Health Matters
The mission of the Urban Health Media Project (UHMP) is to teach urban high school students with diverse backgrounds and from under-resourced communities how to report, write and broadcast multimedia stories about the health and social issues affecting their communities and the potential solutions.
Get Involved!
We're looking for a diverse group of youth passionate about storytelling and shedding light on mental health challenges among BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and/or LGBTQ+ youth. Tell stories with words, photography, art, video, infographics, music, and even rap.
Featured Story
“A lot of my friends are in the closet…and being stuck at home, they can’t really get out into the world. At school, they were able to do whatever they wanted and be whoever they wanted. Now being stuck at home with [their families] is a lot more stressful.”
UHMP in the News
UHMP students from across the country cover the many ways housing impacts the life of individuals and communities during the pandemic.
Surviving Trauma: Students Chronicle Resilience
Through guest speakers, individual research and reporting this past fall, student journalists explored ways in which people are struggling, surviving, and thriving despite the disproportionate effect the pandemic, economic collapse and soaring city violence are having on already marginalized communities. Their stories have been published on the UHMP website; many are also being printed in newspapers in and near their communities.
What We Are Working On
Students who participate in the Urban Health Media Project work on stories about various social issues such as teen suicide, domestic violence, poverty and mental health stigma. They interview doctors, journalists, politicians and other experts about these issues. Students write and produce their own articles and use facts and statistics to support their points. In addition to writing, students have the opportunity to learn, hands-on, how to use the cameras to shoot photos and capture video and audio.
74
student journalists trained
20
stories and videos in USA Today publications
10
stories in Black, Hispanic and health publications
5
student presentations at conferences, webinars
2M+
readers reached