The State of Media Literacy Education: Empowering Educators & Providing Resources for Effective Media Literacy
OHIO TECH DAY: Welcome to the Future of Education
Cleveland, OH
On September 26, 2025, Monique presented at Ohio Tech Day: Welcome to the Future of Education, held at the Cleveland Public Library’s Main Campus. The event began with tours of the library’s innovative spaces—TechCentral, Studio 525, and the Makerspace—showcasing how these resources fuel digital learning, creativity, and community empowerment.
Monique’s presentation, “Empowering Educators & Providing Resources for Effective Media Literacy,” explored critical findings from the 2024 NAMLE Media Literacy study alongside practical resources from the News Literacy Project. Addressing the urgent gap where 94% of teens believe media literacy should be mandatory yet only 39% report receiving such education, the session equipped educators with tools like the SIFT framework (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace) and Checkology to help students critically evaluate information without becoming cynical.
The presentation examined both the benefits and challenges educators face in implementing media literacy—from navigating misinformation to addressing equity gaps in access and instruction—while highlighting Ohio’s context where approximately 40% of third graders fail to meet literacy benchmarks. Attendees left with actionable strategies, practical tools, and concrete steps to strengthen media literacy in their classrooms and communities, supporting critical thinking, civic engagement, and resilience in a tech-driven world.
Monique also moderated the closing panel, “Beyond the Classroom: A Community Conversation About Readiness and Resilience in a Tech-Driven World.
The Future of Education
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 50th Annual Convention & Career Fair
Cleveland, OH
Presented at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 50th Annual Convention & Career Fair in Cleveland, OH, Monique moderated a critical panel discussion examining news literacy challenges within Black communities. Drawing on the 2024 National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) report, the session explored how media literacy—encompassing news, digital, information, and critical literacy—manifests in news consumption experiences for Black audiences who have historically faced limited access to trusted news sources.
The panel brought together scholars from across Ohio—Dr. Osei Appiah (The Ohio State University), Dr. Tara Conley (Kent State University), Dr. Adrienne J. Gosselin (Cleveland State University), and Dr. Franceska Jones (Jones Consulting Firm)—to address pressing questions about misinformation targeting Black communities, systemic barriers in media literacy education, and the implications of legislative restrictions like Ohio’s Senate Bill 1 on teaching critical inquiry about race and media representation.
Key discussion themes included the challenges educators face in under-resourced Black neighborhoods, the lack of diversity among media literacy educators (over 80% identify as white), strategies for incorporating culturally relevant resources like Black-led journalism, and successful grassroots and digital practices for combating misinformation. The session emphasized the urgent need for sustainable, community-centered approaches to news literacy that empower Black audiences to critically evaluate media while navigating systemic misrepresentation.
“Digital Marketing Essentials for Small Retail Vendors”
Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC)
Virtual
Monique was invited by the Women’s Business Development Center to serve as a Digital Marketing subject matter expert for vendors in the Brookfield and Berwyn Shops retail incubators. This virtual session focused on foundational marketing strategies, with an emphasis on promoting products online, building brand awareness, and engaging customers through digital channels.
Hosted by Maura Mitchell, Managing Director of Entrepreneurial Programs at WBDC, the session offered actionable guidance to help small business owners succeed in today’s digital marketplace.
Community Education Forum
“How to Advocate for Excellence in the Education of African American Children”
CLE Pearls – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Great Lakes Region
Cleveland, OH
This empowering forum equipped community members with strategies and tools to advocate for educational equity among African American children. Co-keynote speaker Monique Wingard discussed models for advocacy, systemic challenges in education, and ways to create meaningful, community-rooted change.
CLE Pearls, an official interest group of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., hosted the event at Third Space Action Lab with a focus on collective action and solution-oriented discussion.
Quarterly Social Media Bootcamp
“Rock Your Profile: LinkedIn Edition”
The Founding Moms
Virtual
Do you want to stand out on LinkedIn? An interactive workshop that maximizes your LinkedIn account as an entrepreneur. Attendees learn how to develop a robust LinkedIn profile that will get you noticed!
The Founding Moms® is a global collective of offline masterminds and online resources where mom entrepreneurs can exchange, connect and learn from one another. Additionally, The Founding Moms® provides the most comprehensive online and offline resources for mom entrepreneurs who want a deep dive into marketing, branding, and sales so that they can build better businesses.
Monique Wingard 
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