People Powered News
About
People Powered News is a website designed for newsrooms and communities who are committed to changing the narrative around how gun violence is reported. Our goal is to help people feel more represented in the news conversation and to inform our reporting as journalists while earning the public’s trust in news.
Jump to:
A Look Inside the Co-Creation Process
We really wanted to focus on how we can change the narrative of gun violence in media, both by creating stories that combat a lot of the negative stereotypes about the neighborhoods affected by gun violence, but also by practicing what we preach.”
— Amy Kaplan, community learning partner
Social Impact Studios, facilitated by the Engagement Lab, give Emerson students and faculty the opportunity to work directly with local grassroots changemakers to co-create media projects that will make an impact in Boston and beyond.
People Powered News was co-created in Spring 2023’s Social Impact Studio in journalism, in partnership with the Massachusetts General Hospital Gun Violence Prevention Center and community organizers in Dorchester.
Partners
Project Team
Students
Leaf Cassidy
Student, Emerson College
Ana Videla Sola Montoya
Journalism '25
Sophia Pargas
Journalism & Marketing '24
ELab Student Fellow
Hanna Qiu
Communications Studies '24
ELab Research Assistant
Paige Thimmesch
Journalism '23
Stephanie Trendell
Journalism '25
Natalie Vasileff
Journalism '24
Learning Partners
Amy Kaplan
Research Coordinator, Massachusetts General Hospital Gun Violence Prevention Center
Maridena Rojas
Community Organizer
Norine Woods
Learning Partner
Studio Instructors
Gino Canella
Assistant Professor, Journalism