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Continue reading →: Content Creation and the Communities Behind the Viral ImageContent creators are traveling the world in search of extraordinary photographs and dramatic footage. Too often, the people who live in those places are treated as scenery. A content creator arrives in a community with a camera, a phone, a drone and a carefully planned list of images to photograph.…
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Continue reading →: How to Tell Stories With, Not About, CommunitiesIn a world awash with content, communities are tired of being documented but never truly seen. Too often, well-intentioned filmmakers, journalists, and researchers parachute into neighborhoods with cameras, extract community narratives, and leave, sometimes without even sharing the final product. What’s left is a trail of unmet expectations, distrust, and…
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Continue reading →: Ethical Community Storytelling & Media Production ChecklistAt CEDST Lab, we believe storytelling is not just about content, but also about relationships. That’s why we’re thrilled to share our latest resource: the Checklist for Ethical Community-Engaged Storytelling & Media Production. Now available for download, this one-page guide is designed for storytellers, educators, organizers, and media practitioners who…
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Continue reading →: Reimagining Storytelling. CEDST Lab’s Vision for Ethical, Community-Engaged MediaAt the Community-Engaged Digital Storytelling (CEDST) Lab, we are interested in how stories are made, shared, and remembered. Our work centers on building ethical, respectful, and meaningful relationships with communities, grounded in a commitment to non-extractive and non-intrusive media practices. We believe storytelling isn’t just a method but a responsibility.…
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Continue reading →: What “Non-Extractive” MeansExtraction occurs when researchers, journalists, media producers, filmmakers, institutions, or content creators obtain stories, images, labor, knowledge, legitimacy, data, or career value while concentrating authority and benefits elsewhere and leaving communities with a disproportionate burden or risk. In extractive research, communities may be treated primarily as sources of data rather…
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Continue reading →: CEDST Lab 2026 Calendar Now AvailableWe’re excited to announce that the CEDST Lab 2026 Calendar is officially here, and it’s more than just a calendar. It’s a visual reflection of our core values: collaboration, respect, transparency, and community-centered storytelling. Available now for download, this calendar is designed to inspire, remind, and affirm our shared commitment…
Welcome to CEDST lab
We are a team of community-engaged researchers, journalists, filmmakers, and media producers, committed to non-extractive storytelling.
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