Youth Community Journalism Institute

08/15/2025

BIG Youth Community Journalism show on Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. CT.

Watch live at Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation.

Youth Community Journalism: Building Solutions Together

This show takes viewers inside a vibrant, youth-led newsroom in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where journalists ages 8–16 investigate and share real stories of community change.

Produced by the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation’s Youth Community Journalism Institute, this special episode is the culmination of the 2025 youth community journalism summer microinternship. It features stories on the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, East Phillips Community Garden, Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota Star Tribune, LifeSource, and the Roof Depot East Phillips Urban Farm.

The program blends in-depth field reporting with in-studio conversations featuring community changemakers.

Guests include:
*Dr. Jessica Simacek, Director of TeleOutreach, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
*Sabina Saksena, Smart North Co-Founder and Board Member, Former CEO Tata Group, Former VP Marketing and Brand Management Coca-Cola
*Petra King, Fundraising, Program, and Tech Hub Manager at Smart North
*Joe Vital, Interim Executive Director, East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI)
*Jolene Jones, Little Earth Community Leader
*Col. Eduardo Suarez, Director of Culture, Resiliency, and Community Engagement, Minnesota National Guard
*Benjamin Glover, Mental Health Advocate, Big Talks Mentorship
*Nathaniel Harris, Musician and Community Builder, Nathaniel Harris Live

Together with the youth journalists, they explore solutions in health, environmental justice, mental wellness, technology, and cultural connection.

The show concludes with a lighthearted behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 summer microinternship program, complete with bloopers, showcasing the teamwork, learning, and laughter behind every story.

Filmed live at SPEAK MPLS Northeast Studio in collaboration with Carmen Robles and Associates LLC and Conversaciones de Salud, this episode is storytelling for a better tomorrow, powered by the next generation.

07/07/2025

🔔 New Youth Community Journalism Show 🔔

Episode 13: Empowering Communities Through Entrepreneurship

Date: Monday, July 7
Show time: 6-7 p.m. CT
Location: SPNN (Saint Paul Neighborhood Network)

Show guests
*Elvis Rivera, CPPM, financial consultant at Fidelity Investments and 2025 Bush Fellow
*Amalia Moreno-Damgaard, Latin gourmet chef
*Johan Gomez Sang, small business specialist-commercial banking, Minnesota Bank & Trust, a division of UMB Bank, n.a.
*Anita Grace, MBA, CEO, Grace Multicultural

Show hosts
Christian Flores, age 15, 10th grade
Yareli Peña Howard, age 14, 9th grade

This show will explore community-centered entrepreneurship, wealth-building, and the power of youth in shaping an inclusive economic future. Guests will share how community-rooted finance, business ownership, and neighborhood organizing are opening new doors to opportunity. Together, we will examine what real financial freedom looks like and how young people and communities can lead the way.

Youth community journalists (ages 10-16) from the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation's Youth Community Journalism Institute lead the production at St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) in St. Paul, Minnesota.

This show, and all youth community journalism programming at the Youth Community Journalism Institute, are produced in partnership with Conversaciones de Salud, a monthly digital and print magazine published by Carmen Robles and the premier media partner of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation.

Watch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX8y9tss_mM

05/05/2025

Youth Community Journalism — Episode 11: Cinco de Mayo Town Hall Conversation on Solutions for Fentanyl/Opioid Crisis and Children's Mental is live.

The sixth annual Cinco de Mayo Town Hall conversation will discuss solutions for the fentanyl/opioid crisis and children's mental health.Guests include:*Dr. ...

05/02/2025

📣 Twin Cities Mental Health Action Festival 📣
🧠 Strengthening Communities Through Brain Power 🧠

We are hosting a community event with the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation and the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain in Minneapolis on Thursday, May 15, from 6-9 p.m. CT.

📍 Event Details
🗓 Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025
🕕 Time: 6–9 p.m. CT
📌 Location: Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
2025 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Please join us: https://forms.gle/AfyD42wVVwG8ggxv5

This event will bring together mental health experts and local community members for food, music, fun, educational video games, community connections, brain research and resources, mental health education, and more.

The focus of the festival is the power of the brain to strengthen individuals and their communities.

We will have a live stream on our page to meet brain experts from the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain for people who are unable to attend in person.

Our Twin Cities Mental Health Action Festival will kick off our "Brain Health Solutions for All" pilot program with the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, a year-long initiative to reach more young people, families, and community members from areas that traditionally lack mental health resources and who need them most.

Read all about it: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-public-service-journalism-really-looks-like-eric-ortiz-uqlyc/

04/20/2025

Are you interested in how local journalism can strengthen your community?

Our executive director, Eric Ortiz, led on-the-ground research in Minnesota for The Pivot Fund to learn where underserved communities are getting their trusted local news and information, then co-authored a report that outlines how we can build a stronger, more equitable media ecosystem in Minnesota. These lessons can be applied across the United States.

On Wednesday, April 23, at 12 p.m. CT, The Pivot Fund is having a webinar to share what we learned in our Minnesota community news landscape analysis and discuss the future of local journalism across America.

Mapping State Local News Landscapes: What We Learned From Audiences in Minnesota
When: Wednesday, April 23, 12 p.m. CT
Where: Zoom

💡 Hear directly from the visionaries shaping Minnesota’s news ecosystem and get lessons that will inspire local journalism strategies nationwide

💡Discover strategic approaches to supporting local journalism and building a stronger news ecosystem

💡Understand the importance of investing in local, often nontraditional outlets that inform underserved communities

Register here for the webinar: https://mailchi.mp/thepivotfund.org/mapping-your-states-local-news-landscape-what-we-learned-from-audiences-in-minnesota

Read the Minnesota report: https://thepivotfund.org/minnesota-news-landscape

04/04/2025

Every challenge is an opportunity to grow.

This episode of "Youth Community Journalism," produced at SPEAK MPLS in Minneapolis, will explore how obstacles in life can lead to solutions.

Youth Community Journalism — Episode 10: How We Tell More Solutions Stories

Our Guests
*Pamela Barragan, retired deputy chief, community engagement division, Saint Paul Police Department

*Dr. Dziwe Ntaba, emergency room doctor at Fairview, assistant professor in Department of Emergency Medicine at University of Minnesota, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain

*Manu M. Lewis, community builder and restorative practices leader, ManUCan Consulting

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Questions to Explore

How do we learn from adversity and obstacles to build resilience and get stronger?

How can our personal stories help us strengthen our communities?

How can we develop problem-solving mindsets?

How can we learn to look at every challenge as an opportunity?

How can we create solutions for any issues in our lives and communities?

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The "Youth Community Journalism" show focuses on solutions for local issues and is produced monthly by the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation's Youth Community Journalism Institute. Youth community journalists (ages 10-16) from the Youth Community Journalism Institute lead the production, alternating between SPEAK MPLS and St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) in St. Paul, Minnesota.

This show and all youth community journalism programming at the Youth Community Journalism Institute are produced in partnership with Conversaciones de Salud, a monthly digital and print magazine published by Carmen Robles and the premier media partner of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation and Youth Community Journalism Institute.

Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation: https://strongmindstrongbody.org/
Youth Community Journalism Institute: https://ycji.org/
Conversaciones de Salud: https://issuu.com/conversacionesdesalud
SPEAK MPLS: https://www.speakmpls.com/
St. Paul Police: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/police
M Health Fairview: https://www.mhealthfairview.org/
Department of Emergency Medicine at University of Minnesota: https://med.umn.edu/emergencymed
ManUCan Consulting: https://www.manucan.life/

The idea for this show came from one of the youth on the youth community journalism team at the Youth Community Journalism Institute.

"Life stories have a unique ability to inspire us. They remind us that, even when things don't go as planned, there is always an opportunity to change, improve, and keep fighting for our dreams. They push us to value what we have achieved, to appreciate what we possess, and to be grateful for every step we take. In short, life stories are the best topic because they unite us, teach us, and give us the courage to continue. They show us that, no matter the obstacles, we can always find beauty and purpose in our own journey. What makes life stories so impactful is that, beyond great successes, it is the small everyday battles that truly shape us. They teach us to see difficult moments as opportunities for growth and to realize that, even when everything seems tough, there’s always something worth moving forward for. Additionally, by learning about the experiences of others, we can develop greater empathy and understanding, recognizing that, even though our experiences may be different, we all share similar emotions and aspirations. Life stories are truly amazing because each one is unique and has the power to connect us deeply with others. Every person walks their own path, facing challenges, celebrating achievements, and living complex moments. What’s wonderful about these stories is that, by hearing what others have lived through, we can find lessons on how to be resilient, how to overcome adversity, and how to find strength in the darkest times. When we share and listen to life stories, we realize that our struggles are not exclusive. we all, at some point, go through tough situations, and the important thing is to keep moving forward."