MEADIAVILLE
Meadiaville
/meadiaville/ adjective
Meadville's youth media makers have a lot to say, so let's listen. This is the Meadiaville Listening Project.
History of Meadville
A Brief Synopsis of the Vibrant History of Meadville
Every town or city has its own unique story, and Meadville is no different. A multitude of events and years in history have had major effects on the country as a whole, and Meadville has not been spared. Meadville’s past plays into the lives of the town’s residents today, residents who have been resilient and have thrived in a constantly changing world. The Meadiaville Listening Project was created to look at the history of Meadville, and to see just how the town’s history has impacted the youth of today. Meadville’s youth media makers all have their own stories to add to the history book. However, that does not mean that we should forget the past successes of Meadville, such as the zipper industry taking off in the early 1900’s, nor should we forget the town's tougher times, like the economic recession in 2008. Meadville has had its ups and downs, but some things have remained constant: the vibrant creativity and determination of its people.
What drives Meadville’s youth to go to creative outlets like music, YouTube, podcasts, and more? How does the town that Meadville’s youth grew up in affect the ways or means in which they create media? Perhaps most importantly, how does the history of Meadville play into it all? Henry Giroux, a cultural studies scholar, talks a great deal about how a person’s upbringing and environment impacts their media and the ways in which they produce various forms of it. Giroux explains the unfortunate reality that in a consumerist society, youth are not valued due to their lack of capital. Globalization has left out the 15-year-old painter, and the 25-year-old rapper. Instead, consumerism and globalization focus on the working adult, the adult with excess money to spend, the adult that controls the finances of the home. However, Meadville’s youth prove that media makers are important parts of any society. This goes against Giroux’s theories, and despite the recent economic crisis, youth in Meadville are truly creative and determined to produce their own unique forms of media.