nadia Rahali, Loudermilk Center Marc Rice, Southern Company Mac Rowe, Academe of the Oaks Cole Sullivan, The Paideia School Alexandria Wilson, North Atlanta High School
VOX ADVISORY BOARD Hank Klibanoff, Emory University Kristina Christy, Turner Broadcasting System Jocelyn Dorsey, WSB-TV Amy Glennon, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Cathy Hampton, City of Atlanta Stanley Romanstein, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
VOX ADULT STAFF Executive Director, Jeff Romig Director of Strategic Initiatives / Founder Rachel Alterman Wallack, MSW Director of Media and Programs, Katie V. Strangis, LMSW Associate Editor, Richard L. Eldredge VOX Teen Communications 229 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 725, Atlanta, GA 30303 404-614-0040 | editor@voxteencommunications.org voxteencommunications.org All rights reserved. © VOX Teen Communications, Inc., 2013. This paper is printed on recycled paper using soy ink. Please recycle!
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Giving VOX Voice In 1993, Rachel Alterman Wallack found a group of teens who shared her passion for storytelling and wanted a voice. Their vision made VOX what it is today. By Lindsey Knox VOX Board Secretary and Program Volunteer
E
verything shapes us. Those three words embody the story of how VOX Teen Communications came to be and the impact it’s had on thousands of teenagers. Before VOX was even a solid idea, the seeds were planted in Rachel Alterman Wallack’s mind. Her childhood — growing up in a divided Atlanta, being aware of where she could and could not go — shaped her. Her adolescence — feeling like she could only turn to a private diary for a voice and secretly wishing someone would read it — shaped her. And her experience in college — taking an internship in New York City, despite being told she couldn’t — shaped her. That’s where the spark happened. In New York, Rachel had the chance to interact one-on-one with youth, telling their stories as part of an internship at Junior Scholastic magazine. She was working on a piece about the United
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Nations FC Convention on the Rights of the Child. She vividly remembers the children she spoke to: “The kid from Guatemala who told me that she sniffed glue to curb her hunger and that she and her brother slept on a park bench. And the kid from India who was forced to go to work in a factory when she was 10. And the boy from the Bronx, who I went and interviewed in person, who was telling me about his best friend who had been shot right in front of his face for his Air Jordan sneakers.” She pauses, remembering the interview that struck her the most. She recalls stumbling, unsure of how to maneuver a “thanks and goodbye” after such a compelling story. “He sort of wrapped it up for me by saying, ‘Thank you for telling this story. It is so important that we tell these stories, so that maybe my experience can help other kids’ experiences be different,’” Rachel said. “And I’m struck by the inequity, the incongruence of my own privilege in obtaining a college education so that I can write their stories, but these young people were the tellers of their
story.” Rachel’s editor at Junior Scholastic introduced her to a publication for teen stories in New York called New Youth Connections, published by Youth Communication. And for Rachel, it clicked. “I just thought, well this is what I have to do with my career. I have to help young people tell their stories.” For a year and a half after college, Rachel wrote for Busines Atlanta magazine. But she quickly realized that she was spending all her time outside work volunteering with youth, through a dropout prevention program, developing a writing program with Hands On Atlanta and teaching writing at the West End Academy. She thought back to New Youth Connections and decided to explore the possibility of a similar program in Atlanta. She reached out to people who ran similar youth-driven publications across the country to gather information. And then she reached out to teens through her volunteer projects and in schools. She handed out hundreds of surveys, asking: “If there was a teen publication in Atlanta, what would you want it to look like?” “Then at the bottom of the survey, it had a question on it saying: ‘If you would like to be involved in this endeavor as we get it started, put your name and phone number here,’” Rachel said. “I was really intentional about having the community of young people that this voice aimed to
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
serve be the voice that created it.” In late 1992, she quit her job at Business Atlanta and dove headfirst into making this vision happen. She’s repeatedly said, “VOX is not a Rachel story.” And while it may be more of a “Rachel story” than she will admit, it’s also the story of a group of teenagers who wanted to make it happen. The following is their story through their voices:
The Beginning Rachel (Hall) Rymer (Grady High School): I was volunteering at Hands On Atlanta. So that’s how [Rachel W. and I] got to know each other. She had this idea. She had a way of describing to people that brought them in, and that’s what happened with me. Lemesha White (Carver High School): I used to do volunteer work with Hands On Atlanta, and I met her through that. She was looking for a reporter to write about some of the volunteering we went out on. And I wanted to write. Jeremy Helton (Independence High School): I went to Independence High School. I think the counselor there had mentioned to me that there was someone coming to talk to us. Candie Stiles Shahlaie(Jonesboro High School): I was editor of my high school paper junior and senior year. And I cannot trace back how I connected with Rachel W.! I don’t know — maybe divine intervention?
Karen Mauney-Brodek (Grady High School): I went to Grady High School, and I wrote for the paper there. I think she came to the high school to try and see if anyone was interested and talk about her idea. I remember her being really excited and interested, and I thought it would be interesting to meet teens from other high schools, because I didn’t really get a chance to do that. Jeremy: The first thing I noticed was that, “OK, well for starters, she’s barely older than I am.” Because I was 18 at the time, and I was like, “Who is this?” And I honestly don’t remember a single thing that Rachel W. said, but I do remember trusting Rachel immediately and thinking this could be really fun and interesting. Rachel W.: Jeremy was one of the first people who was incredibly enthusiastic about the idea. I said, “We’re going to have a meeting to define our mission. Do you want to come?” Jeremy said, “Can I bring a couple of people?” Jennifer Cwiok (North Springs High School): I met Rachel W. through my friend, Jeremy Helton. He asked me if I was interested in participating in this new newspaper that was going to be targeted toward teenagers in Atlanta. It just sounded like a really creative kind of project to work on, because it didn’t have a name. It didn’t have a format, so I was just intrigued. Rachel W.: I was really intentional about making sure that what we did and how we did it authentically filled a need. And it filled a need as identified by the constituency that we aimed to serve. I didn’t start my own nonprofit. I was part of a team that started a nonprofit by young people for young people that served the need that they identified.
youth deserved their voice to be heard and this was a form, an essential way of speaking up for a constituency that isn’t able to vote and doesn’t always get asked. Jennifer: Atlanta is so sprawling. There was no kind of connection to other people. And so, living in the suburbs is extraordinarily isolating. I felt like there was a void in that way. Just no cultural
in the thick of kind of feeling censored, and at that same time, happily making waves. So VOX was the next step. It was a frontier beyond the audience that I had. Rachel R.: VOX offered something that was a little bit different. Rachel W. was not a teacher. She really was ready to meet the teenagers she worked with on their own terms. She had goals and ambitions, but
we didn’t have it. It was something really energizing. Jeremy: I felt pretty clearly that we wanted to put out a newspaper. But I think Rachel was like, “There’s lots of options. Let’s figure out as a group what we want to do.” I don’t feel like it was a hard sell — “It has to be a tabloid-size newspaper.” She really allowed that to bubble up to the surface. Karen: I remember Rachel W. being extremely deferential to us, which I remember being really surprised by. I remember her being very like, “Well, what do you want to do? Do you guys want to make this issue?” I remember being like, “What is going on?” But she always really believed in us and trusted that we would actually make something, which is kind of amazing.
“Atlanta is so sprawling. There was no kind of connection to other people. And so, living in the suburbs is extraordinarily isolating. I felt like there was a void in that way. Just no cultural outlet for teenagers.” —Jennifer Cwiok
Why VOX Rachel R.: I remember feeling like
The First Issue
FOUNDING TEENS JEREMY HELTON, DENA MCCLURKIN BRUMMER AND FOUNDER RACHEL ALTERMAN WALLACK GATHER IN THE TEEN NEWSROOM TO REMINISCE ABOUT VOX’S FIRST EDITIONS. ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE, A PHOTO OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL TEENS IN RACHEL W.’S FATHER’S LIVING ROOM, WITH LEMESHA WHITE HOLDING UP THE FIRST PRINT EDITION OF VOX NEWSPAPER.
outlet for teenagers. Candie: I had written a story [for my high school newspaper] about — I’m a white girl — and I had written a story about dating a black guy. And this is in Clayton County and several years ago, and it got lots of attention in the school. In fact, we had to pull that issue. I was right
she really wanted to get behind whatever project we wanted to work on. Candie: VOX was totally establishing something that was opening up our creative minds and gave us an outlet. I felt like it was more than filling a void. I think of it as bigger than filling a void. It was almost like we didn’t even know that
VOXTeenCommunications.org
VOX published its first issue in June 1993. Candie: I do remember that first meeting in [Rachel’s] living room, and there were maybe 10, maybe even 15 of us. And I remember her writing on a big white board, and the basic topic of that first meeting was the name. She was just so enthusiastic and so gung-ho. Rachel W.: We all said we wanted a variety of reported pieces and first-person pieces and resources for connecting teens with things that would make a difference in their lives. One was: No more stories about us without us. So, presenting young people’s stories from their own authentic voices. And exploring the things that [they] care about, while sort of debunking the myths that adults placed on teenagers. Jeremy: There were a lot of societal issues that we wanted to address. There were a lot of issues in terms of pop culture. We very clearly wanted to do
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something that was pretty diverse in terms of subject matter and tone. Rachel W.: I remember Jeremy was really deliberate about two things. One was the name VOX. And the other was covering this story about teenage parents, and Jeremy was very thoughtful about profiling a white teen mom, because of the stereotype that pregnancy only happens to African-American teenagers. Jeremy: I knew that teen pregnancy was happening at a pretty high rate in metro Atlanta. But there weren’t really stories. Which was the whole thing about VOX — well, we’re hearing stories about us, but we’re not really hearing stories from our community. I was like, “Well, great. Here is someone I can actually interview and who can share her story directly, and there’s the added bonus that it doesn’t fit into the sort of stereotypes that a lot of adult media use to explore topics relating to teenagers.” Jennifer: I know that Jeremy interviewed a woman who had gotten pregnant in high school. They were stories like that — kind of the big issues for teenagers, trying to get a handle on what they were and publishing them, so that people didn’t feel so alone. Candie: I remember it being beyond our years a little bit. It was the type of brainstorming meeting that I have today as a professional now. It was very all hands on deck. It was very accepting of ideas. It was creative. It was very energetic. Jeremy: We had all these great ideas. We were sort of cued up for our articles. But we still had to name the thing. Lemesha: I remember trying to come up with the name VOX. I remember Jeremy really spearheading that. Jeremy: When we pitched it, we said, “Look, we need something that’s simple, that people can say easily. We need something that basically gets to the core of what this is about, which is giving voice. And we also need something that, while it’s simple and easy to pronounce, also people are going to be like, ‘what does that mean?’ That still elicits interest. That doesn’t spell it all out. And that has a vaguely intellectual sort of aura to it because it is in Latin.” I think for me, too, I
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felt like, “This is timeless.” If VOX does live 20 years down the line, this is solid. Rachel R.: And everybody really kind of liked it. It wasn’t really a vote — it was consensus of the group. We really liked it. The masthead originally was the word VOX, and then a handwritten “the Voice of our Generation.” My friend Karen [Mauney-Brodek] wrote that for the masthead. Karen: I do remember using my handwriting. I remember writing it a couple of times. I remember working on that line.
page issue, and then the [Atlanta JournalConstitution] did a story about us. Dena McClurkin Brummer (Banneker High School): When I saw the first issue, I got excited because my school did not have a school newspaper. So there wasn’t an outlet. I instantly was like, “Oh my God, look at this. We could be a part of this!” I remember typing a letter. Rachel W.: I got letters saying, “Dear Ms., I’m writing to propose being a correspondent.” How I felt when I got those letters was, “Oh, how cute!” And, “Let’s get them here for sure!” And then it
“The first grant The Community Foundation made in January 1994 was $4,000 toward start-up funding. Since then, we’ve made a total of 57 grants totaling over $315,000 to VOX. Of that, 13 are competitive grants worth $241,814. That’s really quite unusual. It really shows that VOX has worked hard and been a successful idea.” — Alicia Philipp Rachel W.: And [they] were really clear that it wasn’t “the voice of teens” or “the voice of youth.” We want to recognize that it is our voice, but we don’t want people to just stigmatize or write it off. Rachel R.: I remember being really proud of that first issue. I remember reading it cover to cover, even though I had gotten to know the issue from working on it. I really felt excited by the final product that we created. Karen: I remember passing it out in my school when it came out every time and being pretty proud of it. Lemesha: It was like really working on a newspaper where you got to put everything together, and you get to see it come from scratch and through to on print. You were brainstorming and putting things together and piecing things in, and then you see, “Oh my God. It’s in print!”
The Response
was sort of like, “Well, OK, so these people are calling and wanting to get involved. I guess I better organize.” We gathered that next summer, and I created the beginning of a model of a summer program, where journalists would share through interactive training. Jeremy: I think that as we put out more issues and as more teens became a part of the VOX family, that’s when it started hitting me, “Oh, I’m not the only person who has this need.” Lemesha: The first time I thought that it was something big was one day I was at school and the papers had came in. Somebody was like, “Oh, I read your article. You write for the newspaper VOX?” And I was like, “Yeah, I write for VOX.” She was like, “Oh, how can I be a writer?” I was like, “Oh, how can you be a writer? You want to be a part of VOX?” That was the first time for me that I was like, “Oh my God, I work for VOX!”
Rachel W.: We put out this little four-
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
The Support Rachel R.: [Rachel W.] seemed like she was really committed to developing a quality product and also giving a lot of attention to each of the teens that she worked with. So, she had recruited mentors from all over the Atlanta journalism community to be matched one-to-one with the teenagers who were writing. Jennifer: The way that [the adults] treated us was great. They treated us with respect. It was one of the first moments I think as a young person that I felt that adults were taking what I had to say seriously. Lemesha: They didn’t try to change our ideas and make them their own. Whatever we came up with, they were there to try to guide us with that and keep us right there on that path. They were never trying to take my idea away from me. It was always embracing what I had and trying to help me move forward with my idea. Dena: It was like a journalism 101 crash course for me, but in a way where I enjoyed it. I didn’t feel like I was in school. I didn’t feel as if I was being mandated to do something. It was a safe environment. Rachel W.: I remember gathering the teens for the first few times where we developed a mission statement. The teens were saying all this, and the adult board members were listening. And I was asking questions in this very Socratic-like [method] — “OK adults, you’re here to listen. Teens, you’re here to craft.” And then telling the adults, “I’ve pulled you here to make what they say happen.” As Rachel W. started VOX, she turned to Alicia Philipp — whose job was to help people with ideas for nonprofits — at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta for support. Alicia: [Rachel W.] was very young. You look for, “Where is some seasoned leadership?” But you weigh that against somebody who really had a vision and the commitment to make it happen. And that’s what Rachel W. had. She may not have had the seasoning and experience, but she had the vision and the commitment. The first grant The Community Foundation made in January
Top 20 Things to Do in ATL Since the ‘90s tal
Crys s at P e n o L5 st Buy Blue in
Visit Centennial Olympic Park (during and after the ‘96 Games)
Experience or participate in Freaknik
Walk around Atlantic Station & see a movie
Shop the American Girl Store at North Point Mall
Over-spend and over-eat in East Atlanta Village and Little Five Points
Spot ATL locations in films and TV shows
Shoot the Hooch
Get overheated at Music Midtown
Learn life’s lessons from Madea (and thus, Tyler Perry)
Watch some Braves games at the Ted (at least til 2017!)
Eat gigantic burritos at Willie’s
Be a mall rat at the Mall of Georgia (or Lenox or Perimeter, etc.)
Pay the 50-cent toll on 400
Wait in lin and Wes at Six F hite Wate lags r
Rollerblade, with or without your shirt, at Piedmont Park
Walk, cycle or skate the new Atlanta Beltline
Shop thrift stores in L5P or Lakewood Flea market
1994 was $4,000 toward start-up funding. Since then, we’ve made a total of 57 grants totaling over $315,000 to VOX. Of that, 13 are competitive grants worth $241,814. That’s really quite unusual. It really shows that VOX has worked hard and been a successful idea. In November 1993, VOX got its first office space in Peachtree Center. Karen: I remember when we got office space downtown. I remember thinking, “Man, this is huge! We are so big! This is amazing.” A.J. Robinson: I was managing the Peachtree Center complex at the time. [Rachel W.] came to see me and ask
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for advice. Our mutual friend said this was a start-up nonprofit and was there any advice I could give her. In that first conversation, I decided we had some surplus space in Peachtree Center. I could give you this space. Rachel W.: I was thrilled and relieved and grateful and humbled. Now we have a place. And it was really important to the kids that there be a place. They wanted a gathering space and a meeting space and a workspace. Lemesha: Now we don’t have to go here and go there and try to meet here and meet there. We finally had our own place. A.J.: I’m just happy that I was in a position to make what, at the time,
“I think [VOX] definitely gave me much-needed confidence in high school. It helped when I was applying to colleges. Actually thinking that I could apply to colleges and get into places, because I didn’t know if I would be admitted to schools. I did take a lot of the newspaper articles that I wrote and submitted them with my college applications. And I got in everywhere I applied.” — Karen Mauney-Brodek
seemed like a very simple decision. I’m just thrilled to know that our decision helped. Rachel W. met with Sadie Dennard at Georgia Power, who helped secure VOX’s first corporate sponsorship. Rachel W.: It was totally nervewracking. It was, “OK, you said you wanted to do this. So pull up those boot straps, put one foot in front of the other and put on the nicest clothes you have, and go meet with these people and see how they can help.” Sadie Dennard: We met and she talked about a really big vision of starting a newspaper written for and about youth.
VOXTeenCommunications.org
And she talked about the various skill sets that the students would have an opportunity to use. And as I remember, she was nothing but a youth herself. I know I was impressed, and I’m certain that others around me — and I’m sure others she met as she began her startup — were probably taken aback as well. Sometimes that’s exactly what it takes. That one person can make a difference. And their confidence and their passion can really ignite passion in others. Rachel W.: Of course, I was just so grateful. I didn’t just take the check that Sadie Dennard acquired, I asked her to serve. And she served on [VOX’s] board.
The Controversy Jeremy: I think, though, that the moment that felt really dynamic and vital was when we were banned in some schools because of an article that Elizabeth Henderson wrote about a youth
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group at the Atlanta Gay Center. Rachel W.: I got a call from Candie Stiles after that first issue, saying, “My principal said I can’t distribute the newspaper in my school.” Candie: I was basically asked not to pass [VOX] out. I do remember it being quite a big deal. That whole censorship thing was really what drove me to VOX in the first place. I remember talking about that article about gays, and those were the kind of things that we wanted to talk about and couldn’t talk about in our schools. Rachel W.: We were on a panel at the Atlanta Project talking about how Atlanta Project clusters could get their stories in the media. And Julie Miller, who was the AJC’s education reporter at the time, turned to me when the panel was over — I should’ve known that you’re always on the record — and she said, “You mentioned Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties. What about Clayton?” And I said, “We were banned there.” She was like, “Oh!” Julie Miller: I really felt like young people need that kind of information. They need to know what’s going on around them, and it really saddened me to see the kids in Clayton County weren’t getting that kind of information. To me, I always liked stories that bucked the system. That’s what this was. It was really about questioning authority and getting people to see that information is not dangerous. Information is power. It can be life-changing. And that’s what I wanted for those kids. Rachel W.: The AJC ended up writing a story and unbeknownst to me photographing Candie Stiles, on her bed reading VOX, who says, “Why don’t they just cut out our tongues?” Candie: I was very upset about it. I really felt overall censored. And I also felt kind of discounted. Julie: I just remember thinking, “Wow. I wish I had that kind of courage at that age.” Rachel W.: I found out from the [AJC] article the reason [Clayton County] didn’t want to circulate the paper was because the county school system had a prohibition against presenting
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homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle. And one parent had complained to the Jonesboro High School principal. So then [VOX is] all over the place. I started calling the teens before school asking, “What do you want to do?” We called an afterschool press conference.
table. She had set it up so the teens would be sitting at the table, and the media was shouting questions at us. [Rachel W.] made it a point not to be the representative of the paper. I remember watching all the different clips as a group and being a really excited about being part of this
Where are they now?
The original VOX teens have gone on to bigger things. Here’s a snapshot of their lives and careers today.
Jeremy Helton City: New York Job: Associate Manager, Program Promotion at StoryCorps Rachel (Hall) Rymer City: New York Job: Asst. Principal at Public Middle School MS128 in the Bronx Karen Mauney-Brodek City: San Francisco Job: Urban Designer/City Planner/ Architect Dena McClurkin Brummer City: St. Louis Job: Owner, Yellow Brick Creative Studio (a branding and digital marketing agency) Jennifer Cwiok City: New York Job: Digital Projects Librarian at the American Museum of Natural History Candie Stiles Shahlaie City: Atlanta Job: Senior Marketing Communications Specialist, Siemens
Lemesha White City: Jonesboro, GA | Job: Paralegal for Clayton County Government (not pictured)
Jeremy: When the press descended upon the modest, humble VOX offices for a press conference, that was when it really hit me. That to me felt indirectly like an enormously powerful feedback. Rachel R.: Rachel W. was not at the
controversy. It was a really cool experience. Julie: I remember thinking, here [were these people] doing what all of us as journalists think is the thing we’re supposed to be doing. We’re supposed to speak truth to power. We’re supposed to
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
stand up for what we believe in. We’re supposed to educate people and expand their minds. Free speech. All of those idealistic things. And here were these young people who had all this courage to be able to stand up to folks who were the system. Rachel W.: I called Jerry Weber from the ACLU for advice about [our First Amendment rights. He said,] “You’re independent from the school, so you can publish what you want. You have a right to distribute it. But you can’t block the flow of education.” The attorneys from the ACLU asked if we wanted to sue, because we had grounds to do so. And I remember bringing it to the teens and the board and saying, “What do we want to do here?” And we made a very deliberate decision not to pursue a lawsuit for a couple of reasons, from my perspective. One was just pragmatic — we didn’t have the human capital to build a nonprofit, support the teens who were coming to do the work, build a distribution network and go sue a local school system. But we also decided strategically that we didn’t want to become an underground, rebellious publication. Jeremy: We didn’t want to be underground. There’s definitely a place for that, but we were really invested in making this something that future generations of teenagers could participate in pretty openly. Rachel W.: I remember at 23 being so relieved and excited that this founding group of teenagers were so mindful about kids who would come after them. Candie: I think it’s easy for someone to feel, when they’re 18 years old, that your thoughts are not important or not as important. That you don’t have enough experience yet to contribute anything vital to society. That’s what was appealing with VOX, with Rachel W. out there really setting a foundation for teenagers to feel vital and to feel like their opinions mattered. Julie: It was inspiring for me that the young people were trying to speak out and trying to get people to listen to them. Even today, that’s such a hard thing to do. I’m just glad that they got the attention
that they deserved. Rachel W.: We began distributing VOX at a youth center in Clayton County. Eventually, that school system wide prohibition just sort of went away. Candie: Just in that little moment in time, I felt supported. I felt like there were adults out there that were different than what I was dealing with every day in my school life. And what I was dealing with in my school life was a lot of push back on ideas and concepts and just discussions.
The Stories Rachel W.: I got a press release about Jimmy Carter’s new book and I was like, “Sure, yeah. Hey, you people who are involved with VOX, anybody want to interview Jimmy Carter?” And Lemesha says, “I do.” Lemesha: I remember interviewing President Jimmy Carter. When Rachel W. told me about it. I was like, “What? Are you serious? Oh my God, really?” Rachel W.: So I had to call her teacher and make sure it’s OK, because I don’t want her to get in trouble for skipping school, but I want her to have the opportunity. And there she is among all these kids from a private school who had been bused in to interview Jimmy Carter and Lemesha from Carver. Lemesha: I remember we heard about his book. I remember asking him a question. And then he asked me, “Well, did I answer your question?” And I told him no he didn’t! Rachel R.: I was able to write about things that I might not have written about for my paper in high school. I think that was the year of Clinton’s health care reform, and I remember buying the entire bound plan. And I just pored through it, and I really kind of got into it. I wrote a really long story about what it would mean for teens, and I interviewed people. I wouldn’t have done that for my high school paper. It was really essential for my own growing up process, to just get out there and talk to people outside of my own community. Dena: You would start on an issue that had a local angle, a very micro level. And as you do the research and collaborate with your mentor, you would discover a
“I’ve worked with other organizations that serve young people, and even though they do great work, it always astonishes me the degree to which young people are not playing a role in defining how that organization serves them. So VOX is enormously unique even today, 20 years later, in that capacity.” — Jeremy Helton bigger story there. A bigger issue that I had no clue about. Let me rewrite it and change my angle.
The Impact Rachel R.: It did make me feel like more of a grown-up, more of an adult. It made me feel more worldly. It was just great exposure. I still have all of the issues that I worked on, and those were really gratifying when they came out. Karen: I saw a lot of what VOX could be as a social work project. Atlanta has a lot of teens that don’t get an office, don’t get an opportunity to see people writing, people working together as a team on something. It can really inspire someone to do something different. Candie: I felt a little bit lonely, especially in my surrounding areas. So [VOX] gave me a little bit of courage that your immediate surroundings are not always the complete surroundings. I felt like VOX and Rachel W.’s energy gave me a little courage to keep doing what I was doing. Jennifer: I had less fear about joining groups that were more creative or required kind of a speak-your-mind kind of attitude when you started to join. I think it helped me work within a group. It inspired me to be more adventurous in some of the projects that I approached later in life. Karen: I think it definitely gave me much-needed confidence that I needed in high school. It helped when I was applying to colleges. Actually thinking that I could apply to colleges and get into
places, because I didn’t know if I would be admitted to schools. I did take a lot of the newspaper articles that I wrote and submitted them with my college applications. And I got in everywhere I applied. Candie: Having that environment where we did lead everything and we did come up with all the ideas, rather than being a support. The adults that were involved were the support. It was really empowering. It helped me take the reins. It allowed us to take control of writing or creative thinking or discussion. I think it was a really vital piece in my career path. Jeremy: I’ve worked with other organizations that serve young people, and even though they do great work, it always astonishes me the degree to which young people are not playing a role in defining how that organization serves them. So VOX is enormously unique even today, 20 years later, in that capacity.
Reflecting on the Past and Looking Ahead to the Future Rachel R.: I’m just so grateful. I feel so grateful to have been able to witness that and have a small part in it. It is quite a force. It’s really surpassed the original scope of what we thought was possible. And I have a lot of pride in being part of its beginnings. Jeremy: I think I’m really proud of participating in it. It doesn’t feel like anything that we did, so much as something that we joined. I think that it’s more exciting to think about the contributions that are being made today
VOXTeenCommunications.org
than for me to think about what I did 20 years ago. It’s exciting to see not what it was, but what it might be. Alicia: I think the most important thing is, it is still to me the only way that youth really have a consistent way to have their voice heard. I think VOX still holds that very special place where you can have that consistent, quality youth voice. Karen: I feel pretty honored that Rachel W. showed up and that I got to learn about it and be a part of it, especially because it’s still around today. I feel pretty privileged that’s now a part of my history. Candie: I would never have thought [I was a founder], but now I feel like, yes! Maybe I was one of the founders. It makes me really proud. Dena: I knew it was an institution that was never going to go away. I feel like we kind of sealed our role or our space in the media industry here as a teen outlet and a place where you could find teens that were serious about journalism; that it wasn’t going to disappear. Lemesha: There’s always going to be that next, fresh generation. I never thought about it ending, because you’re always going to have the next ones to come along and follow in your footsteps. Dena: Kids would walk through this door, maybe not even having an interest in writing, and would find a place where they belong. And VOX would get a hold of them, and next thing you know, they would have their first article or their first illustration. They would have something that they never had that would be tangible, and they would be so proud. Lindsey Knox works at CNN as a writer/ producer. Scan the QR code below to see a gallery of VOX spanning 20 years at VOXTeenCommunications.org.
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Youth-Driven Approach Makes VOX a 20-Year Success By Richard L. Eldredge VOX Associate Editor
M
ariah Craven was a junior at Woodward Academy in the fall of 1997 when the bright red “Slaying the Homophobia Dragon” LGBT issue of VOX was published. As a VOX teen staffer, Mariah had contributed the sobering story, “That Funny Feeling: When Teens Are Uncomfortable With Homosexuality” for the cover package. In it, Mariah recounted that her first exposure to an LGBT classmate was in middle school when students used the words “fag” and “queer” to describe the transgender boy who liked to wear dresses to class. More than a decade and a half later, Mariah, who now serves as the director of communications and marketing for the D.C.-based nonprofit Washington Area Women’s Foundation, remembers the impact of that issue on her development as a teenager. “Working on that issue allowed me to question some assumptions I’d made and to confront what other young people around me were saying – and to be honest, what I had parroted without thinking.” Mariah recalls. “When I shared the issue at school, it became clear that this was an important topic to more students than I expected. Many snapped up multiple copies and shared them with others.” Response to the issue grew so strong, Woodward administrators asked her to stop distributing the controversial edition of VOX. “It became the first time I stood up to an authority figure,” she
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remembers. “I felt strongly that what I was being told was wrong. VOX is a community that cares about one another and the world around them, in spite of and because of, their differences. This isn’t something you can teach directly. You have to model it through your actions and deeds. The staff and participants at VOX really do live their values, and that’s one of the best gifts, lessons or experiences I could have possibly had. And one for which the entire Atlanta community is benefiting.”
Creating a Teen-Led Model For 20 years, while serving thousands of metro-area teens from all walks of life, VOX has emerged as a model for youth-serving nonprofits. More than an uncensored newspaper written by and for teens, VOX is a breeding ground for youth leadership purely by inviting teens from all neighborhoods, socioeconomic backgrounds, races, ethnicities and sexual orientations to its teen-led downtown newsroom. From the time she first stepped into a classroom as a 23-year-old in 1992 to pitch her vision for teen voice in Atlanta, creating that sense of community was paramount to VOX founder Rachel Alterman Wallack. “I didn’t go into their classrooms and say, ‘Hey, I’m doing this and it’s going to be like this and it’s all about what my vision is,’” Rachel recalls. “Instead I asked, ‘what do you want?’ It was about achieving consensus. That’s when it all began. We collected 500 handwritten surveys from kids all over Atlanta — Carver High School, Independence,
“Working on that issue allowed me to question some assumptions I’d made and to confront what other young people around me were saying.” Mariah Craven, VOX alumna Southwest DeKalb, Grady. I was intentional about the unification of young people from all different backgrounds. And I was really intentional about having the community of young people that this initiative aimed to serve be the voice that created it. Somehow I earned their trust. That was key. I knew I wanted to create a voice for youth. Originally, we thought it was just this newspaper product. What it became, though, was this entire program. What resonated for the original teens was that I was authentically about enabling their power and their decision-making. By teens and for teens.” As a kid feeling voiceless growing up against the backdrop of the landmark 1988 United States Supreme Court Hazelwood decision that allowed public school administrators to censor high school newspapers, Rachel knew the importance of creating a fresh voice for teens across metro Atlanta. “Even with the privilege of being white and middle class, I knew what it was to be silenced or devalued,” she explains. “I also knew if I was going through these experiences ABOVE: THE ORIGINAL COVER TO THE OCTOBER 1997 EDITION, AND IN BLACK AND WHITE, A PIECE OF ART CREATED BY CURRENT TEEN in a life filled with privilege, how STAFF MEMBER ALEXANDRIA WILSON TO REMAKE THE COVER ART could it possibly feel not having USING ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR AND PHOTOSHOP. privilege, coupled with not having a voice?”
On Equal Footing From VOX’s first planning session, the teens and Rachel shared equal footing. Through consensus, the teens decided on the name VOX, they were board members, they decided on issue themes, artwork, photography, layout and even the official issue color. She scribed for the original VOXers with a marker on a piece of butcher paper taped to the wall as they
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
determined VOX’s mission statement, and primary and secondary audiences. Rachel also needed to recruit adults willing to put aside generational differences and traditional hierarchy to support VOX’s first teen staff. She recalls: “With the adults, I told them what most people would typically expect you to say to teens. I said, ‘The young people are giving us the mission, and it’s our
job to make it happen. You have some connections in the law? You know people in real estate? You know accounting? Please bring your skills and your toolbox to help these young people.’ Some adults opted out. They weren’t up for sharing power with young people. Others opted out because they weren’t comfortable sharing power with people who are different from them, whether that difference is age, race, faith, gender or sexuality. Ultimately, we got adult volunteers, adult staff and adult board members who respected and trusted the mission of a teen-led safe space and the mission of building a stronger community.”
An Absence of Hierarchy Atlanta author Jessica Handler is one of those VOX volunteers who immediately saw the value in leveling the playing field between teens and adults. “The absence of hierarchy is so much a part of VOX’s culture that it’s seamless,” Jessica says. “The ‘go to’ person for an answer or a day’s agenda might be a teen, a volunteer or a staffer. I value the communication and responsibility that this fosters in teens and adults.” While Rachel borrowed editorial strategies from LA Youth in Los Angeles and Youth Communication in New York City, VOX evolved as a holistic youth-development community center using journalism as a tool rather than a cornerstone of its mission. A 1999 field trip to Manhattan with teens from Youth Communication New York solidified the differences in mission to VOX teens. While the New York teens submitted stories for publication, VOX teens also designed the editions of VOX, delivered the final copy to the printer and physically distributed each issue to readers, all while participating as VOX board members to make recommendations on the annual budget. “The teens in New York were slackjawed,” Rachel remembers. “But our kids knew that when you’re empowered to decide on the mission and you own the program and the product from the very beginning, it creates a life cycle.”
Creating a Home Away from Home Over the past decade as youth writing programs shut down in Detroit, Chicago, West Palm Beach, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, VOX continues to thrive, serving just under 100 metro area teens on its teen staff during the school year along with another 150 teens in external workshops. “Despite pressure from funders, we intentionally decided that we weren’t going to be a program to serve the masses,” Rachel explains. “We didn’t open satellite branches or extend after-school programming to thousands of kids. Our teens said the core benefits of being in the program revolved around community. It felt like a home away from home here. It was meeting other kids from other parts of the city and other backgrounds in an intimate way and in a meaningful learning relationship together. You can’t do that on a mass scale.”
When a teen turned in a story about feeling suicidal for VOX’s second issue, Rachel knew another element was needed at VOX — social work. So the former Business Atlanta magazine reporter enrolled at the University of Georgia and earned a master’s degree. “If we were going to do this right, then the young people in this program were going to need more than just an editor,” she said. She was right as VOX has assisted as teens to deal with and chronicle personal stories from abuse to wanting to leave a gang while fearing being killed to unexpected pregnancies to being caught up in the juvenile justice system. “When teens trust you with their true stories, they bring painful, difficult topics to the table,” explains Rachel. “You have to bring your empathic and compassionate self, and you have to figure out what’s within the purview of
Top 20 Tech Advances in 20 Years - We’ve Come So Far! The Internet
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what you and this nonprofit can do.” Building on Rachel’s realization 20 years ago about the importance of hard-wiring social work into VOX’s mission, in 2013, the nonprofit has two adults on staff with masters degree’s in social work, along with graduate-level social work interns who are all on hand to serve as crisis intervention guides when the need arises.
Valuing Voice in the Classroom Each school year, VOX also brings its unique approach to the more than 350 schools and community partners that distribute the 31,000 copies of each edition of VOX. Through fun, interactive writing workshops, often led by teen facilitators, students have an opportunity to express themselves. Veteran South Cobb High School language arts teacher Dottie Lamb is a longtime VOX distributor who uses the print edition and workshops consistently in her classroom. “My students appreciate that their opinions are valued, solicited, heard and respected,” explains Lamb. “[They] display a sensitivity and vulnerability that is previously bottled up. A VOX workshop is an excellent enrichment opportunity for a language arts class because it involves all four components of language: reading, writing, speaking and listening.”
“I work for them.” Laptops & Tablets
MP3s, iPods and Music Streaming
WI-FI & Routers
Microchips for Pets
Netflix & Hulu
File-Sharing Websites
Checking in for a Flight from Home
Flat-Screen Television
Instant Messaging
VOXTeenCommunications.org
Rachel explained VOX’s unique adult and teen staff dynamic simply in an interview with the AJC in 1995. “I work for them,” she said. This wasn’t lost on Sean Epps. who maintains a close friendship with Rachel because of her approach when he was a teen at VOX from 1995 to 2000. “VOX is where I really learned my voice, and then to raise it,” said Sean, who is now Marketing Director for Harmoniq Communications in Atlanta. “These days, it seems every day is a fight to keep it above a whisper, and some days are harder than others. Even now, it’s hard to remember a time when my potential rolled off of me in waves, and I knew the power of my voice, around people who knew who I was and what I could do. But I fight. And I struggle. Because VOX showed me what my voice can be. Who I can be. “
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A Founder Reflects on 20 Years of Service By Rachel Alterman Wallack VOX Founder and Director of Strategic Initiatives
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ant to hear something funny? Back in ‘93, I thought we were just creating a teen newspaper. You know, a citywide voice by and for Atlanta-area teens. A learning place for teens to hone some skills and cover the community through their unique youth lens. An uncensored outlet for teens to share their perspectives on the issues that matter most to them – and to turn to for reliable resources when they needed help. Ultimately, we created a holistic youthdevelopment organization, deliberately uniting teens from different backgrounds to learn to lead by actually leading. We created a candid forum for teens to transform their lives – to rewrite their own stories while shining light on the most
RACHEL, PICTURED SEATED IN THE OLD VOX NEWSROOM WITH TEENS AND VERY OLD COMPUTERS
pressing issues of the day. Forget that adage about how children are the future: At VOX, teens have been valued leaders and contributors to a community in the present. Through 20 years – and the many activities, pages and programs we now celebrate – VOX teens have bravely shared their stories and reported on the issues that have shaped our world. As a result, they have grown, and they have courageously demonstrated the human side of all kinds of public debates – from education and juvenile-justice reform to healthcare and immigration. With support from adults
Notable Contributor In VOX’s second edition, a 19-year-old named Stacey Abrams wrote about how teens should take back control of their communities and proactively participate in preventing neighborhood violence. She wrote: “These are your schools, your playgrounds, your streets, your neighborhoods. Take them over. Tell the adults that you can not live without a safer city. They have to listen, they have no choice.”
who’ve consistently said, “you matter,” Atlanta’s teens have created an impossible-toignore media outlet, debunking the misguided view that teens are hormonal drains on society by demonstrating their tenacity and talent. This edition celebrates those stories — of triumph and tragedy, of everyday issues (like learning to drive or preparing for college) and extraordinary experiences (like surviving sexual exploitation or trying to leave a gang). As I read their headlines, I relive the experience of standing Stacey was elected vice president of her student with them through their government at Spelman College. Today, she stories of births and deaths, continues her journey as Minority Leader of the abuse and neglect, securing Georgia State House of Representatives, where help for depression, eating she represents District 89. disorders and substance abuse, preventing suicides, surviving war or rape, and applying to college. I’ve one thing that will never change is the learned why some kids join gangs, have universal need to matter, to feel valued. unprotected sex or fight at school. I’ve That’s a fundamental impact VOX makes watched teens learn to stop bullying and — for alumni, for teens today and those victims to see themselves as survivors. whose voices shape VOX’s future. VOX enables us as a community to VOX is the voice that all young people really listen. As a result, we develop have and need to share, the unifying force empathy. We communicate effectively. We that makes those voices more audible, feel heard. We make a difference in our telling the world “we matter.” own lives and for others. So much has changed in Atlanta, and Rachel now works part-time at VOX while the world, in the past two decades. But raising her own three kids.
Early 1993
VOX starts up. Organizing, naming VOX, developing mission and focus, initial development of youth-led model and media product Page 12
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
February 1993
World Trade Center bombed by Islamic terrorists leaving six dead and more than 1,000 injured
Jeremy Helton, Founding Member By Marc Rice VOX Board Member
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hat Jeremy Helton remembers most is the excitement and freedom he found to express himself as a writer. A senior at the time, Jeremy had heard something “vague” about an upcoming presentation at Independence High School for students who were interested in writing. It was an opportunity to hear Rachel Alterman talk about her plans to start a teen newspaper in the Atlanta area. From there, things moved quickly. “We ended up somehow at Rachel’s house for a big brainstorming meeting,” recalled Jeremy who, despite his love of storytelling, did not write for the school paper because it was too restrictive. “It was very clear this was going to be youthled … that’s what made it interesting.” “All the teens at the first meeting were real excited and Rachel was real excited. It was ‘Let’s get the first one out and see where it goes,’” Jeremy said. “It was difficult to meet Rachel and not trust her. I was taken aback that she didn’t seem much older than I was.” Although he can’t pick a favorite issue
or story, Jeremy continues to appreciate that VOX covers the wide – and real – range of things on teens’ minds. During his time at VOX, he noted, a story about conversion therapy could appear naturally alongside an article on what to wear to the prom. Jeremy, who now lives in New York City, has taken his storytelling skills – along with lessons learned at VOX — to build a career that has included work with Web-based documentary producers The Recollective and also StoryCorps, an independent nonprofit whose mission is to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of their lives. To truly appreciate the impact VOX had for teens in its early days, Jeremy said, it needs to be remembered that the myriad avenues for communication, such as social media, available to teens now did not exist at the time. “There are a lot more outlets now to share stories, and that’s great,” he said. “But what VOX did for me, and continues to do, is not just offer an outlet but also a discipline. If you wanted to tell your story, you had to be prepared, you had to work hard and take critiques and contribute to a collaborative environment.” Jeremy said that not everyone with a byline at VOX wants to be a journalist or a producer. Some are looking for a safe haven, a place where they can be
accepted and feel that they matter. “That’s just as important as learning skill sets. But it’s not a clubhouse. You can’t just come here and be in a safe space. You’ve got to do something.” Although his teen years are now in the past, Jeremy maintains an enduring respect for teenagers that lives in his work. Today as he gathers material for StoryCorps, he makes it a point to seek out young people, as well as old. “I’ve learned that older people are not the only ones with wisdom to share,” he explained. “That influenced me greatly. I always look for teenagers to share stories.
Teens have a story to tell.” Marc, an executive speechwriter at Southern Company, has been on the VOX board of directors since 2012. See pages 4-9 of this edition to hear more from Jeremy and the other founding members of VOX in 1993-1994. Jeremy’s cover story about teen parents appeared in the first edition of VOX newspaper, pictured above.
AT TOP: MEMBERS OF THE FIRST TEEN STAFF. JEREMY IS SEATED, SECOND FROM LEFT. AT LEFT: JEREMY, TODAY, SHOWING BOARD MEMBER MARC RICE (RIGHT) THE FIRST EDITION OF VOX TEEN NEWSPAPER.
April 1993
June 1993
August 1993
October 1993
November 1993
Two L.A. police officers are convicted for the beating of Rodney King
VOX publishes first edition of print newspaper with teen staff (pictured opposite page at left)
GA 400 extension opens; toll cost is 50 cents for regular vehicles
Michael Jordan retires from basketball to play minor league baseball
VOX banned in Clayton County for publishing a story by Elizabeth Henderson about gay support group
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Top 20 Things...
Jennifer Cwiok
Jeff Levy
Graduated: North Springs High School, 1993 VOX Roles: Founding Teen, 1993 Today: Brooklyn, NY; Digital Projects Manager, American Museum of Natural History Research Library
VOX Roles: 1993-95 VOX’s first Board Chair Today: Atlanta; OfficeHours, a start-up connecting students taking online courses with online tutors
I joined VOX because: My friend Jeremy Helton recruited me. I wanted to be a writer and it was an excellent way to get some experience. It was also really fun! My favorite VOX memory: I liked hanging out with my friends and creating something. It was a far cry from the parking lots of suburban Atlanta where most teens, at least at my high school in the ‘90’s, spent all of their free time. I thought Rachel was very cool and I looked up to her a lot. My favorite memory was the launch party for the first issue.
My favorite VOX story: I only wrote two articles. One about teens doing creative things (pictured above) and another about my experience at the University of Georgia. Both were fun to write. VOX’s impact on me: It proved to me that saying “yes” to new opportunities, a certain level of professionalism and the drive to complete a task will take you
everywhere you want to go.
FROSTED
MOM
CRIMPED
TIPS
JEANS
HAIR
I joined VOX because: Mark Bernstein, a friend and colleague from Turner Broadcasting, introduced me to Rachel, who was looking for help putting together a Board of Directors. I was captivated by Rachel and her passion for VOX. The organization’s focus jibed well with my own longstanding interest in freedom of the press. I had been working as an attorney representing newspapers and reporters on First Amendment-related issues.
“Spiceworld” (The Spice Girls movie)
Overalls with one strap unhooked
Nirvana copycat bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Bush
“Encino Man,” starring Brendan Frasier
My favorite VOX memory: I remember how powerful the stories were that came from the VOX reporters who worked for CNN during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Hyper-color T-shirts and Hammer Pants
SAVED BY
SLAP
“WINGS”
SKIDS
THE BELL
BRACELETS
TV SHOW
PANTS
Tribal sun tattoos on bellies (a la Dennis Rodman)
Wearing clothes backwards, like Kriss Kross (jump!)
PAGERS
NEON
FUBU
SIR MIXA-LOT
...we’re so glad we left in the ‘90s April 1994
South Africa holds its first interracial election during which Nelson Mandela is elected president Page 14
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Richard Quartarone Graduated: Mt. Zion High School, 1994 VOX Roles: Writer, Reporter, Designer Today: Atlanta; Health Communications Specialist, Centers for Disease Control; President, Southeast Atlanta Communities for Schools I joined VOX because: I always loved news. I had been part of my school newspaper, and was going to be editor my senior year. I read a small article about VOX in the AJC and decided that I should call the number, because it sounded like a cool idea. It was an opportunity to learn, grow, and most importantly, to have a voice. My favorite VOX memory: Everything from meetings with my mentor at Fellini’s on Ponce de Leon Avenue to go over stories, to jumping out of Rachel’s car to take pictures for the first issue, to accidently getting VOX banned from Clayton County Schools. I asked friends at other schools in the county to put stacks in their school library, and a parent freaked out because it included candid, honest articles.
empower At Cox, we know the strength of our community relies on the commitment to see that every bright young mind has an opportunity to shine. Congratulations to VOX for celebrating 20 years of helping teens develop skills to express themselves effectively and build a strong community. We’re all connected.
VOX’s impact on me: I was a funny-looking, ethnically ambiguous kid with long hair who never quite fit into the white Southern working class community where I was raised. I worked late on deadlines and rode MARTA at night. One night while in a quiet station waiting on the train, I heard a loud group of people. They were also teens, but they were black and being boisterous. I got nervous and concerned for my safety. The kids kept walking, left me alone, and when the train arrived, I realized that I had used the same stereotypes to judge my peers that people would use to judge me when I walked into a record store wearing a trench coat. That moment was a real turning point in my life in my understanding of race and class and understanding how people can be
marginalized and judged by no fault of their own. (Richard is pictured above with his kids, as is the article he references that got VOX banned in Clayton County in 1993, written by Elizabeth Henderson.)
April 1994
May 1994
September 1994
July 1994
Rwandan Genocide begins in Africa; More than 500,000 people are killed in a 100-day period
VOX earns 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit organization
Major League Baseball’s World Series is cancelled for the first time since 1904 because of a player strike
Recent VOX graduate and Brown University student Stanley Stewart is born (read more about him on page 36)
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Marcelle English, Member of VOX Olympic Bureau By Marc Rice VOX Board of Directors
M
arcelle English knew from an early age – really early – that sports were going to be a big part of her life. Originally from Washington, D.C., her love of sports took root when her father took her, at the age of 3 and dressed in a maroon onesie, to a Redskins game. By the next year, they were season ticket holders, and Marcelle was hooked. “I’ve always watched sports,” said Marcelle, a VOX Teen Communications
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alumna who is the co-founder of Atlantabased Jersey Girl Sports, a website and lifestyle brand for female sports fans. “Even now, on Sundays, I’ll go to church and then call Dad to talk about sports.” As a teen, what she did not have was an outlet to combine her love of sports with her other passion: writing. So it was a nice bit of good timing that her years at VOX coincided with Atlanta hosting the world’s greatest sporting event, the Summer Olympic Games. Marcelle was part of the VOX Teen Olympic News Bureau, which partnered with major media outlets covering the 1996 Centennial Olympics. She worked alongside professional journalists and got to see her stories and bylines appear in news outlets across the country, such as CNN, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor and The Cleveland Plain Dealer. She also was exposed to a broader perspective on
sports, seeing up close the confluence of big business and athletics. For example, one of her News Bureau stories looked at the pros and cons of Visa cash cards, which were heavily promoted for use at Olympic venues. “That was such a great time,” she said. “There are people who (write about sports) 20, 30 years who don’t get to cover an Olympic Games.” But Marcelle’s VOX experience was deeper than just the Olympics. She learned things that helped guide her past high school to a degree in public relations from Georgia State University, a job as a producer at V-103, starting her own sports-focused PR firm and, for the past four years, running Jersey Girl. The high-energy 34-year-old recalled first hearing about VOX when founder Rachel Alterman visited Banneker High School. “I was in the 9th grade,” Marcelle said. “I wrote a big, formal letter to Rachel. My mom helped me. I told her why this would be great for me.” With a small, donated office at Peachtree Center then serving as headquarters, the surroundings were humble, but the lessons were not. “I really got the ability to tell a story,” Marcelle said. “Rachel would always say, ‘What’s the so-what?’ And now I say that to my interns, my business partners at least five times a week. Not just for writing but from a business standpoint – ‘What’s the so-what? Why are we going to do this?’”
Andy Sarvady VOX Roles: 1994- 2000, Volunteer Newsletter Coordinator, Board Member, Board Chair Today: Atlanta; Teacher at the Paideia School, Writer I joined VOX because: I read about VOX in the AJC and thought the combination of teens and writing was a mission right up my alley. I contacted the number listed in the paper and went to a volunteer training. My first job for VOX was writing a newsletter for volunteers. My favorite VOX memory: It was the mid-‘90s, and I was sitting in my house, reading an issue of VOX. It contained an article about kids who felt depressed and included ways they could get help. Suddenly, my mind traveled to the many places all over town this same article was being read --- bedrooms and classrooms, bus rides and benches at sports practices. At that moment, I pictured VOX as a giant league of teen superheroes, reaching people and places no one else reached, making lives better, maybe even saving some. VOX’s impact on me: I moved to Atlanta in the early ‘90s, thinking this strange, new southern city would never feel like my town. VOX changed that. VOX helped me meet the variety of Atlantans that make this city the great place we know it to be. I gave VOX some time, but in return, I found my place, and my people, in the town that I have called home for 20 years. In addition, VOX reminded me of the importance of helping young people raise their voice and find their own place in the world. The young people that I have raised — and that I currently teach — benefit greatly from this influence.
April 1995
October 1995
VOX covers Freaknik, with teen writers Marcelle English, Tami Drigo and Karin Smoot stationed all over the city; 168 people killed in Oklahoma City bombing
The Atlanta Braves beat the Cleveland Indians 1-0 in Game 6 to win the World Series behind a Tom Glavine 1-hitter and a David Justice solo home run
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Simit Shah: Teen, Adult Volunteer, Board Chair By Jeff Romig Executive Director
S
imit Shah spent the summer of 1993 preparing to be the editor of his high school newspaper, The Pitchfork. As he was reading the Sunday June 13 edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he came across a story about this group of teens producing a teen newspaper. At the end of the story there was a phone number to call if you wanted to participate. So, the rising Marietta High School senior called. But no one answered. So he waited and tried again. “I had to stay at it a bit,” Simit remembered. Finally, he connected with 23-year-old Rachel Alterman, whose home phone number had been published with the story in the Sunday AJC. “He was one of the first teens to call in response, and I remember thinking: I guess I’d better figure out a game plan for what to do with teens who want to be involved.” Rachel said. “So I set up a
some training days with local journalists at the Atlanta Project offices in City Hall East. Simit was there — and committed to writing and learning graphic design to publish VOX during the next school year.” That impromptu gameplan was VOX’s first summer program, and while the early days of something new can be exciting, they can also be tough. Simit’s work in the summer program turned into late nights at the offices of Business Atlanta magazine — where Rachel formerly worked as an editor — laying out the VOX Newspaper. “To be involved with VOX (back then) you had to really want it,” Simit said. “It wasn’t the easiest thing to do. It was a little bit of a rag tag group. But the experience was great. It was all worth it.” Simit stayed involved for a while after graduating and heading to Georgia Tech for college. He “found his voice” through writing about sports at VOX, including a story on Atlanta Braves third baseman Terry Pendleton. “It was a great catapult,” said Simit, who now works for the Georgia Tech Athletic Association as a digital strategy consultant. Literally the day after his graduation from Georgia Tech in 1999, Simit headed down the street and joined Turner Broadcasting as CNN’s webmaster and rose to the role of director of web operations in January 2005. It was that same year that he began to officially reconnect with VOX as a volunteer from Turner, which had been a supporter of VOX since the mid-1990s. In July 2006, Simit joined the VOX Board of Directors, a move that was
very special to Rachel since he was one of VOX’s early teens.“He’d already been giving back as a donor and a volunteer – but returning to the organization as a Board member and ultimately serving as Board Chair is uniquely powerful,” she said. Simit remembered his early Board days as an “eye-opening experience” since he hadn’t served on the Board as a teen at VOX. “There was a level of respect and intimidation,” he said. “It was great seeing how VOX had changed from rag tag to a real organization.” Simit became Board Chair after the economy went into recession and as VOX began planning for an executive transition. “But he remained dedicated and determined — and helped VOX grow through challenging times, never wavering in his support of our mission, our hard-working staff, and the impact we can make for Atlanta-area teens,” Rachel said. That passion and commitment resonated within the walls of Turner, which was thrilled to have a former VOX teen as their Board representative to one of their priority organizations. “Simit was super helpful for our department to have as a liaison,” said Kristina Christy, Director, Corporate Responsibility, Turner Broadcasting System. “He helped spread the word of our support throughout CNN.” The enduring idea of voice is what always drove and continues to drive Simit’s passion for VOX. “At the core, it’s people fighting for their right to be heard,” he said. “That’s what VOX is.” As the world gets smaller, there are fewer places to go without being judged. At the core, the mission is so pure.”
Reuben Stern VOX Role: 1994-95, Design Volunteer Today: Columbia, Mo.; Teaching multimedia reporting at the Missouri School of Journalism. I joined VOX because: I really believed in the mission of helping teens find and express their voices. Before I arrived in Atlanta, I had been the editor of my high school newspaper and worked on college newspapers all four years of journalism school. I knew firsthand how fulfilling and empowering it is for a young person to write or design something and then see it get published and circulated to lots of other people. I thought working with the students at VOX was a great way to spread that opportunity to teenagers from across Atlanta who might otherwise never get access to that kind of validation. My favorite VOX memory is: My first experience with VOX was a staff meeting in Rachel’s living room. I think there was a computer set up on a folding table or something, and this person, who really believed in giving teens a voice, was encouraging them to speak their truths. Soon after, I got to witness VOX moving into its first office, a small donated space in Peachtree Center. VOX’s impact on me: As much as we were helping the students, being involved with VOX helped me, too. I had just graduated college and moved to Atlanta for my first job (at the AJC), and VOX gave me a way to connect and give back to my community. It also taught me how important it is to empower young people to be part of the
conversation. It’s something that sticks with them for life.
October 1995
July 1996
September 1996
November 1996
OJ Simpson is acquitted for the murders of wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman
VOX covers the Summer Olympic games in Atlanta. Centennial Park bombing during Olympics kills one person and injurs 111 others
Georgia Music Hall of Fame opens in Macon
President Bill Clinton beats Republican candidate Bob Dole for a second term
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Cathy Hampton VOX Roles: 1998 - present in some shape, form or fashion, Board Member, Advisory Board Member (today), Writing Coach, Mentor, Fundraiser, Publicist, Recruiter, Chef, Housekeeper... Today: General Counsel for the City of Atlanta I joined VOX because: I love newspapers and young people — VOX is the best combination ever! My favorite VOX memory is: Those Saturdays, sitting around the teen newsroom, putting the paper together, were when you found out who they are as people. Talking about their stories and what they wanted to do when they grew up — then the conversations started. I was a safe adult to bounce ideas off of and practice conversations that they wanted to have with [other supportive adults or parents]. Sometimes it’s just showing up on
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Saturdays. It might be easier to volunteer after work on a Thursday, but on Saturdays they set the pace, got to know me better and opened up more. It was important to prioritize being for there for them then. VOX’s impact on me: When searching for new staff, I reviewed resumes and arrived with a list of standard interview questions. Our VOX students, however, researched each candidate thoroughly, prepared customized questions and relentlessly tag-teamed candidates! Each understood the high standard Rachel set for VOX and how critical each staff leader would be for the future of our beloved organization. They took it so seriously because this was their lives every day after school. I learned an inspiring lesson on preparation, focus and how much seamless transitions matter. I have never approached an interview
process the same way after VOX students showed me how to do it! It changed how I saw the program, the students – and why it was so important (to listen to teens). Editor’s Note: Today, VOX teens continue to be an integral part of VOX’s hiring process.
Mashaun D. Simon Graduated: Druid Hills High School, 1997 VOX Roles: Writer, Publication Leader, 1995 - 1998 Today: Recent graduate from the Candler School of Theology with a Masters in Divinity. Contributing Writer for TheGrio. com and Contributing Blogger for BelieveOutLoud.com I joined VOX: After learning that one of my classmates was also on the staff, I felt like there was no way I could be left out of the work and experience.
My favorite VOX memory: VOX was like a community center for me in that I was not interested in going anywhere and playing sports or games. I enjoyed simply being around other young thinkers, VOX Roles: 1994 – 1998, VOX Board, Board sharing ideas, cares and concerns. Chair, Treasuer, 2011, VOX Parent VOX provided that. Today: I have moved from the world of finance and accounting, and now am a home builder My favorite VOX story: The issue focusing in intown Atlanta neighborhoods. where I talked about my brother and losing him to HIV/AIDS I joined VOX because: Simply because complications and the issue where they had a need, and I thought I could help. I “came out.” Both of those issues Plus, they had a passionate, young executive allowed me an opportunity to share director to whom it was impossible to what I was feeling and thinking say no! internally, and they allowed for me an outlet which led me to healing My favorite VOX memory is: I have and ministry. some great memories of getting to know a group of other professionals VOX’s impact on me: VOX laid the and teens, and working toward the foundation for my strength and common goal of making VOX a better freedom. It was at VOX I found my organization. I also love the fact that passion for writing and it began my daughter got involved with the my journalism career. VOX also organization last year and was able to helped me to realize my leadership share some of her experiences in a strength and develop a heart for print issue of VOX. others. CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY IN THE NEWSROOM CIRCA ‘98
Gary Dresser
March 1997
April 1997
Heavens Gate cult members commit mass suicide with the belief they would reach a spaceship by doing so
Atlanta Braves open Turner Field against the Chicago Cubs
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Graduated: Lithonia High School, 1998 VOX Roles: Writer, 1995 - 98 Today: Cartersville; Freelance Writer and Blogger I joined VOX because: Of my love for writing. I didn’t have friends who shared the same passion. Coming to VOX, I found friends who eventually became family and we all loved to write. My favorite VOX memory: Just being in the office on weekends and hanging with teens from all different walks of life. The group meetings, staff meetings and of course riding MARTA together, because before VOX, my dad wouldn’t allow me to ride.
My favorite VOX story: My very first story I wrote about step parents. I wrote about my personal experience with my stepfather, who passed a few months before I joined VOX. I received letters from teens at surrounding schools who thanked me and related to my article. It touched my heart. It was then that I realized that I could touch people through my writing. It was the best feeling ever. VOX’s impact on me: At VOX, I learned to interact and accept people who were from different walks of life than me. I learned teamwork, I learned to speak my mind and not be shy, I learned the benefits of working for free, but being paid by gaining experience. VOX truly changed my life. Everything I learned there, I still carry with me today.
OF TOP 20 DECIDEDLY WORST SONGS
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All Year 1997
November 1997
January 1998
1998
VOX Girls Group convenes for the first time
VOX teen staff member Alexandria Wilson is born. She will join the VOX staff at age 12, slightly fibbing about her age in order to get on the VOX teen staff early; She’s already served as an intern, graphic designer, writer and VOX teen board member
Monica Lewinsky scandal begins, leading to impeachment of President Clinton
VOX hires second adult staff member, Kavita Rajanna; LGBTQA group “Alphabet Soup” forms at VOX
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Sarah Austin
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I joined VOX because: I remember finding VOX in the library at my middle school and being fascinated with it. I knew I couldn’t join until high school, but I think I contacted the office over the summer before my freshman year and ended up in the first orientation training of that school year! I loved the idea of getting experience writing in a public forum and meeting other students who shared that interest.
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Graduated: Decatur High School, 2001 VOX Roles: Summer Program 1999, Girls Group, Teen Staff Writer, 1998 - 2001 Today: Staff Attorney, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Top 20 Things a VOXer
Will Never Ever Forget
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My favorite VOX memory: Feeling completely comfortable, safe and valued within the organization and loving having a place to go after school where I felt so at home. My favorite VOX story: I wrote — and my best friend from high school illustrated — a story about how annoying it was when everyone in our class thought she and I were dating (we weren’t; we were just both kind of weird girls somewhere on the not-straight end of the spectrum who hung out all the time). We are still very close friends, and I keep joking that I’m going to frame the article/illustration to hang in both our homes. VOX’s impact on me: VOX was almost immediately a gamechanger for my levels of confidence and engagement with people in my school and community. I have always remembered something Beatrice Sullivan said to me shortly after she joined VOX. Bea and I had attended Miller Grove Middle School together, and at the time, I had been intensely shy and didn’t connect much with my classmates. Bea came to VOX a semester or so after I did, by which time we were attending different high schools and hadn’t seen each other in a while. She later told me she’d hardly recognized me, because I seemed so different, sharing my opinions (oh, did I have a lot of opinions) and joking around with my friends. I hadn’t realized until that conversation how obvious a difference VOX made for me. Having a community where a distinct voice and strong opinions were assets made me more willing to bring those traits into the rest of my life, which definitely influenced my choice of college, friends, jobs and hobbies over the years. Since I now get paid to write, argue, negotiate and advocate for people, the
progression makes a lot of sense!
All Year 1999
December 1999
November 2000
VOX establishes first formal strategic plan and brings on first website intern
World panic about “Y2K” bug, a perceived software glitch that would presumably affect computer systems when the clock struck midnight commencing year 2000
Hillary Clinton becomes first former first lady to hold public office
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Kilpatrick Townsend’s Gifts that Keep Giving By Jeff Romig Executive Director
M
ore than $155,750 worth of legal work over more than 475 pro bono hours and more than $65,000 given or pledged in cash contributions. All for VOX from Kilpatrick Townsend. All because of a chance encounter in 2004. Debbie Segal wasn’t even originally slated to be part of that Atlanta Women’s Foundation site visit at VOX. She was asked to fill in and showed up to find teens helping to lead the site visit. Debbie, Kilpatrick’s Pro Bono Partner, asked VOX founder Rachel Alterman Wallack a question related to mandated reporting as a social worker. She was floored by Rachel’s next move. Rachel turned to the teen sitting next to her, and asked Nicole to answer the question of how VOX handles mandated reporting. “I was like WOW, I just totally want to be one this Board,” Debbie remembered, which was shocking to her because two weeks before, she had decided to take a break from Boards for a while. “It was serendipitous,” she said. After joining the Board, Debbie quickly moved forward with bringing VOX on as a pro bono client at Kilpatrick. “We could turn to them for myriad legal questions and needs — and did,” Rachel remembered. “Early on, this legal support helped us achieve goals in developing some HR infrastructure, from helping us write personnel policies to creating an employee benefits cafeteria plan (flex savings, dependent care savings and optional 403b).” The firm contributed in other ways as well, including hosting [VOX fundraiser] Sip & Shop and having internal competitions to pick spellers for VOX’s Adult Spelling Bee.
Then, in 2009, it was time to review VOX’s bylaws. This review formally – and legally – established what had been in place at VOX since the organization’s founding. Teens served on the Board of Directors. The state of Georgia, however, said differently. Directors had to be 18 years old. “That flew in the face of everything on earth,” Debbie said. So, attorneys at Kilpatrick, including Ben Barkley, tackled this issue and crafted a model set of bylaws that would allow teens to serve while also keeping within Georgia law. “KT’s corporate attorney Ben Barkley met with me and our Board leadership (including teens), researched and helped us update our bylaws to provide new, clearer language about teen board membership to be consistent with state law and yet a model for any youth agency wanting to include teenage constituents meaningfully in its governance structure,” Rachel said. Going about the process wasn’t easy, but was transcendent for VOX. “That took a lot of work to solidify that teens have a growth opportunity on the Board,” Debbie said. Under the newlycrafted VOX bylaws, quorum attached when a majority of general directors are present, but not less than one-third of all directors. This includes VOX’s teen directors, of which the bylaws allow no fewer than three and up to six to serve at any given time. What this means is that action can’t happen in a VOX Board meeting without the requisite number of adult Board members, as well as a portion of the teen members. The law is followed, but our teen-leadership model is as well. Also in 2009, Whitney Deal became involved with VOX as Debbie’s successor. Whitney, who serves as Director of Corporate Citizenship at Kilpatrick, began her time at VOX as a volunteer participant in the creation of VOX’s most recent strategic plan and has ascended to the role of Vice Chair of the VOX Board. One of the biggest impacts of her tenure was watching members of the Freedom Writers program Kilpatrick was running at Washington High School come into VOX and succeed in its program as well. “It was neat to watch it all weave
together,” Whitney said of the successes had in both programs by teens like Veronica Coates, who earned her scholarship at Middlebury College in
Vermont through VOX. “(Teens like Veronica) had blossomed in a separate environment. That’s when I knew we had done good.” Now, as VOX’s Board Chair in waiting, Whitney is excited to continue the great relationship between VOX and Kilpatrick, even as Debbie leaves the firm for retirement. “Our support isn’t going anywhere,” Whitney pledged.
Happy Anniversary and congratulations on 20 years of helping Atlanta teens! We are proud to be a long-standing supporter and look forward to the great things to come over the next 20 years.
www.kilpatricktownsend.com
TOP 20 FASHION TRENDS OF THE 90s You weren’t considered hip unless you were sporting at least one of these phat fashions at all times!
1. Overalls with one strap 2. Parachute pants 3. Jorts 4. Umbros 5. Backward baseball caps 6. Starter jackets 7. Tommy Hilfiger 8. Cartoon-themed shirts 9. Sk8r tees 10. Adidas sandals 11. Vests 12. Sagging pants 13. Goth/Black everything 14. Combat boots 15. Kente cloth 16. Popped collars 17. Flannel shirts 18. Air Jordan sneakers 19. Bandannas 20. Ripped jeans Current VOX teens took to the streets of Atlanta in some 90s-inspired fashions that were displayed in movies, music videos, on the streets, at school, and yes — in the VOX newsroom. Some of those trends include bright sweaters, ripped jeans, stockings with plaid skirts, bandannas, “loud” jackets, backward caps and lots of flannel shirts.
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VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Models: Karestiah Lawson (Chattahoochee High School), Mac Rowe (Academe of the Oaks) and Mahmood Thompson (Atlanta Technical College), VOX Teen Staff Photographers: Manuel Portillo, Lucy Rodriguez and Alexandria Wilson (all North Atlanta High School), VOX Teen Staff Photos were taken in Fall 2013 in VOX’s first and current space, Peachtree Center
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Jaya Franklin Graduated: 2002 VOX Roles: Girls Group, Writing Intern, Workshop Facilitator, Volunteer, 2000 - 02 Today: Production Director/ Editor, Visionary Artistry Online Magazine, Atlanta I joined VOX because: One day while I was at my new high school in Georgia (after moving from Indiana), I picked up VOX teen newspaper, and it was pretty much history from there. My favorite VOX memory: Starting as a member of the Girls Group and then working my way up in the organization and being able to teach younger VOXers what I learned. My favorite VOX story: I published a music issue for VOX. It was one of my favorites. I was able to highlight underground music artists that many people were unaware of at the time.
VOX’s impact on me: VOX turned out to be a stepping stone for my career. My experience at VOX prompted me to start my online magazine and reach out to young adults so that they can strengthen their
writing skills.
Brittany Knight Graduated: North Springs High, 2003 VOX Roles: Writing Intern, 2001 - 03 Today: Atlanta; Freelance Creative Director I joined VOX because: I enjoyed reading the paper. I actually almost chickened out on sending in the application. If it wasn’t for a friend pushing me I probably would’ve never done it. Thank God for good friends! My favorite VOX memory: Working with Kara Vona and I’Nasah Crockett with
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the PASE program at Brown Middle School. Teaching 6th-8th graders creative writing was incredibly rewarding. Not a lot of 17-year-olds were creative writing instructors in my book, and I took pride in that. Kara was with us every inch of the way, copy editing our curriculums, introducing us to her favorite indie bands, and “grading” journals. She pushed us to speak up at school board meetings about the importance of after-school programs when they wanted to cut the budget. We were the only teens in the room, but she empowered us to be that voice.
I still have the autographed copy of her book “Quilting the Black Eye Pea” and that saying as an affirmation.
My favorite VOX story: The review of The Spoken Word’s “An Evening with Nikki Giovanni” presented by the Camberley Collection. VOX had me in a place where no teen would venture, but here I was, willing and all ears. She was speaking on the tragedy that was Morris Brown College and how she may be small but thinks big.
being available as my outlet.
VOX’s impact on me: VOX foreshadowed the rest of my life. The first time I ever touched Adobe anything was with VOX, and now that’s all I work on. I never published a story until VOX, and since, I’ve had a relationship column and written for countless publications, digital and print, including my longtime favorite, Creative Loafing. It has been my foundation, and I am grateful. Who knows what I would’ve ended up doing if I didn’t follow my passion for writing with VOX
Brittany is pictured above on the back row, second from right, at a VOX girls group workshop, circa 2002.
May 2001
August 2001
First VOX Guys Group - called “Infinity” publishes “Seen, Heard & Understood in the May/June edition of VOX newspaper
VOX moves to a new office space on Nassau Street, next to The Tabernacle
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
NOOB
(ADJ): VERY EXCITED OR FULL OF ENERGY
OMG!
BLING
HATER
LOCAVORE
(N): PERSON WHO IS INEXPERIENCED IN A PARTICULAR SPHERE OR ACTIVITY, ESPECIALLY COMPUTING FOR USE OF THE INTERNET
ILLITERATI
(N): PERSON WHOSE DIET CONSISTS ONLY OR PRINCIPALLY OF LOCALLY GROWN OR PRODUCED FOOD
VOX’s impact on me: Even though, as an adult staff member, I was supposed to provide editorial and layout support, I didn’t really have those skills coming into the job. But I learned a lot about layout and what makes a good story, and I still use those skills today. In fact, as a TA and adjunct professor, I’d often ask my students, “So what?”
SEXTING
WOOT
CRUNK
My favorite VOX memory: How personal many of the stories were. Teens wrote about eating disorders, coming out and abusive relationships. In addition to sharing their personal experiences, they would provide resources to help others who might be in a similar situation. I was always impressed by the teens leading the “Know Your Rights” and writing workshops for their peers. They would work with teens who were in challenging situations – incarceration or a group home – and they always treated them with respect,
(V): THE SENDING OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PHOTOGRAPHS OR MESSAGES VIA MOBILE PHONE (ILLEGAL!)
OBVS
PURPLE STATE
(N): PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WELL EDUCATED OR WELL INFORMED ABOUT A PARTICULAR SUBJECT OR SPHERE OF ACTVITY
D’OH
GRRRL
I joined VOX because: Working at Youth Communication [VOX was called YC until 2005] was my first job out of college. I had known Kavita [my predecessor] from a student activist organization, and I knew I’d have big shoes to fill. I loved the summer program. It was fun to see everyone on a daily basis. I remember moving into the second office — we had a
as equals. That made me really proud. During our series of writing workshops at The Bridge, we led a number of different writing exercises. At the end of the series, we created a zine with everyone’s pieces. I still have my copy – pretty powerful stuff.
(EX): EXCLAMATION USED TO COMMENT ON A FOOLISH OR STUPID ACTION, ESPECIALLY ONE’S OWN
SCREENAGER TRUTHINESS (N): PERSON IN THEIR TEENS OR ‘20s WHO HAS AN APTITUDE FOR COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET
(N): THE QUALITY OF SEEMING OR BEING FELT TO BE TRUE, EVEN IF NOT NECESSARILY TRUE
JEGGINGS
BROMANCE
FRANKENFOOD
VOX Roles: Adult Staff - Community Action and Volunteer Coordinator, 2000 - 01 Today: Runs StoryCorps Atlanta, local branch of a nonprofit that records, preserves and shares oral histories of everyday people. Lives in East Atlanta with her three chickens.
lot of fun planning out the different spaces and painting them. And whenever I hear Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson,” I think of YC. More specifically, I think of the teen staff rolling their eyes at [adult staffer] Rachael B. and me as we tried to sing along.
TOTES!
SINCE THE ‘90S
TOP20WORDSADDED TOTHEDICTIONARY CHILLAX
Amanda Plumb
SOURCE: OXFORD DICTIONARY ONLINE
September 2001
November 2001
June 2002
November 2002
Terrorists hijack four U.S. airplanes and crash them in NY, VA and PA, killing nearly 3,000 people
Shirley Franklin is elected Atlanta’s first female mayor — also the first black woman elected mayor of any major Southern city
VOX hosts national gathering of Blank Family Foundation grantees to conduct training around youth-voice in programming
Sonny Perdue is the first Republican to be elected Georgia’s governor since Reconstruction
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Congratulations VOX on your 20th anniversary!
We celebrate the AJC’s Pete Corson and his work with the future watchdog reporters at VOX Teen Newspaper.
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SEXTUALL Y ACTIVE, PAGE 4 BULLYING LEADS TO SU TEENAGE DOMESTIC ICIDE, PAGE 6 VIOLENCE , PAGE 8
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been a proud supporter of VOX for over 13 years offering advertising resources, providing an employee adviser to the board and commercial printing.
1020-041
AJC’s Helping Hand The Power of One Summer By Richard L. Eldredge
By Pete Corson
VOX Associate Editor and former AJC Reporter
VOX Volunteer and AJC Audience Specialist
rom VOX’s start in 1993, the Atlanta JournalConstitution has been a steadfast supporter of its mission. An AJC feature story on VOX published to coincide with the debut of the teen newspaper’s inaugural edition that summer helped to introduce more metro area teens to the nonprofit.
y favorite moment of every interaction with a VOX teen is when we argue. Now, I'm not the argumentative type (I'd be a terrible reality TV star), but I love working with passionate people who will stand by their vision. At VOX, that moment comes when the teens learn what is most important to them. It's a visceral — sometimes exasperating — moment when the VOX program does what it's designed to do: help teens find their voice. I have had plenty of those moments while working with Ayan Hussein over the years. We were first paired together through the 2005 summer program. I helped her prepare what would become a life-changing article that was published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's @issue opinion section. Her article was an excruciatingly personal account of her experience with the Somali practice of female genital mutilation. The article put her at odds with her parents and her community, and I wasn't sure that I was doing her any favors helping her get published. But Ayan was amazing. She was shy at first, but quickly found cause to argue her points to the AJC editors, including Richard Halicks, who would also become invested in her success. Ayan was open to our ideas but there were certain parts of that article that she refused to soften. Her resolve was strong enough to convince me and Richard to run the article as Ayan envisioned it, complete with her personal story, mention of her parents' involvement, and indictment of the Somali community for supporting the practice. There was some editing work to be done — Ayan decided to change the article's beginning to open with her first-person account of the painful ritual (a narrative trick she surely learned at VOX). Richard also sent her back out into the Somali community to do more reporting on the ritual, a task for which VOX gave her guidance. After two weeks, we had a final draft that we were proud of. Unfortunately, our plans hit a snag at the 11th hour, when the AJC senior editors wanted permission from Ayan's parents to publish the article, and even proof that she had experienced the procedure. Richard and I discussed with Ayan whether the article was worth putting her through the anguish. Luckily, the VOX staff was there to help us navigate those decisions — decisions that would ultimately rest with Ayan alone. She steeled herself for a difficult talk with her parents, and days later, saw the article published in the AJC as she envisioned it. In the years that followed, that article became the first step in a journey that included an NPR Youth Radio spot, participation in a women's empowerment conference, admission to UGA, to NYU and eventually to Oxford. She is currently conducting neuroscience research at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. I continue to edit her application essays, and we continue to argue over what reads best. But now a correction: That article wasn't the first step. Her first step was joining VOX. What other program could have helped a shy, passionate Somali emigree get her story published? And who else would have given her the tools and the confidence to argue with AJC editors? So congratulations, VOX, on entering your third decade. Your first two have been extraordinarily successful. I look forward to many more productive arguments and to meeting the young writers who will be growing from them.
F
In the Olympic summer of 1996, VOX’s Teen Olympic News Bureau partnered with the AJC’s then-fledgling Access Atlanta to provide content written from young people’s perspectives. In turn, other professional news outlets turned to VOX reporters to contribute to their coverage of the global sports competition. The relationship continued in 1997 with the debut of VOX’s Raise Your Voice summer program. The endeavor offered mentoring and publishing opportunities for teens and relevant, teen-created content for the AJC. The newspaper’s Pulitzer-winning stars Mike Luckovich and Cynthia Tucker assisted VOX teens in the art of editorial writing and political cartooning, while AJC photo editor John Glenn led photo shoots and engaged teens with Photoshop workshops. The partnership deepened in the summer of 2011 with the debut of VOX Media Café summer program, spearheaded by the AJC’s Pulitzer winning managing editor and VOX board chair Hank Klibanoff (who writes about VMC on page 44). For three summers now, dozens of media professionals from the AJC have signed on to teach blogging, photography, design and reporting techniques at VMC. That partnership will continue with next year’s 2014 VMC. Reflects Hank, now a member of VOX’s new advisory board along with AJC publisher Amy Glennon: “The relationship between VOX and the AJC has been and remains mutually beneficial and always exciting. As VOX teens and AJC professionals come together in mentoring and coaching relationships over their common interests in reporting, writing, photojournalism, and print and web page design, it is apparent that we have an active, proactive and interactive relationship that plays to the strengths of both organizations and brings out the best in both.” The AJC’s generous ongoing in-kind donation of publishing 31,000 copies of each print edition of VOX, meanwhile, allows our teens’ voices to reach other teens at 350 distribution points across metro Atlanta five times each school year. Explains VOX founder Rachel Alterman Wallack: “Over the years, teen readers have consistently told us that they have a better understanding of people who are different from them, they have more resources for self-help and they make positive changes in their lives as a result of reading their peers' stories. Without that circulation, and the printed product, thanks to the AJC, we would not be able to make that kind of impact.”
M
Pete was recently named Volunteer King at VOX’s first Homecoming Fance and Awards Dinner. He’s pictured above (far right) playing Twister with teens in VOX’s old office on Nassau Street.
Rachael Buffington (now Rachael Baldanza) but always Rachael B.
VOX Roles: VOX adult staff - Publishing Programs Director, 1999 - 2004 Today: Rochester, N.Y.; I am a mom to 2-year-old, Ben, and work as Curriculum Director of a museum-based art school, affiliated with the University of Rochester.
I
applied for a job at VOX that seemed freakishly connected to my skills and interests. At the time I had a smattering of work experience, but I was obsessed with zines and publications and liked working on teams. I loved the environment, the work and the people involved. I found it really hard to leave.
Truly, there are lots of memorable moments from my VOX years; many from the start of our website program, meetings in which amazing teen staffers led the meetings and put together fantastic issues, and the summer program
in which we all grew new skills. I would say the San Francisco trip is one I think of often. There was a young man (Dopez, aka, Andrew) who was risking a lot by doing street graffiti but came into the office to tell his story. By challenging his illegal activities and pointing him toward (hopefully) better decisions, and in his editing process, I saw an entirely other creative world. I remember clearly his euphemisms for stealing markers and the lightbulb that went on when he realized that no matter what you called it, it was theft and he didn’t want to be a thief — he wanted to be an artist. I could see him weighing the risks and benefits of his behaviors. The final article was honest and maybe glorified tagging in some ways but also seemed a changing point in his life. Sherita Denson’s story about teen pregnancy, Amira’s story of her Quinceira, and Malik’s story about the metal detectors in his school were all wonderful and stick with me to this day. How has VOX impacted my life? Let me count the ways...
1. VOX taught me how to be an empathetic leader. The example of a professional kind and dedicated director (Rachel W.), who was also a mom and a writer, continues to inspire. As do all of the teen and adult colleagues, board members, and mentors I collaborated with. 2. VOX taught me how to be a mentor. I continue to mentor young people, particularly those with few chances to have professional mentors and am constantly advocating. 3. VOX taught me to try difficult things. The learning adventure I’m on
right now — a 40-year-old mom and wife/fulltime museum employee/and part-time doctoral student in Human Development — is about finding an unconventional balance between lifetime learning, collaborating better, and doing good in the world. I’d love to bring more VOX programs to this end of the world (there are some, but so many more are needed.) 4. VOX helped me gain an awareness of ageism (and all of the other isms, really) that has affected how I connect to people of all ages in all aspects of my life.
Dedra P. Holloway Graduated: Southwest DeKalb High School, 2005 VOX Roles: Summer Intern and Web Content Coordinator, Summer 2004 - 05 Today: Savannah; Managing Editor, Savannah Tribune I joined VOX: I saw an ad for the summer program. I was on my school’s newspaper staff, The Prowler, and was looking for a way to make myself better at what I did. My favorite VOX memory: August 10th, 2004 getting up at 6 a.m. to get a copy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution because my article that I worked on during my summer, “Shirt Wearers Don’t Get Message,” came out. That was the highlight of my life. My family was so proud of me. My granddad even got it reprinted in the Taylor County Newspaper so all my family in the country could see what I had done. My favorite VOX story: The first time I was open and honest about how I felt about my mother who was dealing with Multiple Sclerosis, my family having to move around a lot, and my coming-of-age sexuality. VOX’s impact on me: VOX opened my eyes to a totally different world I never knew of. At VOX I wasn’t just another face or another number. I was Dedra.
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VOXTeenCommunications.org
March 2003
May 2003
War in Iraq begins
Atlanta Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph is caught in North Carolina after years of being pursued
Hank Klibanoff
Maria Khodorkovsky
VOX Roles: 2004 - 13, Spelling Bee Judge, Volunteer, Board member, Board Chair, Advisory Board Chair Today: Atlanta; Cox Chair in Journalism at Emory, Writer
Graduated: Centennial High School, 2005 VOX Roles: Summer Program Participant; Staff Writer; Board of Directors Member, 2002 - 05 Today: Atlanta; Currently working for a tech start-up
A
I joined VOX because: As managing editor at The Atlanta JournalConstitution at the time, my encounters with students interested in inquisitive, critical thinking, in writing and in creative expression was magnetic and drew me closer and closer to the organization, its mission and, most importantly, its people. My favorite VOX memory is: In 2008, when the Atlanta Women’s Foundation named 17-year-old VOX writer Octavia Fugerson winner of the Sue Wieland Embracing Possibility Award. This was the first time the award had gone to someone other than an adult. This was an extraordinary moment, but for reasons greater than the $10,000 that went to VOX and the laptop that went to college-bound Octavia. It represented the emergence of a young woman who, by writing poetry and a personal feature story in VOX about her loving foster mother, had found not only a sense of pride, but also her courage and her voice. Octavia explained to the foundation that when a judge was preparing to order that she return to her birth mother, a move Octavia knew would eclipse her hard-earned trajectory, she relied on the research and writing skills she learned at VOX to persuade the judge to leave her with her foster mother. VOX’s impact on me: VOX has impacted my life by engaging me not just with the greater Atlanta community, but with a specific segment of the community, teens, who remain terribly misunderstood, under-appreciated and underestimated. I am grateful beyond words (not usual for me) for the mentoring I have received from VOX teens. And I never leave my encounters with VOX teens without feeling greater hope for the future than I
had.
decade ago, when I was a 15-year-old staff member at VOX, I relished the weekend exodus from the suburbs into downtown Atlanta. At that time, the VOX office was housed in a cozy redbrick building on Nassau Street, a stone’s throw from Centennial Olympic Park and the CNN Center. My three years there gave me a host of invaluable experiences, but there’s one incident in particular that never fails to put a smile on my face and remind me of how lucky I am to have been a VOXer. Here’s what happened. One day at the office, I got it into my head to write an article extolling the virtues of hallucinogenic drugs. Truth be told, I had never so much as seen a psychotropic substance, but apparently listening to the Doors and Jimi Hendrix under the influence of youth was inspiration enough. Rachel patiently heard me out, then explained that a controversial article with legal implications could only be published if accompanied by hard facts and substantiated evidence. She did not say ‘no’; Rachel just told me to do my homework. This upset me. Like many teenagers, I knew everything and enjoyed the moral high ground in every situation. How could Rachel not see that my unique views and pretty words were more than enough to prove my point? What was this term journalistic integrity, and what did it have to do with me? I still get sheepish recalling this righteous indignation at not being able to say whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Mercifully, the article never ran, and years passed before I came to fully appreciate the incredible courtesy with which VOX’s adult staff treated us. Teenagers are molded and manhandled – told to keep quiet and follow the straight and narrow until their ideas acquire the weight of their adult counterparts’. At VOX, it was different. At VOX, we were regarded as intelligent, creative, and autonomous individuals whose ambitions not only had a right to exist, but that merited respect and support. At VOX, we received practical guidance, professional resources, personal advice, and intellectual stimulation – all without a drop of disdain for our age. Because no one talked down to us, our self-confidence grew and our ideas took flight. Because we were taught useful skills, we were armed with the tools to bring those ideas to fruition. Because we were VOXers, we will always be grateful to that group of inspirational mentors and peers that have enriched our lives.
(Hank is pictured above with daughter Corinne. Read more from Corinne, a VOX Media Cafe participant and teen staffer during 2012-2013, on page 39.)
November 2003
All Year 2004
February 2004, April 2004
November 2004
Mass. Supreme Court decision grants same-sex couples the right to marry. The decision causes 10 states to pass laws banning gay marriage over the next 10 years, including Georgia
VOX creates its next formal strategic plan
Facebook created in February at Harvard University; Google introduces Gmail - product isn’t taken seriously because of its April Fool’s Day launch
President George W. Bush is re-elected after defeating Democrat John Kerry
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Ashley Watson VOX Roles: Board Member and Board Chair, 2001 - 07 Today: SVP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for Hewlett-Packard Company in California
Top VOX Issues VOX covered in the VOX Vault at VOXTeenCommunications.org, where the logo above will link to a full list of older stories written by teens! AIDS Freaknik 1996 Olympic Games Gentrification in Atlanta Tupac’s Death Hurricane Katrina Education Reform / No Child Left Behind September 11 Violence in Columbine Sexual Exploitation in Atlanta Juvenile Justice Reform in GA Immigration/Refugees Hip-Hop School Accreditation Teen Pregnancy Technology Bullying Presidential Elections (LOGO DESIGNED BY VOX DONOR NICOLINE STROM-JENSEN)
I joined VOX because: Katie McCauley, a good friend, needed to replace herself on the Board and she recommended me. She knew I would love the VOX mission, which I did. My favorite VOX memory is: All the fundraisers, from the concert with Jennifer Nettles, to the Spelling Bees to the Jane Fonda lunch. I liked sharing the VOX story with more people. VOX’s impact on me: VOX helped me develop as a professional and a person, and I’ve always hoped that I helped VOX grow and develop while I was on the Board. I really don’t think I would have the success I have today without VOX. We used VOX principles at the Board level, and I am a better leader, better team player and better person because of the perspective I gained at VOX and the experience it gave me to help make a difference. I will always be thankful – it gave to me far more than I have given to it.
Yasmin Adrionne Miller Graduated: 2008 VOX Roles: Girls Group Facilitator, Angela’s House (Girls Group Outreach) Intern 2004 - 08 Today: Atlanta; Small Business investor
I
’ve recently started to believe that it is the small decisions in life that make the most substantial impact. In 2004, I made the very small decision to sit in on a writing workshop in downtown Atlanta. Fourteen years old and a little shy, when the facilitators started passing out notebooks, I immediately began to lament my decision to take my mom’s advice and beef up my college resume early. Sharing my feelings with complete strangers at 9 a.m. hardly seemed like my cup of tea. So, I surprised myself when I discovered that I actually really enjoyed the experience. The girls I met were unique, funny and sweet. I found that it was easier for me to express myself through written word and that I really, really enjoyed listening to and writing poetry. More than that, the atmosphere of VOX was unlike anything I’d ever seen. The adults respected the teen staff and even encouraged us to share our opinions. It was a complete novelty for me, and I made the decision after only my first girls group meeting that I would participate in VOX as long as I could. Throughout my four-year tenure as a girls group facilitator, some of my favorite
high school memories took place in that colorful little office on Nassau St. There were crazy hobos in the parking lot, free writes that made me cry my eyes out and even a Buddhist nun who taught me to meditate, VOX really taught me to appreciate the expression of, not just the teenage, but the human experience. I owe a lot of who I am to those memories. The most significant of all my experiences in VOX was when I was an intern for Angela’s House [a former home for sexually-exploited girls]. Anyone who knows about the workshop can tell you, it is a daunting task to undertake. Angela’s House revealed to me a really dark crevice in our society and while it was a little scary, I think it was something I needed to see. Prior to Angela’s House, I was the type of girl who liked to think I wasn’t like “those girls,” as if there was some secret sect of women out there that made it shameful to be one. That experience revealed to me how all girls and women, no matter where you’re raised or how, really aren’t that different. It showed me that what womanhood really needed wasn’t women proclaiming to be “different” or “better” than those “other girls.” I realized more of us needed to hear and understand each other and that sometimes, we really needed each other, a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since. My small decision to sit in on a workshop ultimately shaped many aspects of who I am today. I am, and will always be grateful for the experiences and friendships I had at the VOX Teen Communications office. I learned much more than writing skills. VOX set me on the path to becoming a more effective communicator and experience-conscious human being.
June 2005
GA Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears becomes first female, AfricanAmerican Chief Justice in the U.S. Page 30
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
VOX: A Family Tradition By Raisa Habersham VOX Alumna
I
f a family that prays together stays together, then a family that paints together certainly flourishes. These sentiments could be said of Reuben Buchanan, 23, and his 17-yearold nephew Tru Spann. These artists’ work has accompanied many articles in VOX’s pages — six years apart from each other, cultivated by their family’s love for art. Tru and Reuben are a first: teens that span two generations in one family to both be VOX teen staff members. Reuben joined VOX in 2003, and Tru joined in 2010. “My parents are both artists,” Reuben says. “Art was always in our house. We grew up around it. From the age of 4, learning to write was synonymous with learning to draw.” Reuben’s mom, an art teacher at Mundy’s Mill Middle School, and dad a social worker and painter at heart, encouraged him and later Tru to hone their skills through workshops at the Boys
and Girls Club. “They had Saturday classes where kids came over for art lessons through the Boys and Girls Club,” Tru says, adding he attended the classes but found it frustrating since he wanted to get everything right on the first try. Through the Boys and Girls Club, Reuben learned of VOX and made the trek from Riverdale to the downtown teen newsroom at age 13, eventually taking on numerous leadership roles including a two-time art intern. When the Boys and Girls Club art program ended, the Buchanans continued the program out of their home with Reuben, who then attended Tri-Cities High School and participated regularly in VOX’s workshops and programs. Reuben, who joined VOX when he was 13 and earned a POSSE scholarship for which the organization nominated him, credits VOX for instilling leadership skills in him at an early age. “It definitely gives you the opportunity to work in an environment that gives
really prepares you for that in life.” “I got a chance to teach more and prepared [middle school students] for art in high school,” Reuben says. The lessons also helped Reuben indirectly later, during his studies at Boston University as a graphic design major. “One of my senior projects was to create a campaign to inspire art, and mine was Help Save the Arts Campaign,” he says. “It was a quick assignment teachers could do in class that weren’t art teachers. The students had to decorate what art meant to them and the teachers displayed them in the classroom.” Following in his uncle’s footsteps, Tru has crafted his own niche at VOX, by joining art club and navigating through his style of art. “Through my art, I want to be different,” he says. “I don’t want to do the same thing someone else has done. VOX showed me guidance for what I want to do in life. Before VOX, I was doing nothing on Saturdays other than going to my
“Being 13 and having people expect artwork from you, and going through edits and taking constructive criticism really prepares you for that in life.” - Reuben B. you structure and deadlines,” he said. “Being 13 and having people expect artwork from you, and going through edits and taking constructive criticism
grandparents’ and lounging around.” Perhaps the most expressive Tru’s ever been at VOX is through the annual Art and Poetry issue.
August 2005
November 2005
Hurricane Katrina hits the Gulf Coast, leading to more than 1,300 deaths when the levees break
Georgia Aquarium opens Sandy Springs becomes its own its doors city after trying to secede from Fulton County since the 1970s
December 2005
“When it comes around, I like to stick multiple pieces of art into it,” he says, adding he draws a lot of his influence from culture, particularly music and school. Reuben agreed about the benefit of having a dedicated arts edition of VOX, adding there’s a difference in working on a piece for someone else’s story, as opposed to having a whole edition dedicated to what you love. Still, there’s something magical to “conveying someone’s ideas artistically,” Reuben says. “With an illustration, you only have one picture to get an idea across, whereas the author may have 1500 words. You have to find a way to get people’s main point across.” Today, Reuben continues his artistic endeavors through his own business ScarecrowApparel.com, based on his senior thesis in which he was looking to bridge the gap between fine art and street art. “It plays off the idea that a scarecrow is generally used to scare something away, but it’s actually putting up a façade to protect something.” Tru continues to develop art for his fellow VOXers, while attending Grady High School with hopes to enter the engineering field. “I still want to be the best artist I can be, but getting there takes hard work,” he says. “But I feel like I can do those things and follow others I’ve learned from as well.” Reuben and Tru are pictured above (Reuben at left and Tru at top).
April 2006
December 2006
VOX partnership with Angela’s House (a safe home for commercially sexually exploited girls) begins with Girls Group
Saddam Hussein is convicted of crimes against humanity and is hanged in Baghdad
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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VOXer of All Trades By Jeff Romig Executive Director
A
nna Richards Kelly was 15 when she applied to be part of VOX’s Teen Olympic News Bureau Summer Program in
1996. Unfortunately, the Norcross teen wasn’t selected for an interview. This would prove to be the only role at VOX that Anna failed to hold. When then-Executive Director Rachel Alterman Wallack broke the news to Anna that she wouldn’t get an interview, she invited her to join VOX’s teen staff for the 1996-97 school year. “It felt a little bit good, but a little bit crappy,” Anna remembered with a smile. Despite her disappointment in not being selected to cover the Olympic Games, Anna accepted the teen staff
invitation. She then went on to be a teen member of the VOX Board, a college intern, an adult member of the VOX Board and a member of VOX’s adult staff as VOX’s associate director. She’s also been a donor since she was 16. “Anna has contributed to VOX in every way a person can,” Rachel said, noting that Anna is the only person in VOX’s history to occupy all of these roles. Within Anna’s first six months at VOX, she joined the Board of Directors and never looked back as a leader within the organization. “She was a very confident teen, willing and able to present her viewpoint even if she disagreed with the adults in the room,” recalled Gary Dresser, who was VOX’s Board Chair when Anna joined. Rachel remembers Anna’s confidence, but also her struggle as a straight-A
student who wasn’t used to going through an editing process in her writing. But through their work together, Rachel said Anna embraced that challenge and created some amazing stories, including a piece on her parents’ divorce, the connectivity of our city, and her final story for VOX on the death of her history teacher and friend, Phillip Rau III. “My writing improved greatly,” Anna remembered. “Rachel taught me more of the fundamentals than my English teacher did.” Anna was also a page designer, helping teens learn graphic design tools and getting the VOX paper to press, and a peer workshop facilitator, volunteering with a few other VOX teens and Rachel on Saturday mornings to bring VOX’s leadership and writing program to teenage boys incarcerated in a local Youth Development Center. After graduation, Anna moved to South Carolina to attend Furman University, but ended up returning to Atlanta and graduated from Emory University in 2002. She worked as day manager at Eddie’s Attic for about eight months before joining Junior Achievement as the president’s assistant in 2003. In 2004, she found her way back to the VOX Board of Directors. Then in 2005, she resigned from her Board role to take the Associate Director job at VOX, where she worked until August 2008. She then decided to start the process of becoming a nurse, as she was about to have her first daughter, Emma.
Anna is pretty humble about her time on VOX’s staff. “I was not an expert at much, but I could figure stuff out,” she said. It’s clear from Rachel’s words that Anna had a major impact as a member of the VOX day-to-day team. “She helped VOX achieve a huge milestone with our move back to Peachtree Center in 2007, coordinating logistics of our build-out and move, and helped strengthen our infrastructure by creating an operations manual, technology inventory, and managing the migration of our database,” Rachel said. This impact was never a surprise to Andy Sarvady, a former VOX Board Chair, who served with Anna during her teen years. “What I never predicted was how her involvement with VOX would take so many forms,” Andy said. “It was so much fun having her on the board in high school but even more fun to walk into VOX years later and see her on staff, running meetings, taking calls, offering up her experience and unique perspective in so many ways. “Many of us have hovered around the edges of VOX for years, contributing here and there. Yet I don’t know many who could say with complete authority that they literally grew up in the newsroom. Anna did; Anna wore so many VOX hats, she could open up a hat shop.” Anna is now impacting the world as a nurse at Emory. She lives with her husband James and their two daughters – Emma, 5, and Rachel, 3 – in Brookhaven. For Anna, VOX still provides today’s teens what she and her cohort of teens needed in the late ‘90s. “It’s a place where kids can be met where they’re at, which is not true at school,” she said.
January 2007
Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the House Page 32
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Octavia Fugerson Graduated: Towers High School, 2009 VOX Roles: Board Member, Girls Group, JustGeorgia Workshop Facilitator 2007 - 10 Today: Athens, Ga.; University of Georgia, pursuing Masters of Education in Gifted and Creative Education. I am working diligently to decrease the amount of psychotropic drugs given to foster youth and adjudicated teens and finding creative ways to empower youth with behavioral problems. I am a Young Fellow with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities and travel nationally advocating to improve the foster care system.
T
he summer before my freshman year in high school, I was suicidal. My home conditions were horrible. The only thing that got me through was this article from VOX. I don’t remember the name of it, the author, or even what issue it was in, but I remember VOX. Second semester of 9th grade, I was placed in foster care and reconnected with the newspaper. I decided to enter a poem to express myself about my new experience. It was accepted, and that sparked a level of motivation I had not experienced. VOX was changing my life at a distance, and I wanted to get up close and personal. My self-concept was distorted. I didn’t think I would get in. I got a call, and my mentality changed. Why did I join VOX? I was desperate for change. I wanted to save myself. My first retreat was with VOX. I was exposed to the importance of comfort to produce. I had fun with a purpose. I vividly remember Meredith and Rachel
believing in me like no one ever had. I had the opportunity to use the camera and fully enjoyed capturing the moment. Big Wind Blows is still my go to icebreaker. That summer program changed my life. From the exposure I received to the participants (some now lifetime friends), prepared me for greatness. The staff compassion and dedication gave me the hope and guidance to be where I am today. Before VOX, I was a scared, angry little girl. I didn’t know how to express myself, and I didn’t believe in myself. VOX provided the foundation for my personal and professional growth. VOX taught me how to write, how to speak, how to engage, how to be engaged. The leadership training I received is what propelled me through life. My agenda templates originate from VOX. My letter of recommendations for college came from VOX. The first time I advocated for myself, I told the judge that I did not want to go home with my mother; that I would rather stay in foster care. VOX staff members empowered me to express myself. My siblings went home and in a few months were living in horrid conditions and became homeless. My first awards came from VOX. I had something to be proud of because of VOX. I was surrounded by people that I admire and aspired to look like and they received inspiration from me. My VOX family taught me I was valuable and surrounded me with people that were worth imitating. The majority of my
quality friendships were a result of my involvement with VOX. The exposure I received and the impact it had is immeasurable. Without VOX, I sincerely doubt that I would be successful or alive. VOX gave me something to live for and introduced me to purpose.
Catherine Cai Graduated: The Paideia School, 2008 VOX Roles: Writing Intern, 2006 - 08 Today: St. Louis, Mo.; Saint Louis University School of Medicine, secondyear student in the MD/PhD program.
I joined VOX because: Writing was one of my greatest passions and hobbies growing up, and it continued into high school and college. I often felt like I had a hard time fitting in at my high school, and writing helped me make it through those years. VOX especially gave me a productive outlet for my frustrations at the time, and it was a safe place to be myself. My favorite VOX memory: I was working with some other students one winter evening when it started snowing outside. (I think it was February 2007 -- it snows so rarely in Atlanta that the dates stick in my memory!). We all ditched our work and ran outside onto the rooftop terrace to jump around and celebrate the rare occasion. My favorite VOX story: As a part of a VOX summer program, I was paired up with an editor from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, who helped me edit and publish an editorial in the Opinions section of the paper. (I wrote about the irony of political fashion, particularly the mass-propagated screen printed Che Guevara T-shirts). Not only was this an incredible opportunity for me to work with a professional journalist and witness firsthand the editing process of a large publication, but it was one of the first times I felt truly supported, mentored and encouraged by someone I looked up to -- which is a very powerful and inspiring experience. VOX’s impact on me: First and foremost, I met great people at VOX that became some of my best friends in high school. Second, VOX was a safe haven where I felt supported and encouraged to be the most honest version of myself that I could be. Finally, by writing about the things that bothered, upset or otherwise impassioned me, VOX taught me how to formulate my own opinions and articulate my thoughts about tough issues.
February 2007
April 2007
October 2007
November 2008
All Year 2008
VOX’s launches effort to create its first teen resource guide
Student Cho Seung-Hui kills 33 people in shooting on campus at Virginia Tech
VOX doubles its office space and moves to its current location at Peachtree Center
Barack Obama is elected to office, defeating John McCain and becoming the first African American president of the United States
Blogging at VOX begins; teens learn new tool for immediacy in reporting
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Teyonna Ridgeway Debbie Segal Graduated: Miller Grove High School, 2010 VOX Roles: Program Intern, Girls Group Facilitator, 2009 - 10 Today: Washington, D.C.; Howard University, Public Relations
VOX Roles: Board 2004 - 10 Vice Chair 2006 - 08; Chair 2008 - 09 Today: Getting ready to retire from the fulltime practice of law after a career of legal and probono services. Looking forward to using the other side of my brain!
I joined VOX to: Learn more about journalism.
I joined VOX because: I was at a site visit for The Atlanta Women’s Foundation visiting VOX. Having a grant interview with teens at the table was the first striking thing. And having the teens answer the questions that were being asked of the staff without prompting or coaching was spectacular.
My favorite VOX memory: Every time I look back at the pictures from the 2009 Staff Retreat (opposite page), I can’t help but smile, because I remember all of the hard work that Chernail, Cara (the Program Director at the time) and I put in to make it a success. From VOXers running down the giant hill to climbing the jungle gym, I was glad to plan an event that allowed everyone, students and staff, to be kids again for a few hours. My favorite VOX story: “A Burden that Strengthened my Family” was very personal for me — it was my reaction to my mother being hospitalized with fibroid tumors and being diagnosed with diabetes. I realized that this health scare was a wake-up call for my family. It proved that no one in my family, not even the glue that holds us all together, is immortal. VOX’s impact on me: So many things that I am just now learning about myself have built off of the principles that VOX instilled in me a few years ago. VOX was so rewarding because all of the positive energy that I put in to my time there — like getting involved with Epiphany Girls Group, Raise Your Voice Summer Camp, the VOX program internship, Graduation Countdown and a bunch of other activities. If you put a lot into VOX, you definitely get a lot out of it.
My favorite VOX memory is: Seeing Octavia come in hiding under her hoodie, not saying a word for three hours, and then seeing her two years later in front of a room full of 1,400 women, talking about her experiences, was huge. Then, there’s Mo [Alabi] – who came in with grand ideas, and VOX gave her the tools the implement them. She was going to make the most of her experience — she was the most directed of the kids I knew well. VOX set her on her path. She may not have had the access to the tools she needed. VOX’s impact on me: Coming in on a Saturday and seeing 10 kids crowded around one computer, realizing if we could just bottle that diversity we could save the world. They were all so different — came from different places,
Mooni Abdus-Salam Graduated: Tech High School, 2009 VOX Roles: Girls Group Today: Chicago; Roosevelt University I joined VOX because: The only thing I knew 100 percent about myself was that I loved to write. My favorite VOX memory: The most eye-opening experience I had was at Camp TRUTH, where several other interns and I volunteered to be counselors to young girls from refugee and low-income communities. I don’t think I will ever forget the closeness I felt to the young girls and the other volunteers as we shared stories of ourselves, our backgrounds and hopes for the future. My favorite VOX story: The first full story that I ever wrote for VOX was about how my family’s ethnic, cultural, and religious background was expressed through our love of food. It included a recipe for my mother’s pastelitos, her fried little meat pies that I consider a quintessential part of my history. VOX’s impact on me: Not only did I learn how to raise my voice but I realized that being in the nonprofit field was something I would one day want to do as a career.
clustered around having fun and learning.
All Year 2009
VOX launches next formal strategic plan with focus on sustainability Page 34
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Samantha Dietz Graduated: The Lovett School, 2013 VOX Roles: Teen Staff, Summer Intern, Board of Directors Member, 2009 - 13 Today: Freshman and Community Service Scholar at Tulane University
V
OX is a place where I could express myself creatively through the written word. It was a wonderful environment to spend my Saturdays, making friends with teens from all around the city, allowing my creative thoughts to flow through writing, and learning a lot in the workshops. VOX was also an excellent leadership opportunity. I not only was impacted by VOX, but also got to impact the organization by being on the Board. Leadership and communication skills were also cultivated through peer facilitating, being a liaison, and more. I loved that VOX gave me a chance to write about what I wanted, not what was assigned in the classroom. And I loved that my stories would benefit teens all across the city. I enjoyed the process of seeing a story build and eventually come together on in a published newspaper or on the web as a blog. Can you tell I love VOX? One of my favorite VOX memories was the first time I walked into VOX. I was 13, and it was the spring of my 8th grade year. After a long day at school, my dad and I drove downtown to VOX [for a parent-teen dialogue]. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from the moment I entered the doors I instantly felt connected to VOX and everyone there. People smiled, laughed and greeted each other. People supported each other’s
ideas, art, poems and stories. I loved that you could be yourself, and people would like you for who you are! This memory embodies what VOX stands for. By teens, for teens. Teens supporting each other and assisting each other. No matter your background, people wanted to get to know you, and you wanted to know people. There was just a simple, pure love for your neighbor when you arrived in VOX. I also remember the first teen staff retreat I went to. It was early fall and you could taste the crisp air that glided through the trees. We all went out to a park and played games, wrote short stories, and ran down the hill. At the end of the day, we all took a picture on a piece of jungle gym equipment. To this day, that picture still remains hanging in the VOX office. Last year, as a high school senior, that picture especially held meaning for me. I was in the center of the picture, the smallest and youngest of the bunch, sticking my tongue out for a silly photo. Whenever I looked at the picture last year, I would realize that I was the only one in it who hadn’t yet graduated — from high school or VOX. I would think how much had changed and had stayed the same since that early fall day. Another favorite memory was from my experience as an intern. In summer
2012, I was an intern for VOX Media Cafe summer program. Every morning, the interns would lead energizers to liven up the group of Media Cafe participants. Some of these energizers included, but were most certainly not limited to, Wa!, Honey I Love You, Big Wind Blows, etc. These fun and easy activities would instantly turn a group of sleepy teenagers into a laughing, giggling, smiling group of VOXers. I loved seeing and being a part of this transformation. I truly enjoyed writing each photo essay, blog, and article I created. One of my favorite photo essays I did was after my trip to Israel. While in Israel, I took many photos and kept a journal to document the overseas experience. The blurb I wrote to accompany the photo essay was actually part of what I had written while in Israel. I think that element — of writing in the moment and expanding upon it later — was unique and meaningful to me. Finally, one of my longest articles I ever wrote while at VOX was about earning my black belt. I’ve been doing karate since age 3 and earned my black belt on August 5, 2012. This article was a culmination of my lifelong journey to achieving the ultimate goal: the black belt. I wrote the article throughout the summer (the same summer I was a VOX intern) during my intensive training, and because it was published after my test, I included photos from the test alongside karate photos from my childhood. Throughout my entire VOX lifespan, my dad and I were a father-daughter team, starting with that first parent-teen dialogue I attended at VOX when I was 13.
After I joined teen staff, he would come with me to VOX and stay the morning while I participated in workshops and teen staff meetings and wrote articles. Ultimately, my dad joined the Board of Directors, and I followed a few months later, becoming one of the teen board members. Our father-daughter unity in VOX allowed us to work together in a professional capacity, completely separate from life at home. We saw each other in a new light. I have to thank the parent-teen dialogue for this. It gave us both a heart for VOX and sparked our involvement in the organization, both together and separately. Soon after the dialogue, I applied for teen staff, and the father-daughter duo cycle began. VOX has been a positive force in my life. Through VOX, I have gained valuable leadership and communications skills, had unique experiences (such as touring Atlanta Magazine and CNN), participated in workshops led by incredible and renowned professionals in the writing and journalism community, developed friendships with kind, friendly, funny, accepting, and amazing teens from all across Atlanta, worked in a diverse environment, and expressed myself creatively through art, photography, writing, and blogging. I miss riding the elevator up to the 7th floor. I miss signing in, and being greeted by the adult and teen staff. I miss the teen staff meetings, the go-arounds and energizers. I miss coming up with cover ideas and brainstorming for articles. I miss attending incredible workshops and learning skills I couldn’t get anywhere else. I am so happy that I have a long time before my 20th birthday (I’m 18 right now). VOX’s impact on my life has been so
great that it will always be a part of me.
June 2009
Sept. 2009-May 2010
December 2009
Spring 2010
December 2010
Michael Jackson dies.
LEAD Atlanta explores earned revenue program for VOX
Kasim Reed becomes mayor of Atlanta after runoff recount
Bishop Eddie Long scandal begins after two men claim sexual encounters as teens at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy is repealed, allowing gay men and women to serve openly
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Stanley Stewart is Dreaming Bigger By Raisa Habersham VOX Alumna
S
tanley Stewart,19, could have easily become one of the 7,700 children in Georgia’s foster care system. But he didn’t. As a matter of fact, Stanley’s dedication to aiding children within the foster system is due in part to his aunt adopting his siblings to better provide for them and his community involvement through VOX. “That was part of the reason I got involved with JUSTGeorgia working with kids in the juvenile justice system,” he says. “That was something that was very prevalent to me. I never had to go through a group home or go through foster care. I was very lucky. But how often does that happen and how easy could it have been for me to end up in that system?” Through VOX, Stanley became involved with JUSTGeorgia, a statewide initiative working to empower adjudicated youth — also known as the kids in “the system.” Despite his involvement in and many opportunities provided by VOX, Stanley initially shrugged off the idea when a
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friend encouraged him to join. But by summer 2009, Stanley was learning reporting, web and design skills as part of the Raise Your Voice Summer Program. By the fall he was arts and graphics intern and later became a board member and interactive web intern in 2011. “VOX had a profound effect on the way I look at communities and giving back, because that’s such a part of what VOX is,” he says. “We’re providing a service in giving teens a voice in Atlanta, and that’s something that no one else does.” Though Stanley, as many at VOX, had a knack for writing (his first story on teen bisexuality sparked the controversy he was looking for, causing some schools not to carry that edition of VOX), his passion has always been stewardship. “I just realized that hardcore journalism wasn’t my passion, but I still have a passion for graphics and media,” he said. “I guess because of the impact VOX had on me in fundamentally shaping myself and how I viewed my community, I wanted to be able to revive that for other teens because it’s so critical, especially for a teenager today.” “Current VOX teens look at Stanley as a legend,” said VOX Director of Media and Programs Katie Vesser Strangis, who worked with Stanley at VOX during his junior and senior year of high school. “They often note that he was the first teen they met when they came to VOX, and they have channeled his energy and efforts to help create a more teen-friendly and sustainable organization and, on a broader scale, a more teen-friendly community. The teens also know that a full ride to an Ivy League school and more
than a million dollars in scholarships are incredible goals to set for themselves, but they saw Stanley do those things and know that it’s totally possible.” Following his time at VOX, Stanley continues to devote his time to community efforts near his school, Brown University. “One of things I was looking for when I was applying to college was what are the opportunities for me to help out in the community through social services or whatever issues that we’re facing,” he says. Last summer, Stanley interned with the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless in Providence, RI.
A sophomore, Stanley serves as resident assistant and interns with
AmeriCorps as a college advising fellow where he’ll perform college access work with local Providence high schools, which reminds him of his Graduation Countdown involvement at VOX. “It’s something I’m really passionate about. Because of VOX and the mentors, the resources and the people here that cared about me, I was able to go to college and dream bigger,” he said. “It’s a just another testament to how VOX shapes you in ways that you don’t expect.”
Brittnee Jones Graduated: McEachern High School, 2011 VOX Roles: Writer & Designer, 2010 - 11 Today: Athens; University of Georgia, Public Relations Major I joined VOX because: I had a piquing interest in journalism while in high school, and VOX provided me a great opportunity to not only develop those talents but showcase them as well. My favorite VOX memory: My most memorable VOX experience isn’t just one day or one moment. I treasure the relationships I formed while at VOX and still keep in touch with many of the people I met while in the program. My favorite VOX story: I wrote a huge 2-page spread on human trafficking (Eds: Spring 2011, pictured above, where Brittnee is the cover model). I was able to interview a woman who had been pimped on the streets of Atlanta. It was a great
BRITTNEE ON THE COVER OF THE APRIL 2011 EDITION OF VOX NEWSPAPER
learning experience for me and a very memorable piece. It is probably the most interesting and impactful piece I’ve written to this day. VOX’s impact on me: VOX gave me an opportunity to meet other talented students with the same passion for journalism that I once had. VOX gave me a creative space to work and excel. VOX also provided me opportunities for publication that helped me attain jobs in the future.
May 2011
June 2011
October 2011
U.S. military and CIA operatives kill Osama Bin Laden
VOX launches VOX Media Cafe, first earned-revenue programming around media and nonfiction writing; two Pulitzer prize winners teach teens
Occupy Wall Street movement starts in New York; VOX covers Occupy movement in Atlanta
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Mayuni Karr Graduated: Stephenson High School, 2013 VOX Roles: Writer and Photographer, Summer Intern, 2011 & 12 Today: Morrow; Clayton State University, Majoring in Communication/Media Studies
D
o it, Mayuni. No, don’t do it. You aren’t that great of a writer. Mayuni, just pick it up! You get one every month anyway. What’s the big deal? Seriously … you wouldn’t even fit in.
Several Hours Later... Wow. I did it. I actually did it! I applied to VOX Teen Communications! Wait. What the heck did I just get myself into? I don’t know about other VOXers, but this was my application process. Filling it out wasn’t the issue. Having the courage to follow through was what hindered me. I always knew I was a bashful person. I was never a stranger to solidarity or my own insecurities. So stepping out of a cocoon I’d spent more than a decade building was one hell of a task! But I figured if I could join VOX, then maybe I could start the metamorphosis of a new me, and break out of that cocoon. When I got to VOX, I was shocked. Color-shocked. My goodness, the colors! There were so many! The walls were a vibrant baby blue, the tables were captivating with different shapes and sizes and colors. And the carpet. The VOX carpet. ‘Nuff said. But this was not the memorable moment. As I was given my nametag and another paper to fill out, I noticed another color. There was so much white. White from the smiles of the people
Summer 2012
Executive transition at VOX begins
who were there. Their personalities seemed to be in sync with the vibrancy of the colorful space. “What is this place?” I wondered.
Fast Forward, a Few Months Later I still wasn’t talking. I just faded into the background and let my personality be suffocated with the outgoing and unique nature of the other teens. I mean, they all had so much to offer! What was it that I could contribute? Absolutely nothing. At least I thought. I was sitting though go-arounds, dragging through energizers, and listening to announcements. “We are looking for interns for our first summer program at VOX. If any of you are interested, please fill out an application.” As the staff meeting went on, I couldn’t stop thinking of what Katie said. And yet again, I find myself contemplating whether I should or shouldn’t take this giant leap toward a new me. But eventually, I find myself at her desk sliding my hopes and insecurities into a yellow envelope. The summer comes, and I am as vulnerable and clueless as a kindergartner on her first day. I see these new faces, some I recognize and others I don’t. I was still surprised that I was accepted to participate in this new endeavor. I couldn’t pull the question from the corners of my mind: Why me? The rest of the interns looked pretty qualified and prepared. What could I do? During this one summer in 2011, though, I would
December 2012
come to realize that a new Mayuni would be born and nurtured into maturity by this very daunting opportunity. Katie was the new head editor, we were new interns, and this was VOX’s new summer program. There was A LOT to be both learned and taught by everyone. We would learn how to speak with purpose and authority in front of others, we would learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, we would learn how to facilitate and lead group discussions and energizers, how to cater to the needs of adult volunteers, how to write stories for VOX’s blog and newspaper. But more importantly, we would learn how to develop and accept our true selves in order to help VOX progress through the new chapters of its existence. That summer I wrote five blogs, one theme article, coordinated the back-to-school issue, made new friends with both interns and VMC participants, went to CNN, AJC, and all around Atlanta. But these things weren’t nearly as important to me in comparison to my one discovery: I, Mayuni Karr, have a voice. And that fateful summer, I realized I was given a microphone to scream it to thousands of teens across Atlanta. Mayuni Karr broke out of her cocoon, opened her eyes, and flew away after two years of what felt like a fantasy.
proud to be connected
The world does not end on 12/21/12, but real tragedy strikes Sandy Hook Elementary School (Conn.) where a gunman takes the lives of 20 children and six adults
Back to the Future I am now in college discovering even more about myself. I am joining new organizations, meeting different people, and speaking up and out about social and global issues. Whether it is Rachel with a dream, Katie with a mission, Rich with good will, the teen staff with new ideas, or the board with a new [fundraising] proposal, none of my success would be possible without VOX Teen Communications and a growing legacy.
PICTURED: SUMMER INTERNS, CLASS OF 2012 (BACK ROW L-R: COURTNEY FARMER, SANJIDA MOWLA AND MAYUNI KARR. FRONT ROW, L-R: BRIANNA CURTIS, SAMANTHA DIETZ)
Mary Hinkel VOX Roles: Board Member, Fundraising Chair, 2008 - Present My favorite VOX memory is: My favorite memory is attending a teen brainstorming session planning the next issue of VOX. What I thought was going to take all afternoon was handled effectively, positively and with great enthusiasm by the teens, all of whom participated, expressed their opinions and reached consensus. It was very impressive. VOX’s impact on me: Being involved with VOX has made me appreciate the need for positive influences to help teens develop skills and navigate the tricky shoals of
adolescence.
Congratulations VOX and the VOX community on 20 great years in Atlanta.
© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Whitney Deal
Akil Harris
VOX Roles: Board Vice Chair, Board Member, Volunteer, Sip & Shop Co-Chair, 2007 – Present Today: Director, Corporate Citizenship for Kilpatrick Townsend, coordinating all aspects of the firm’s corporate and social responsibility efforts across the country. I have yet to find another organization like VOX!
Graduated: Riverdale High School, 2013 VOX Roles: Teen Staff, 2012 - 13 Today: Atlanta; Clayton State University
I joined VOX because: Debbie Segal, the firm’s pro bono partner, who was on the board and heavily involved with the organization. I experienced the true power of VOX when I was invited to be a part of the last strategic planning effort. I was so impressed by the way teens were asked to lead various aspects of the day and were encouraged to voice their opinions.
VOX’s impact on me: I am proud to be a part of an organization that is unwavering in its commitment to teens in metro Atlanta and strongly believes in their ability to lead. I was blessed growing up to be supported by the adults around me to lead and grow and thrive. VOX provides that kind of support every day for hundreds of teens in Atlanta and I am confident that the ripple effect that is created as a result is a powerful one. WHITNEY IS PICTURED ABOVE WITH MEMBERS, KARESTIAH LAWSON AND BRIANNA CURTIS.
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VOX’s impact on me: Summing up my VOX experience, I would use the word fantastic. Being a part of VOX can feel like a sweet dream. I am lucky enough to have been one of those few.
My favorite VOX memory: Having fun with other VOXers after staff
My favorite VOX memory is: Watching as some of my Freedom Writers students enjoyed their final celebration at VOX during their senior year. I was so proud as I witnessed their self-confidence and leadership, and the respect they had gained from the multitude of new friends they had made from schools all across Atlanta. When I met them as freshmen through the firm’s Freedom Writers mentoring program, they were quiet, unassuming students who didn’t really want to interact with others. They came to VOX and started to blossom and not only had an impact on the VOX teens in the newsroom, but also on the other students in our Freedom Writers program who did not get involved with VOX.
CURRENT TEEN STAFFERS AND BOARD
I joined VOX because: I wanted to learn how to be a better writer. I never thought that while doing so I would make such good friends.
meetings. I think of joking around with Curtis, Mahmood and the others while taking out the trash. I think of those afternoons when Mahmood, Curtis and I would leave the Peachtree Center after those meetings and just walk around enjoying each other’s company until it got dark.
Sanjida Mowla Graduated: Grady High School, 2013 VOX Roles: Writer, 2012 Summer Intern, Board Member, 2011 - 13 Today: Athens; University of Georgia, Psychology Major I joined VOX because: I wanted to be a part of a community outside of school where I could learn to be a better writer. Then, I found out VOX was not just about writing, which was why I decided to stay. My favorite VOX memory: One of the fondest memories I had at VOX was my first week as a summer intern, where the other interns and I began preparing for the coming weeks. I loved being able to be at VOX five days a week and more importantly, being able to have a closer relationship with four lovely people! I loved the whole [VOX] Media Cafe, but something about that week made me feel extremely lucky to be a part of this
organization. My favorite VOX story: One of my favorite stories that I wrote dealt with religion and how, although I believe in it, some may not think so because of some aspects of my life or the way I dress. Writing it really made me think more about why I choose to believe in it, as well as some things about the religion that I might disagree with. VOX’s impact on me: I would not be the person I am today without VOX. VOX is one of the best ideas I have ever heard of because, not only is it a publication for those interested in writing and drawing, but also a place with an abundance of resources for teens. Without VOX, I would not have been confident in applying to the Gates scholarship, nor would I have been lucky enough to receive it. VOX has made me more of a leader than I was two years ago. I am more interested in writing and more confident in what I do.
January 2013
Spring 2013
New Executive Director Jeff Romig joins VOX and begins work as Rachel’s successor
Fourteen-year-old teen staffer Mac Rowe starts Art Club for teen artists at VOX
VOX 20th Anniversary Edition
Rachel Fannin
My favorite VOX memory: All of the energizers, particularly the game “Wa!”
Graduated: Creekside High School, 2013 VOX Roles: Teen Staff, 2012 - 13, VOX Media Cafe Participant, 2012 Today: Atlanta; Georgia State University, Journalism Major
My favorite VOX story: “A Touch of Inspiration.” This piece expressed why I really loved to write and my purpose for why I write. In publishing that last article, it showed me that I had come a long way.
I joined VOX because: It was a wonderful opportunity for me to really exercise my writing skills and help me to really see if I wanted to be a journalist.
VOX’s impact on me: To this day, VOX changed my life and has motivated me even more to be a journalist and to continue changing people’s lives through
my writing.
Corinne Klibanoff Graduated: North Atlanta High School, 2013 VOX Roles: Teen Staff, 2012 - 13, VOX Media Cafe Participant, 2012 Today: Freshman at Auburn University, majoring in Elementary Education I joined VOX because: My dad wanted me to at first, but once I came to one event, I happily admitted that he was right. VOX is awesome.
VOX’s impact on me: VOX made me a more humble person. My life before VOX was fine, but I wasn’t ever really appreciative of how great it was. Coming to VOX made me feel fortunate for what I have, VOX being one of those things. I’ve always had the regret that I didn’t join VOX sooner, but I’m glad that I found it before it was too late!
August 2013
October 2013
October 2013
Winter 2013-Summer 2014
50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Civil Rights takes place
VOX holds new Homecoming Dance and Awards Dinner to celebrate its 20th anniversary
A 16-day government shutdown occurs due to Congress’ refusal to approve a budget for the 2014 fiscal year and disagreements about the Afforable Care Act
VOX prepares strategic plan for next five years
VOXTeenCommunications.org
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Turner’s Enduring Support of VOX By Lindsey Knox VOX Board of Directors
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OX and Turner Broadcasting have been connected since day one.
“From the very beginning, stewardship and leadership for VOX was Turner’s people. Turner’s people and Turner’s talent were influential in getting us off the ground as a nonprofit organization and their people were our trainers,” VOX founder Rachel Alterman Wallack said.
Her first connection to Turner was Mark Bernstein, who worked with CNN. com. They met through Hands on Atlanta, where Rachel was volunteering. Being at CNN and believing in the power of news and information, and then very quickly seeing the dedication of these kids who were coming from all different schools and walks of life who wanted to tell their stories and to write -that was pretty compelling,” Mark said. He connected Rachel to Jeff Levy, an attorney for Turner at the time, who
became VOX’s first official board chair (see Jeff’s reflection on page 14). The connections kept growing from there. VOX’s first in-kind donation from CNN came from Ray MacNair, who gave VOX its first set of Mac computers. He ended up working with VOX for years as an IT expert and a board member. Volunteers like Scott Woelfel, with CNN. com at the time, helped teamed up with VOX to give teens the opportunity to cover the 1996 Summer Olympics. Their content was published on CNN.com. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the students,” Scott said. “We were looking to find other voices and other sources of material and at the time, it really fit very well into that initiative.” Mentors from Turner, like Liza Hogan, who worked at CNN.com, says those early connections led to a bigger partnership. “It makes me so proud to have been a part of those early days and to see that Turner still values VOX,” Liza said. The Director of the Office of Corporate Responsibility and member of VOX’s Advisory Board, Kristina Christy, says there are very few other nonprofits that have such a longstanding relationship with Turner. “VOX, we see them as our future journalists,” Kristina said. “If we’re out in the community and we’re giving an example of the type of organizations we support, we usually use VOX as a, ‘we support teen leadership programs. Have you heard of VOX Teen Communications? That’s the type of organization that we support.’” PICTURED ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: VOLUNTEER LINDSEY KNOX INSTRUCTS TEENS IN THE VOX OFFICE AT VMC 2013; TEENS POSE AT CNN CENTER ON THE LAST DAY OF CAMP; MOST OF THE 2013 TURNER VOLUNTEERS ON THE LAST DAY OF CAMP (PICTURED AT CNN STUDIOS AFTER CAREER PANEL AND TEEN MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS); LAST DAY OF VMC 2011 (LAST PHOTO BY JUSTIN MACHADO, PICTURED GIVING BUNNY EARS TO CAMPER STANLEY (NORTH ATLANTA HIGH).
VOX Homecoming Dance and Awards Dinner Inaugural event celebrates 20 years of VOX and raises more than $45,000, exceeding goal!
HoCo Court CORPORATE ROYALTY: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Turner Broadcasting VOLUNTEER KING & QUEEN: Pete Corson & Lindsey Knox
Attendees ate, danced, posed, applauded and helped VOX raise money to support after-school programming in Atlanta in live and silent auctions and fund-a-need. The event was held on Oct. 26, 2013, at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center Gymnasium in the Old Fourth Ward. Twenty-five teen staff members were ambassadors at the event, and the new VOX Advisory Board was unveiled (see page 3).
TEEN KING & QUEEN: Mahmood Thompson & Brianna Curtis VOX HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE: Rachel Alterman Wallack VOX Founder and Director of Strategic Initiatives PHOTOS BY SHAINA OLIPHANT, ZACH SCHNELL AND LINDSEY KNOX
Teens First, Always By Jeff Romig Executive Director
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eens first. These two words are why VOX is here 20 years after its creation. Technology has changed. Atlanta has changed. The world has changed. 2013 is very different than 1993, and 2033 will be very different than today. As the person charged with leading VOX into its next 20 years, it’s my job to always keep teens first as we work to grow our organization, regardless of the changes in technology, Atlanta and the world. My vision for VOX starts with teens first and includes three concepts that I believe will propel VOX to its 40th anniversary — and continued transformative impact — during the next 20 years. VOX’s work to impact teens in metro Atlanta is centered around three key concepts: Voice, Leadership and Opportunity.
Voice Teens today have access to so many online opportunities to share their voices. But the work VOX undertakes around teen voice will continue to focus on the effectiveness and impact of that voice. We will teach the fundamentals of storytelling and reporting and build a baseline from which teens can utilize any method of storytelling to have an impact through their voice to a broad audience of teen readers in metro Atlanta. Additionally, we will work to provide access and instruction around any storytelling method in which our teens our interested and with how the industry changes. This currently includes writing, art and video — and could include additional storytelling vehicles of interest to our teens. We will work to stay as close to the cutting edge of technology, so VOX teens can take the fundamentals they’ve learned and hone their skills through the most current technologies available.
Leadership When teens lead, teens succeed. I believe this is the core reason that VOX has impacted teens in metro Atlanta since
1993. Teen voice isn’t simply the ability to tell stories to a broad audience. VOX cultivates teens as leaders in our afterschool program by creating a space where they are heard and supported, and treated as partners in governance, planning, and decision-making. Teens will always have many options to hone their leadership here at VOX. From leading go-arounds and co-facilitating workshops, to working as paid interns and serving on the VOX Board of Directors, teens impact our organization and their peers every day. This will never change under my leadership, and we’ll always be looking for ways to expand our leadership opportunities for teens citywide.
VOX THANKS ITS DONORS Through VOX, Atlanta-area teens from diverse backgrounds develop skills to express themselves effectively and build a stronger community. Over the past 20 years, these corporate and community supporters have helped provide free educational opportunities for teens. Anniversary Superheroes - $25,000 or more
Anniversary Heroes - $10,000 to $24,999
Anniversary Champion - $5,000 to $9,999
Anniversary Leaders - $2,500 to $4,999
Opportunity We will continue to provide opportunity for the teens in our after-school program through our long-standing VOX programs such as Graduation Countdown and Girls Group, through new programs like Guys Group, Art Club or our Inc. Journalism program, and through future programs that our teens ask for and create. We will also impact those teens, as well as additional teens in metro Atlanta, through community workshops and VOX Media Cafe, which we will expand from a summer program to a menu of community opportunities — including our summer program — that can expand VOX’s impact in Atlanta, while creating more opportunities for earned income. These concepts I’ve laid out aren’t revolutionary. They’ve all been present in the fabric of VOX since 1993 thanks to Rachel Alterman Wallack. The words teens first convey what VOX has been about since 1993. These words aren’t any person’s first or last name. They aren’t the name of a company or funder. And they aren’t a surprise to anyone. Every day that I have the privilege of serving as Executive Director of VOX Teen Communications, I will work to lead with these two words. Teens will graduate. Board members will move on. Staff names will change. But teens will always be first at VOX, and that’s why VOX will be here in 2033.
COMMUNITY INVESTORS CITY OF ATLANTA OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA DEKALB COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES FULTON COUNTY HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT: OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH UNITED WAY OF GREATER ATLANTA
FOUNDATIONS AEC TRUST ARTHUR M. BLANK FAMILY FOUNDATION ATLANTA BRAVES FOUNDATION ATLANTA FOUNDATION ATLANTA WOMEN’S FOUNDATION THE FALCON FUND HARLAND CHARITABLE FOUNDATION THE HAROLD AND KAYRITA ANDERSON FAMILY FOUNDATION HEALTHCARE GEORGIA FOUNDATION IDA A. RYAN CHARITABLE TRUST IMLAY FOUNDATION
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS AGL RESOURCES BALCH & BINGHAM BJ’S CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DELOITTE GEORGIA POWER THE HOME DEPOT PEACHTREE CENTER LLC PERKINS & WILL QBE FOUNDATION
THE LIVINGSTON FOUNDATION MARY ALLEN LINDSEY BRANAN FOUNDATION PHILIP S. HARPER FOUNDATION PRICE GILBERT JR. CHARITABLE TRUST THE RICH FOUNDATION ROBERT W. WOODRUFF FOUNDATION, INC. ROCKDALE FOUNDATION (ROCKDALE FUND FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENTS) THE SAPELO FOUNDATION TULL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION THE WISH FOUNDATION THE ZEIST FOUNDATION MCCORMICK TRIBUNE FOUNDATION SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA FOUNDATION SECOND MILE COMMITTEE OF JOHN WIELAND HOMES & NEIGHBORHOODS SIEMENS SOUTHERN COMPANY NORDSON CORPORATION FOUNDATION TROUTMAN SANDERS, LLP UPS THE WAFFLE HOUSE FOUNDATION
Media Cafe Offers Real World Training, Diversity & Friends By Hank Klibanoff VOX Advisory Board
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here was something very, very cool about seeing the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry (and later U.S. Poet Laureate), Natasha Trethewey, walk through the doors of VOX Teen Communications to lead a writing workshop. It has been very impressive to see a team of videographers and video editors from Turner Broadcasting arrive on another day, followed by novelists Joshilyn Jackson, Charles McNair and Susan Rebecca White; Bloomberg News bureau chief Anita Sharpe and Atlanta magazine editor Rebecca Burns; then local writers Jessica Handler, Susan Puckett, Jennifer Brett, Michelle Hiskey, Josh Jackson and more. And it has been amazing to see, day after day, the doors swing open to reveal instructors such as WABE’s Jim Burress, CNN’s Moni Basu, AJC’s Rodney Ho and talented web and print page designers, NCAA.com web developers and arts critics. Year after year, it has been uplifting to see Minla Shields, the former director of photography at The Atlanta JournalConstitution, roll into our newsroom with a swarm of past and present photojournalists, ready to sweep students out of their seats and onto Atlanta’s streets to capture the city in photographs. These are some of the volunteer faculty members drawn to teach at the enormously successful VOX Media Cafe, an immersive multimedia summer program for teens that VOX launched in 2011. Over the past three summers, VMC has filled its classes every week with students from more than 30 schools in six counties – and has done so with small classes (about 12 students weekly) that allow students to receive personalized instruction and close
attention to their work. “I can’t begin to tell you what a great and positive force the VOX program has been for Max,” wrote Molly Woo after her son’s first summer at VMC. “I’m so grateful that he got such an incredible introduction to the field of journalism, through professionals who understood the potential of media to be a force for good, in so many ways.” Board members and staff succeeded in recruiting in two different directions – seeking students from schools we had not previously or sufficiently tapped,
and seeking faculty members who could convert their wisdom (and, in some cases, their fame) into effective lesson plans that could teach and inspire the students. The creation of VMC was spurred by VOX’s interest in tapping new sources of earned revenue. VOX received several ideas from a team of members of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2010, and warmed immediately to the concept of a hands-on summer program in multimedia training. “We wanted to give VOX a concept that could create earned income while remaining focused on the core mission,”
COMING TO VOX SUMMER 2014! Session 1: Weeks of 6/9, 6/16 and 6/23 Session 2: Weeks of 7/7, 7/14 and 7/21
Two Sessions! Sign up for June or July session and create multimedia product & friends
$999 Promo: Apply and pay before Dec. 31 and knock $200 off the price!
NEW THIS YEAR: 3-WEEK SESSIONS OF IMMERSIVE, HANDS-ON MULTIMEDIA TRAINING
Apply for session one or session two, and then spend three weeks with teens from different schools and backgrounds learning reporting and multimedia tools, all while creating your own multimedia products to be published in VOX (print and online)! It’s easy to sign up! Visit the VOX website to learn more about the program, access the application and make payment — all online. If you are a student that needs to use the VOX office to complete your application, please call us at 404-614-0040 to schedule an appointment.
Visit http://bit.ly/HuY0FA to learn more and apply today! Limited number of scholarships for each session will be available January 2014. Scholarship application deadline is March 1, 2014.
said Jeff Romig, a member of that LEAD team and VOX’s current executive director. “We were thrilled when we were told that VOX had taken one of the ideas we presented and were turning it into their new summer program.” Students at the Emory University Goizueta Business School surveyed the competitive market for local summer media programs, then helped VOX staffers establish a budget and the tuition. A committee of VOX board members and staff decided that VOX Media Cafe would offer four one-week programs — in visual storytelling, interactive media, reporting and creative nonfiction. VOX recruited several sponsors, most prominently Turner Voices, whose contribution allowed VOX to provide needs-based scholarships to deserving students.The feedback after the first summer – from students, their parents and emphatically from the volunteer faculty – was so positive that we expanded the program to six one-week programs. In year four, VOX adapts this model again from teen, parent and volunteer feedback to include two three-week sessions, a deep-dive into multimedia production. One of the greatest benefits for VOX has been the number of summer students whose experiences led them to sign up for the year-round program. Half the teens who participated in the summer 2013 program joined the year-round staff! “It was amazing to be here for the 2013 VMC to see the growth of the program from that inital idea pitch three years earlier,” Jeff said. One other unexpected bonus: After Rich Eldredge, longtime writer of the Peach Buzz column for the AJC, organized a press conference so our inaugural class of VOX Media Cafe students could interview local artists at the Hard Rock Cafe, Rich fell so in love with the summer program that he applied for an open position on the VOX staff. “It took me about three hours and one lunch spent with these inspiring teens to realize that Hank and Rebecca [Burns] had actually done me the favor. Getting to assist young people as they develop their voices, grow in confidence and emerge as leaders is, without a doubt, the most rewarding thing I’ve done in a 25-year career,” Eldredge said.