Emily Eng is a NAMLE Youth Council member and an Assistant Account Executive at AOx3
What do you do?
As a NAMLE Youth Council Member, I collaborate with the incredible NAMLE team and other council members to continue increasing awareness of media literacy to all generations. I previously was a News Literacy Ambassador for Penn State’s News Literacy Initiative. After graduating this past May, I also support the communications and PR efforts of digital health companies that are positively impacting people’s lives!
What is your latest work or project in media literacy?
This spring and summer, the NAMLE Youth Council has continued to meet and brainstorm initiatives dedicated to elevating media literacy education. It’s been incredibly exciting to me to see our efforts continue to develop into resources that we are excited to share. Engaging with communities in supportive ways has always been meaningful to me, and I am hopeful that these resources will have long-term positive impacts on students, educators and organizations across the nation. I’m proud of the work we are doing and am looking forward to the Youth Council’s growth!
Why is media literacy important to you?
Ever since I learned about media literacy, I was drawn to the educational aspect of it, and how it’s an important skill everyone should strengthen. We are in a digital world now more than ever, and with that comes the responsibility to develop media literacy. I’m grateful for the opportunity I had as one of Penn State’s News Literacy Ambassadors to engage with other students on the importance of this topic, and I continue to be passionate about increasing this awareness. From social media to digital news content, there are so many touchpoints individuals have with media throughout the day, making it incredibly important for people to feel empowered in how they can consume media in healthy and helpful ways.
What are you most excited about in the media literacy field?
I am most excited to see this space grow, and for more people to become involved with media literacy education efforts! I hope to see the number of media literacy education opportunities available increase, whether this is through classes or workshops.
Why did you become a NAMLE member, what benefits do you see to membership, and how will it support your work?
I have been involved with NAMLE since I had the honor of being invited to attend NAMLE’s inaugural Leadership Summit in 2023 with my fellow Penn State News Literacy Ambassador, Jenna Meleedy! The summit boosted my excitement around media literacy and NAMLE’s leadership in the space. I’m very grateful to have continued to stay involved as a Youth Council Member!
The views and opinions expressed in the M-Passioned Member blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the M-Passioned Member blog is to highlight our members and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.