GRANT #5: I AM MADISON

Madison365 Academy students participating in the I Am Madison grant this summer at the Boys and Girls Club.

Madison Community Foundation and Madison365 present I Am Madison, a paid internship program that will offer 26 young journalists of color the opportunity to engage and chronicle their communities through multimedia storytelling.

Supported by an $82,000 grant from Madison Community Foundation, Madison365, a nonprofit, free access, online multimedia news and information platform for and by Madison’s communities of color, will produce 75 stories from Madison's history. These stories will be written and photographed by Madison365 Academy student journalists, recent Madison365 academy graduates, and other young contributors as part of the training and mentoring program aimed at diversifying the media and increasing job opportunities in media and communications careers for students of color. Interns will work with community centers and civic leaders to identify individuals and groups to interview, conduct and record interviews, and produce a variety of multimedia stories that reflect the rich tapestry of people that have made Madison what it is today. Read the stories at madison365.org/IAmMadison.

Madison365 Summer Academy student Trinity Jackson interviews her grandmother, Katherine Jackson. Jackson was the first African American female firefighter in the city of Madison's history.

 “Madison is a community rich in history, and a community that’s really proud of its history,” said Henry Sanders, Madison365 Publisher and CEO. “We’re excited to bring our unique perspective to that history. We’re also grateful to Madison Community Foundation for recognizing the importance of a fresh perspective on the story of this city we all love, and for trusting us to tell this story. This grant will let us tell that story well, and will also help us build a strong foundation for the next generation of storytellers, journalists and media professionals.”