About | WMP

HISTORY

Westside Media Project (WMP) is a grassroots, media-arts organization founded and led by an African American male who lives in the community in which he serves. 2024 marks WMP’s 18th year of providing instruction and exposure in media arts/digital storytelling.

Throughout its existence WMP has partnered with area schools, parks, community centers, businesses, and nonprofits to bring digital tools and resources to underserved youth.

Today the organization continues to inspire urban youth to develop skill sets that will allow them to compete in the 21st century economy. It has also worked to expand youth connections abroad with its new Global Partners Project.

With the addition of its virtual programming and college and career awareness initiative, to date WMP has built a community of over 15,000 participants.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to expose area residents to networks, opportunities, and pathways to viable career paths. WMP helps participants develop their words and voices to tell their own stories for individual and community transformation.

PROGRAMS

New Westside Stories

New Westside Stories is an 8-week program that highlights the voices of area students working as a team to produce an original online news show. Students have the hands-on opportunity to learn and explore different media-related career paths.

Global Partners Project

WMP's Global Partners Project (GPP) is a six-week, cross-cultural initiative that connects youth and young adults (ages 15-30) from different regions of the world to discuss a variety of issues relating to culture and mass media. This initiative allow participants a unique opportunity to connect, engage and learn from their peers from around the globe with different lived experiences that have shaped their outlook and perspective.

Saving Our Sons

Saving Our Sons is a 8-week program that centers on providing exposure to media-related careers while also analyzing the image of Black and Latino males as portrayed in the mainstream media and popular culture. Students will learn about new and emerging careers while receiving training on how to use new technology to tell their own stories. Through introspection this will allow students to think about their own behavior and outlook on life and whether it works towards changing/uplifting the image of Black and Latino males or reinforces negativity.

College and Career Awareness Initiative

College and Career Awareness Initiative is an 8-week program that provides insight and exposure to various STEAM related careers allowing participants the much-needed exposure to various career paths.

WMP's work has been made possible by the following funders:

School and Community Partners:

Catalyst Charter School • Webster Elementary School • Melody STEM Elementary School • Leland Elementary School
• Hefferan Elementary School • Frazier International Magnet School • Beidler Elementary School • Cather Elementary School

• Plato Learning Academy • Cameron Elementary School • Casals Elementary School • Amundsen Park – Chicago Park District

• The Peace Center • Chicago Commons • Kelly Hall YMCA • Richard Daley Library

• Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) • Medill School of Journalism • Loyola School of Communications

• Communities in Schools of Chicago • Ingenuity • Chicago NAACP West Side Branch