Last week, several students from Big Sky High School in Missoula, Montana, wrote to the NewsHour to sing the praises of their beloved teacher Mark Moe, who announced he would be retiring. Moe shares the news summary with his classes daily, so his students thought a message from the NewsHour would be a fitting tribute — and maybe a reason to reconsider. Judy Woodruff shares their story.
Why on-screen representation matters, according to these teens
Why does representation in pop culture matter?
For some young students, portrayals of minorities in the media not only affect how others see them, but it affects how they see themselves.
“I do think it’s powerful for people of a minority race to be represented in pop culture to really show a message that everybody has a place in this world,” said Alec Fields, a junior at Forest Hills High School in Pennsylvania.