[VIRTUAL] Detectarla y Detenerla: Media Literacy to Stem Health Misinformation

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The spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines threatens not only public health but also a community’s capacity for civil dialogue and its general well-being. But embracing media literacy skills can counter false content and empower communities to stand together and take control. Join Mi Familia Vota and PEN America for a participatory media literacy session to explore strategies for embedding healthy digital behavior into the way friends, families, and neighbors engage with news and share information online and offline.

During this 60-minute workshop, we will discuss the following:

• How misinformation can target and spread within Latino communities and Spanish-language spaces
• Proactive strategies to protect yourself and your family and friends from the harmful and disenfranchising effects of misinformation
• Tools and techniques to source accurate information and verify content online and on social media
• How to fact-check and debunk specific false narratives about COVID-19, the vaccine, access to the shot, immunity, and other narratives distorting public understanding of the facts

During the discussion portion of our session, participants will have an opportunity to ask Mi Familia Vota field organizers, PEN America media literacy experts, and medical professionals any questions you might have about the vaccine, how to approach those who may be misinformed, or anything else. 

Live Spanish-Language Interpretation
This conversation will be offered in English or Spanish via live Zoom Interpretation – please be sure to download the Zoom app in advance to access the interpretation option. Thank you to our interpreters, Ernest Niño-Murcia.

This event was presented as part of PEN America’s 2021 Community Partnership Programs.

Follow-Up Resources

Check out this resource packet to dive deeper into strategies for spotting and stopping misinformation and more community resources for seeding media literacy skills.

Featured Presenters

Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo (he/him) is a national expert in minority health, health disparities, community-based participatory research, access to care, and community health worker interventions. He has over 20 years of experience leading large NIH Center grants and randomized trials, totaling over $40 million in funding. His work includes research in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, HIV, and precision medicine. He is now leading a statewide coalition whose focus is addressing COVID misinformation, miscommunication, and the elimination of COVID disparities in the state of Florida.

Angelica Razo (she/her/ella) is the Texas State Director for Mi Familia Vota. Angelica has always been passionate about contributing to advocacy and engagement efforts that lead to sustainable and equitable solutions for her community. Angelica first joined Mi Familia Vota in 2017 to lead the organization’s youth leadership program in Houston. Now, as Texas State Director, she oversees the state’s operations to increase political representation and power for the Latinx community through advocacy and community organizing strategies. Her strong belief in community empowerment motivates her to engage others so they can find their own unique civic role while participating in collective action. Angelica is part of the Houston in Action Steering Committee and co-chairs the Voter Engagement committee. She also co-chairs the Government Affairs committee for the Coalition for Environment Equity and Resilience. She recently joined the Race Equity Leadership and Research Collective Steering Committee. Angelica obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Rice University in 2016. She remains connected to her university by serving on the Society of Latino Alumni at Rice (SOLAR) Board and connecting current students to civic engagement opportunities. She remains based in Houston and is a true believer that the city’s food scene is unrivaled.

Damaso Reyes (he/him) is a media literacy expert and consultant for PEN America and has been an independent journalist for more than 20 years. He has been published by The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Magazine, Der Spiegel, the Miami Herald, Forbes, and The Irish Times. Previous assignments and projects have taken him to countries, including Rwanda, Indonesia, Tanzania, and throughout the United States and Europe.

If you tweet about the event, be sure to tag our Twitter handles @MiFamiliaVota and @penamerica.

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