BAVC Media requests $25,000 to support nine months of staffing for our Youth and Emerging Media Maker (YEMM) Programs. YEMM programs have been a staple in the Bay Area community, providing systematically under-served California youth ages 11-25 with access to media arts education for over twenty years. We offer in-school, afterschool, and summer programs ranging from courses for those with no media-making experience to “earn and learn” workforce training programs. YEMM programs intervene in systemic inequities in media arts education by providing under-resourced youth tools and opportunities to express themselves and build confidence in safe and supportive environments. Through mentorship and project-based, hands-on, collaborative learning models, YEMM programs also support participants practice vital soft-skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication, all of which serve their academic, professional, and social-emotional development.