Two Georgia students among SPLC New Voices Student Leaders
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This past summer, the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) hosted the New Voices Student Leaders Institute, a free online course for students to advance their leadership and organizing abilities. The SPLC is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that works to advance, uphold, and defend the First Amendment rights and press freedom of high school and college journalists, as well as their advisers.
The Institute was held online, and staff from the SPLC, New Voices leaders, and special guests joined participants in the program. Two Georgia students were selected as leaders: Rebekah Bushmire, editor-in-chief for the McIntosh Trail at McIntosh High School and a GSPA Student Ambassador; and Rohan Movva, news show executive producer at Fulton Science Academy..
We seized the opportunity to interview them about their experiences. Read their answers below.
Tell us more about the SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute.
RB: The SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute is a free online program for high school students. Its goal is to help students improve their leadership skills and their confidence in their advocacy for press freedoms for students. It allows these students to talk to real-world advocates and allows them to build connections with students in other states.
RM: The SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute is where passionate student journalists fighting censorship come together across the country to share experiences and build one strong voice. Through the SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute, we actively learned the history of censorship by meeting with foundational members, including Mary Beth Tinker from Tinker vs. Des Moines and Cathy Kuhlmeier from Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier. Personally, these stories shaped my view of history and the necessity to continue fighting for student press freedom. How to go about fighting for student press freedom remained a question, though. The SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute answered all the steps we need to go through to get New Voices legislation, from advocacy to helping lawmakers write the bill to lobbying and so forth.
What was the Institute’s main purpose?
RB: The main purpose was to teach the participants about New Voices and student advocacy. It taught us how to lobby legislatures, give an elevator pitch, keep up with our mental health, and much more. The event consisted of about ten days of zoom meetings for a few hours each day of the workshop. There were many guest speakers, including SPLC staff, advocates, and previous leadership program participants.
RM: We have one purpose. We want to make Student Journalists feel free to express themselves. In my opinion, there is nothing more fundamental than freedom and creating conversations using that freedom. We will achieve that goal through New Voices legislation. In the institute, we had a series of workshops on how to use our voice to get a New Voices bill onto the floor.
What did you do as a participant? Did you have any specific tasks?
RB: There were a few things, almost like assignments, that we were given. I remember one of them was to prepare an elevator pitch and pitch it to the partners we were assigned in a private zoom room before pitching it to all the participants. There were also some google docs that we would all get on and participate in, moving things around or writing some things down. A lot of note-taking happened, at least on my end. I took a lot of notes and wrote key things down. As for tasks, mostly to communicate with the other state student leaders if you had a partner or partners. Keep up with what we are doing each day and pay attention. There weren’t any huge looming tasks, though, not any I can remember.
RM: We were put into breakout rooms for certain periods of time with people in similar/same states in the New Voices legislative process. This allowed us to gain perspectives from people in similar situations we were able to build on those experiences. We spent time researching the legislators who may support this bill, the different stories we can bring up, how we can contact them, but also how we look to build the New Voices foundation in our state with SWOT analyses to start off with and then building on those to time-table action points.
Do you have a favorite moment?
RB: I loved the day when we learned all about keeping up with our mental health and learning about secondary trauma. It was reassuring because it proved to me that the workers and leaders at SPLC truly care about the student leaders as people, not just student leaders. It was also comforting to know that we aren’t alone in feeling imposter syndrome and feeling out of place with this leadership role. Furthermore, it reassured me to breathe and remember that I am human and everyone makes mistakes. It helps to be taught ways to combat our stress and workload. That day of learning was one of the most impactful days for me and a huge focal point for my view on working for press freedom for students.
RM: I would have to say listening to the stories within all these different student journalists' newsrooms and comparing them with my experiences to see the similarities or differences. A very cool part was getting to hear from and talk to Mary Beth Tinker from Tinker vs. Des Moines and Cathy Kuhlmeier from Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier. They were celebrity figures we got to get close with, which was amazing.
What is your position as an SPLC student leader during the 2022-2023 advocacy year? Benefits?
RB: My position this year is mostly to speak out and vocalize the New Voices movement. Our goal for Georgia is to build support and awareness because my partner and I realized that most people probably aren’t even aware that student censorship exists or that it is a big problem. I noticed that there are some benefits to this role. I think my school has begun to recognize me personally a bit more and has made a point to be more active in supporting our journalism program and the county being more aware. I think it also makes an impact when talking to adults about journalism. When I mention I attended the institute and am currently a student leader, they tend to straighten up and speak more formally while treating me with more respect.
RM: As a New Voices national leader and leader of the Georgia New Voices coalition, I continue to talk at conferences about the importance of student journalists speaking out and using their voice, along with lobbying legislators and giving student journalists a home with New Voices nationally and here in Georgia. There is no benefit like hearing all these different perspectives and talking to fellow student journalists across the state and country in working to achieve this united goal as one community with many voices.
Why did you apply to be a student leader?
RB: I applied because one of my former editors was extremely passionate about New Voices, and she inspired me to learn more about it. My advisor sent me the application, and I began to research New Voices a bit and decided that it was important, and it became really important to me. I applied with the hopes that I would learn a lot and be able to make a real change in Georgia.
RM: Being a leader in my community was where I found my place on a variety of issues with a variety of organizations, but this cause was the one I felt the most attached with. I knew the importance of freedom of the press at every level and equal first amendment rights for students; after hearing stories within my own community, I knew it was time to take action. SPLC, let me take that action to the next level.
What did you feel that you gained from experience? Do you believe that it helped you with your future career path?
RB: I think I gained experience. I mean that like gaining experience lobbying my pitch to people, and I was able to build up connections with students and SPLC staff. I have had board members in my county reach out and come find me to talk about New Voices. I think it helped with my career path. I know that SPLC has connections to some colleges, and my connection to them could help benefit me in the future. It also showed me that I don’t have to go to school to be a reporter to be involved in press and journalism. I found a big passion for student press freedom, especially its legalities. I have found an interest in law because of my work with SPLC.
RM: I gained invaluable connections, perspectives, conversations with fellow and former student journalists, invaluable insights into the legislative process, and I gained invaluable history lessons by connecting with it. If I pursue a career in policy or journalism, this will undoubtedly help build that foundation when it comes to speaking out and making your voice heard, along with all the experiences along the way.
Would you recommend the SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute to your peers?
RB: Yes, yes, yes! I would, without a doubt, recommend the SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute to my peers. The opportunity it gives you is incredible, and you meet many advocates for student press freedom. Besides the fact that it looks wonderful on a resume, the people you meet and the things you learn are priceless. You will never have another chance like this, so I would heavily suggest taking this chance. At the same time, it is open because it’s truly amazing and an amazing program to participate in.
RM: I would recommend the SPLC New Voices Student Leaders Institute to my peers with zero reservations. It is an absolutely insightful, memorable, and breathtaking experience to take part in.