–Dr. Michelle Ferrier, executive director, Media Innovation Collaboratory
“TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory continue to create tools for digital resilience and expression for women and girls and media workers. Our goal has always been your goal…to keep writing, talking, painting, singing, and by whatever means necessary find new ways to recover your voice online and off.”
TALLAHASSEE, FL — 27 FEBRUARY 2023 – TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory announced today that it has been honored with three Anthem Awards this year for its digital fluency curriculum for young people and its other digital harms research in Toxic Avenger magazine.
This is the second year of the Anthem Awards, a global competition to honor social impact work on the world’s most pressing issues. The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd Annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide.
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include: Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer, NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.
“Our work on the Generation Zeitgeist program came from a deep place of understanding the online world and designing for “teachable moments” when we could insert ourselves in the digital conversations with relatable coaching for young people on navigating the interwebs.”
–Dr. Michelle Ferrier, executive director, Media Innovation Collaboratory
The Media Innovation Collaboratory and TrollBusters earned three awards this year with fierce competition. The digital fluency and resilience program, Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator, is a series of short videos and wall posters with graphic representations of digital and virtual spaces. The curriculum uses graphic recording style and short explainer videos to help young people navigate and own the interwebs. Each poster dives into topics that help readers understand how to safely navigate online.
“Our work on the Generation Zeitgeist program came from a deep place of understanding the online world and designing for “teachable moments” when we could insert ourselves in the digital conversations with relatable coaching for young people on navigating the interwebs,” said Dr. Michelle Ferrier, executive director of the Media Innovation Collaboratory
The posters are also recreated as short video explainers on TikTok and other short video platforms where young creators can be found. The program, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier, received two Anthem Awards: 1. In the Responsible Tech- Innovation Category, the Generation Zeitgeist program earned a silver award; 2. In the Education, Culture and Arts category, Generation Zeitgeist earned a bronze for nonprofit campaigns.
“These Gen Z graphical posters are finally something – a learning tool, with exciting graphics – that I want to actually read.”
– Reed Christner, High School Senior
The Anthem Awards also honored the work of The Toxic Avenger magazine in the Responsible Technology: Innovation category with a bronze award. The magazine, launched in August 2021 with timely and global examination of the digital landscape, policy and remedies. With monthly analysis of international deliberation on digital expression and tactics for resilience, Toxic Avenger magazine has also honored and amplified the stories of women journalists around the globe who continue to fight for press freedoms. The team found itself in Ethiopia during an internet shutdown, with limited social tools from which to share the good news. Below, Dr. Ferrier shares how the acceptance video was created and posted just on deadline, from Addis Ababa.
The Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator Digital Resilience Curriculum and Toxic Avenger magazine, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier and the Media Innovation Collaboratory, have now earned an additional three Anthem Awards this year for their social impact work on digital harms. In the 2022 Anthem Awards program, TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory earned three silver awards for their innovation and public campaign work around digital culture and for Toxic Avenger magazine.
Bart Christner, director of online education for the Media Innovation Collaboratory worked with Dr. Ferrier and the TrollBusters team to create the program.
“Graphic educational materials increase student literacy and address the educational needs of differentiated learners,” Christner said. “The graphic work of Carlotta Cataldi really catches the eye of young learners.”
“Since launching this platform in June of 2021, we have seen that social change has emerged as a dominant force in mainstream culture.” said Anthem Awards Managing Director Jessica Lauretti. “The sheer number, breadth and overall quality of the entries shared with us in the 2nd Annual Awards is a testament to the strength of this growing movement and demonstrates an enduring commitment to the work that is both humbling and inspiring to see. From the war in Ukraine, to protests in Iran and the ongoing battle for equality here at home in the States, the call for change not only perseveres but is a growing global chorus.
“Toxic Avenger magazine has been providing deep, thoughtful analysis of newsrooms and journalism practices to provide holistic and healing tactics for dealing with online harms,” said Ferrier. “Each issue is filled with stories of resilience in the face of internet shutdowns, threats and other digital and physical harms. And each month, we share tactics to help others bloom back stronger. We are honored to be recognized by the Anthem Awards for this work in digital culture and education.”
Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders and their hallmark speeches at www.anthemawards.com.
The Anthem Award competition, from the same organization that hosts the Webby awards, features the best digital work from around the world in categories such as diversity, equity and inclusion, education, art and culture, health, human and civil rights, humanitarian action and services, responsible technology, and sustainability, environment and climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards.
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ABOUT THE WINNER
TrollBusters, a project of the Media Innovation Collaboratory, provides just-in-time training, coaching and education to journalists operating in digital spaces. More information is available at http://www.troll-busters.com. The Media Innovation Collaboratory, is a Tallahassee-based educational nonprofit organization at http://www.mediacollab.org.
Dr. Michelle Ferrier is the founder of TrollBusters, launched in 2015 to help journalists deal with the rising toxic hate and online threats that challenged press freedoms around the globe. Through workshops, online education, coaching and Toxic Avenger magazine, TrollBusters has provided tactical solutions to combating the digital harms and social media threats fielded by journalists everyday. She is co-editor of the Media Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the open textbook adopted in communication, media and journalism classes around the globe. Ferrier is a former co-lead of the Scripps Howard Journalism Entrepreneurship Institute at Arizona State University, a training program for journalism school educators on teaching media innovation and entrepreneurship. Ferrier teaches curriculum and pedagogy development and coaches educators through workshops and courses on media development. Named a 2018 Top 10 Educators to Watch by MediaShift, Dr. Ferrier has led hundreds of presentations on engaged journalism and digital technologies and developed curricula in digital media, media innovation and entrepreneurship, and online journalism and collaborated with international organizations like the United Nations, OSCE, Article 19, and other professional organizations to ensure global press freedoms.
Find The Anthem Awards Online:
Website: anthemawards.com
Facebook: facebook.com/anthemawards
Twitter:@anthemawards
Instagram: @anthemawards
LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards
YouTube: wbby.co/anthem-youtube
About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.
About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.
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