From being unsure how to ask for help and searching for support, to creating a podcast and learning how to believe in herself, Kaylana’s journey was a challenging one.
Kaylana got involved with PMN first when she was looking for a way to record her podcast, A Concept with Kaylana, which introduced listeners to concepts that promote higher-level thinking.
The sense of community and programming inclusivity she found at PMN instantly impressed her. “I love being in this space… It’s so resourceful and encouraging,” she enthused. “It’s like a little community. It’s great, I love it.”
Kaylana credits Public Media Network with strengthening her ability to communicate and ask for help when she needed it most. “The process of becoming a community producer has helped me believe in myself. Once the proper tools, supports and resources were provided to me, it gave me permission to succeed, and the experience has been extremely validating,” she said.
Sometimes all you need is some resources and some support to back you up. But being a producer or a media maker is hard work! There’s lots of challenges to learning and honing new skills.
“It’s been tedious, it’s been challenging,” Kaylana admitted. “But it’s been so rewarding to see what you visualize come to life, and then what you never even knew you could visualize come to life.”
So what are you visualizing? Do you have a podcast you’d like to create? A story you want your community to hear? An issue that isn’t being talked about?
You don’t need to be a professional producer, journalist, or editor to get involved. You don’t even need to have the dream to become one. Most people who come to PMN are like Kaylana – someone who has a vision of something they want to create or a change they want to see in their community.
“Being in this space, around so many other projects, you recognize that this is doing something. It’s starting a conversation, it’s sparking a thought, it’s encouraging someone to listen to something new,” Kaylana mused. Truly, that is the power of community media – the ability to open minds and hearts and connect people to their neighbors.
Did Kaylana’s story inspire you? Hopefully you find a way to get creative, even if it’s not through PMN. Make something that matters, try something that challenges you. And if you do want to get involved here, check out some of our upcoming classes that may interest you, like about creating podcasts or local news stories. Find more info here.
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