ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews a student-centered antiracist critical media literacy program that engaged the “US young people of color” in collectively analyzing and producing messages on TikTok and Instagram during the 2020 pandemic. We trace how young people, working in small groups with other peers and mentors via Zoom, developed a working definition and the examples of what we came to call Productive Disruptions: social media stories or posts that challenge a dominant narrative, raise awareness about an important issue, and help disrupt and productively reframe a conversation. We argue that centering on systemic racism in a critical media literacy program was key to enhancing learners’ abilities to access civic information, create meaningful media messages, and contribute toward the common good while confined to their homes. We acknowledge the program’s inadequacies, considering the ways the pandemic heightened inequities and highlighted challenges for those who wish to leverage media for democratic engagement.
