our mission

“It Takes A Village: Basics of Boyhood and Messages for Manhood” is specifically interested in examining how social media impacts the public and mental health of both content creators and the broader Black community. Using the qualitative research methodology and theoretical framework, photovoice, ITAV is titled after the African proverb that acknowledges the importance of family and community in raising and rearing children.

At the core of ITAV is a commitment to providing the broader public, mainstream journalists and policymakers an understanding of digital media’s influence on public dialogue and opinion surrounding the holistic representation of Black men as boys, men, friends, fathers and partners.

This research is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation through a grant to the Institute for Data, Democracy & Politics at The George Washington University.