The big picture: The Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association (MMCA) is launching an innovative eight-week internship for Morgan State University students. This move aims to amplify diverse voices in the media and break racial stereotypes, according to the BIPOCXChange press release.

What’s next: The four interns will participate in the Racial Reckoning Discussion Series and produce content for hundreds of BIPOC publishers. They will also be involved in planning the 2023 Multicultural Media & Correspondents Dinner (MMCD) and Summit.

What we’re watching: It's interesting to see the impact this internship will have on these students' careers, their ability to affect the narrative around race in media, and the growth of the BIPOC media sector as a whole.

What we're hearing: Ed Robinson, Professor at Morgan State University, says that this internship provides a unique opportunity for students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world projects and gain experience working in teams. 

Between the lines: The partnership between the MMCA and Morgan State University signals the increasing importance of incorporating diverse perspectives in media, particularly for BIPOC communities. 

The backstory: The BIPOCXChange (BXC), a metaverse platform for BIPOC media, is a key player in this story, offering a space to distribute content to 350+ BIPOC media members and host events. 

Catch up quickly: The internship is a unique blend of multimedia storytelling and content production for diverse media outlets, and it's expected to provide significant networking opportunities for the interns. 

Zoom in: The selected interns include a creative writer turned journalist, an aspiring writer focused on the Black experience, an inspired filmmaker, and a journalism student driven by issues of race and social change.

Zoom out: The internship comes amid broader conversations about racial inequality and media representation. As such, initiatives like these are a step towards changing the narrative and giving voice to underrepresented communities. 

The bottom line: The MMCA's internship program is a crucial initiative that allows the next generation of media professionals to challenge and change narratives of racial bias in media. 

Go deeper: Visit MMCA's website or the BIPOCXChange platform to learn more about their initiatives.

Why it matters: This initiative is a big stride towards more inclusive media representation. It puts the spotlight on the need for diversity and the value of varied perspectives in shaping public narratives. 

The community angle: The media landscape in Dayton, Ohio, like many others, suffers from a lack of BIPOC representation. This initiative sets a precedent that may inspire local media companies to invest in similar programs, fostering a more equitable and diverse media sector in Dayton and potentially influencing the broader cultural narrative in the city. This program could be a blueprint for other regions to improve representation and challenge negative stereotypes in their local media landscapes.

Disclosures: The MMCA is an investor for Elevate Dayton. Nate Dillard, publisher of Elevate Dayton, is a partial owner of the BIPOCXChange. Linda Miller, editorial advisor to Elevate Dayton, is director of the Equitable Media and Economies Initiative, which is a joint project of MMCA and RJI.