YouthBeat

🎉 Happy New Year from YouthBeat! 🎉 As we say goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has joined us on this incredible journey. Your support means the world to us and has been instrumental in empowering our youth and building a stronger future. We're excited to continue making strides together in the year ahead, creating more opportunities, telling more stories, and celebrating the power of youth creativity.

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 This is your last chance to make your impact count for double! Sony is generously matching every donation to our Give to Grow Campaign through the end of the year! 💙 📸 Sony has been a steadfast partner, providing our students with the tools they need to thrive. Now, they’re stepping up again to help us reach our $100,000 year-end goal by unlocking an additional $40,000 matching gift! ✨ That means every dollar you donate will be more than doubled, making a BIG difference in the lives of Oakland’s youth as they gain skills, confidence, and pathways to success. 🛠️ Your support empowers the next generation of media creators and leaders. Together, let’s give our students the future they deserve! 💥 Don’t wait—make your impact go further! Donate now and help us reach this incredible milestone: https://lnkd.in/g4bpedte #YouthBeat #GiveToGrow #DoubleTheImpact #SonyMatchingGift #SupportOaklandYouth #DonateNow Help us Share!

Today, we say goodbye to two remarkable members of the YouthBeat family: Emad Yafai and Josh Park. Emad has been an absolute rock star over the last three years, holding down our Future Filmmakers II class with passion and expertise. His dedication to helping students master advanced filmmaking techniques and tell their unique stories has left a lasting impact. Today marks his last day with us, and while we’re sad to see him go, we’re incredibly grateful for all he’s contributed to YouthBeat. Josh joined us a year ago and brought fresh energy and creativity to the team. We’re thrilled to share that Josh received funding for his long-form narrative project—a huge accomplishment! While this isn’t a permanent goodbye (he may rejoin us this summer!), we’ll miss his talent and enthusiasm in the meantime. To Emad and Josh: Thank you for your hard work, inspiration, and all the moments you’ve shared with us. You’ll always be part of the YouthBeat family, and we wish you all the best on your next adventures! 💛🎥 #YouthBeat #FutureFilmmakers #ThankYouEmad #ThankYouJosh #Farewell #NextChapter

🌟 Last night, our YouthBeat Winter Showcase was an unforgettable celebration of creativity and growth! 🎥✨ Parents and families joined us in our studio, where they got a glimpse of the spaces our talented Future Filmmakers 1 & 2 and Animators 1, 2, & 3 classes use to bring their ideas to life. From heartfelt family portraits to goofy group photos, the energy was unmatched! 📸💫 The night continued with screenings of the incredible videos our students have worked so hard on. Their passion, creativity, and dedication were on full display, leaving everyone inspired and proud. 💡❤️ A huge thank you to our students, families, and everyone who made the evening so special. Nights like these remind us why we do what we do. 💪🎉 #YouthBeatShowcase #FutureFilmmakers #AnimationArt #OaklandYouth #CreativityInAction #FamilyAndFun

🎥✨ Animating Dreams, Frame by Frame! 🎨🖌️ As the semester comes to a close, our Animation 1, 2, and 3 students are ready to showcase the incredible projects they've been working on! From stop-motion wonders to dynamic digital animations, these young creators have poured their passion and talent into every frame. We can’t wait to celebrate their hard work and share their creative journeys at tonight’s showcase! 🎉 📍 Stay tuned for a glimpse of their amazing work – it’s a showstopper! #YouthBeat #AnimationShowcase #FutureFilmmakers #StudentCreativity #OaklandYouth

Shoutout to Rachel, one of our talented Animation 3 students, who showcased her skills at the Oakland Creates event! Not only did she attend, but she also sold her amazing artwork. We're so proud of you, Rachel—keep shining! Zachary Sweet

Check out Arman Turner's latest work! Arman was a participant in YouthBeat's Apprenticeship and is now doing amazing things! If you're looking for a freelance videographer he's one for the books.

📸 Exploring the Art and Science of Photography! At YouthBeat, we’re thrilled to share highlights from our recent Photography class at Life Academy, led by Teaching Artist Meru and in collaboration with Girls Inc. The session began with students testing their handmade pinhole cameras, carefully crafted in prior classes. They chose well-lit subjects, kept the shutter open for a minute and a half, and later dived into the science behind pinhole photography to understand how their creations worked. The day wrapped up with students using digital cameras, capturing candid moments of each other working on projects and enjoying the process of creative discovery. This collaboration embodies the power of blending technical knowledge, creativity, and teamwork. A huge thank-you to Girls Inc. for making this program possible! #YouthBeat #PhotographyClass #CreativeLearning #GirlsInc #PinholePhotography #DigitalPhotography #YouthEmpowerment #OaklandPrograms

🎬✨ The magic of animation is coming to life at Buckhalter Elementary! 🎨💡 Our talented Teaching Artist, Elizabeth along with the extraordinary partnership of Girls Inc, guided the class through an incredible journey of creativity, as students created their own stop-motion projects from scratch. From sculpting figures to designing vibrant backgrounds, they brought their imaginations to life—start to finish! We think they’re getting the hang of it 😄👏 Stay tuned for more amazing creations from these budding animators! #YouthBeat #AnimationClass #StopMotion #StudentCreativity #OaklandEducation #YouthFilmmakers #ImaginationInAction

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Zachary Sweet 🌟 Meet Zachary Sweet, one of our incredible Teaching Artists who brings animation to life at La Escuelita Elementary, Edna Brewer Middle School, Arise High School, and through the Animation Intermediate ASP class at MetWest High School! 🎨✨ Zachary Sweet's creative talents are unparalleled, and his dedication to his students is inspiring. Known for his unique blend of monsters, creeps, and anxiety-filled characters, his artwork delivers a whimsical twist on dark, macabre themes—balancing playfulness with satire to capture the madness of the human condition. His passion for storytelling empowers students to explore their own creativity and find their voice, making a lasting impact on their lives. We’re beyond grateful to have Zachary on our team, inspiring the next generation of animators and storytellers right here in our community. 💡🎥 Drop a comment below to thank Zachary for his amazing work and dedication! 👏👇 #StaffSpotlight #YouthBeat #Animation #TeachingArtist #CreativityInAction #EmpoweringYouth #StorytellingThroughArt